Here's why.
Microsoft is saying its upcoming "Halo 3" video game "will make entertainment history."
I wonder, though, if the company will make another kind of history by releasing a provocatively themed war game in the throes of a horrible, divisive, real-life war. In the game, you play the part of Master Chief, a Marine saving the world by blasting away at alien zealots.
. . .
I don't think Microsoft is trying to send any subliminal, pro-war message. It's reflecting popular culture, like a 21st-century GI Joe, dressed up with big themes to make it seem weighty and build Star Trek-like enthusiasm.But it seems risky for a global company to even lightheartedly link spirituality and military themes during a U.S. war in the Middle East that has outraged much of the world.
Especially a company that's trying to stay tight with the Bush administration while building its presence in developing countries.
I wonder if Dudley has ever seen any American movies from World War II? (Which was a horrible war and more divisive than most now realize.)
I have played Halo a few times, mostly to see what all the fuss was about. But it never occurred to me to think of it as an allegory for the war in Iraq, or even the war on terror. (I was annoyed that they had used Larry Niven's idea, without giving him proper credit.)
Perhaps Halo 2 and Halo 3 are different from the game I played, but, if not, this is a terribly funny column, so funny that I have to wonder whether Dudley is putting us on. As happens more often than I would like, I read a piece in one of the local papers and am left hoping that the writer is not a humorless leftist, but a sly jokester. (The picture that accompanies the column supports the sly jokester theory; it would be hard to look that humorless without deliberately trying to.)
Posted by Jim Miller at September 17, 2007 06:40 PM | Email ThisIt is people opposed to the war who are horrible and divisive!
Posted by: daveo on September 17, 2007 07:06 PMBut the overt symbolism Microsoft is using to sell "Halo 3" is unsettling. Maybe I've lived in Seattle too long. You've got to wonder, though, whether Microsoft is pushing it in this case.
In Seattle too long? Yah think?
Let's face it, everyone knows that the game was internally codenamed "Haloburton" and designed to turn millions of button-pushing teenage automatons into supporters of the war in Iraq.
The next thing you're going to tell me is that the "African word, from an islamic country" that was removed from the game is the word "macaca".
Sheesh!
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/12364/Halo-3-Mulitplayer-Beta-Codename-Pimps-at-Sea/
Halo, the universe was thought up long before Desert Storm, nevermind out current conflict. Dudley sounds just like his name implies.
Posted by: Halo_Ace on September 17, 2007 07:40 PMAlso in Dudley's defense, he was referring to part of the advertising command, not the game itself. But as I posted on his blog, seeing allegory to the Iraq war in the advertising campaign is a bit of a stretch. I saw it closer to WWII than anything. Frankly, that his first reaction was it was an allegory to Iraq, and that it was strong enough for him write a column about it, says more about the lens he views the world through than anything Microsoft or Bungie Studios (the department responsible for the Halo games) is doing.
Posted by: Mike H on September 17, 2007 07:48 PMFor pure police violence, go with Rainbow Six. You get to raid a Las Vegas and kill terrorist gangsters and rescue people (assuming you don't miss, and shoot them...then you go back to square one).
For fun, but less realistic battles, "I prefer Unreal Tournament 2004". Halo is a bit tired in the genre, but "Gears of War" is the more now MS game to play (there's even a general who looks like Steve Balmer).
Posted by: John Bailo on September 17, 2007 09:25 PMThe war between the humans and the Conventant Forces are religious based. The Coventant follow their leadership that tells them humans are below them and their gods demand their death. Killing humans gets them spots in their alien heaven.
Personally I dont think they are suppose to allign with the War on Terror (God help us if they do as the aliens always seam to win) for the simple fact HALO 1 came out in before Sept. 11th.
Even if they are connected, is that so bad? How is it a bad thing killing evil people (or aliens)?
Posted by: Kyle on September 18, 2007 04:00 PMThe war between the humans and the Conventant Forces are religious based. The Coventant follow their leadership that tells them humans are below them and their gods demand their death. Killing humans gets them spots in their alien heaven.
Personally I dont think they are suppose to allign with the War on Terror (God help us if they do as the aliens always seam to win) for the simple fact HALO 1 came out in before Sept. 11th.
Even if they are connected, is that so bad? How is it a bad thing killing evil people (or aliens)?
Posted by: Kyle on September 18, 2007 04:00 PMThe war between the humans and the Conventant Forces are religious based. The Coventant follow their leadership that tells them humans are below them and their gods demand their death. Killing humans gets them spots in their alien heaven.
Personally I dont think they are suppose to allign with the War on Terror (God help us if they do as the aliens always seam to win) for the simple fact HALO 1 came out in before Sept. 11th.
Even if they are connected, is that so bad? How is it a bad thing killing evil people (or aliens)?
Posted by: Kyle on September 18, 2007 04:00 PMThe war between the humans and the Conventant Forces are religious based. The Coventant follow their leadership that tells them humans are below them and their gods demand their death. Killing humans gets them spots in their alien heaven.
Personally I dont think they are suppose to allign with the War on Terror (God help us if they do as the aliens always seam to win) for the simple fact HALO 1 came out in before Sept. 11th.
Even if they are connected, is that so bad? How is it a bad thing killing evil people (or aliens)?
Posted by: Kyle on September 18, 2007 04:02 PMI can see an analogy between the Covenent and Al-Queda because they are both driven by religion, but to a certain extent, the same could have been said about the Nazi's and their fanatical beliefs. But that's not the point, he was making an allusion between the tone of the marketing campaign and the war in Iraq, which is a huge stretch.
Posted by: Mike H on September 18, 2007 04:24 PMYes, it really is a huge streach. Sometimes I think people read way too much into things. Its sad, but I will get over it Sept 25th when I have my copy of HALO 3 in my hands :)
Posted by: Kyle on September 18, 2007 09:48 PM