Topic: North Korea Upset with Ghost Recon 2

[WindyMan]

They think the game is American propaganda against their country.

Apparently, a government-controlled newspaper (AKA, the government) in North Korea is calling Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 "proof" that the United States has something against their country.  Take this clip from an article explaining what the Koreans think of the game:

“Through propaganda, entertainment and movies,” read a recent online commentary in the Tongil Newspaper, Americans “have shown everyone their hatred for us. This may be just a game to them now, but a war will not be a game for them later. In war, they will only face miserable defeat and gruesome deaths.”

Sure thing, North Korea.  Sure thing.

[Felis Demens CCXXI]

North Korea thinks that it's American propaganda if Kim Jong Il has the screamin' squirts, so it's not surprising.

[Infernal Monkey]

Maybe they'll all email Tom Clancy, and Tom Clancy will go "NNRRRAAAA MY INBOX!" and his wife will shake her head in disgust because Tom Clancy ate way too many beans, and is providing a steady stream of toxic fumes. "Tom Clancy" she'll say. "Yes?" Tom Clancy will reply. Then Tom will write an angry 4000 page book about a shotgun in a shop. Ubisoft will turn it into another squad based snooze fest, only on Xbox they'll say. Then there'll be a PS2 and GC port they'll say.

Tom Clancy will buy a hamburger.

[Shift Key]

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Tom Clancy will buy a hamburger.

DON'T SPOIL THE ENDING!?!?!?!!

[mouse_clicker]

Well of course America has something against North Korea- the country's under the tyranic control of a certifiable loon.

[RABicle]

They do have a right to get upset if their country is targeted by a book or video game. However what they don't understand is that in some countries not all media products are written by the government.

[Oldskool]

Erm, you actually be able to get Ghost Recon 2 in North Korea?

[Nephilim]

Good on them
im quite frankly sick of games were koreans, Vietnamese and russians are made into savages
getting bonus points and such for shooting them in the head is sickening

[Infernal Monkey]

You didn't get bonus points in Wolf 3D for shooting mecha-lol-Hitler in the head. No mouse aim. ;__;

[Jonnyboy117]

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Originally posted by: RABicle
They do have a right to get upset if their country is targeted by a book or video game. However what they don't understand is that in some countries not all media products are written by the government.

Hear, hear!

[The Omen]

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Good on them
im quite frankly sick of games were koreans, Vietnamese and russians are made into savages
getting bonus points and such for shooting them in the head is sickening

So if it's some generic white man its okay?  Lets not go one way here please.  **by the way, I like bonus points for shooting any enemy in the head.  Race /religion doesnt matter ...Kill em all!**

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Ubisoft is a French company......


??

[Chode2234]

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Originally posted by: DeadlyD
Good on them
im quite frankly sick of games were koreans, Vietnamese and russians are made into savages
getting bonus points and such for shooting them in the head is sickening

and Nazis too!

[couchmonkey]

I'm not a fan of Tom Clancy or the games bearing his name, but this is clearly propoganda from the North Korean government.  Of course it's true that American pop culture picks on certain nations, but it's fair to say that those countries are the same ones that the U.S. has conflict with, so they make logical choices for games, movies, novels, etc. that have a militaristic theme.

It's an interesting dilemma, because these games are only trying to create scenarios that seem "realistic".  It would probably seem silly if the super-secret-special-operative-team from America were trying to infiltrate a military installation in Canada or Italy.  On the other hand, it does perpetuate stereotypes when the villains are always from South America or the Middle East or "the former Soviet Union".  There is propoganda in pop culture, even if it's not controlled by the government.

Personally, I prefer games with fantasy themes.  They're more fun and less depressing.

[The Omen]

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On the other hand, it does perpetuate stereotypes when the villains are always from South America or the Middle East or "the former Soviet Union".

Stereotypes come from truth.  I wouldn't have a major problem if some Iranian game developer made the USA out to be the devil, because thats how they feel.   If we're going to be offended about these types of games, be offended by all of them.  I see little difference in shooting a man with no name in a military suit, than a guy from The former soviet union..they're all games.  Violence is far more insulting in the real world.

[Myxtika1 Azn]

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Originally posted by: The Omen
Stereotypes come from truth.

Really? Since I'm Chinese, does that make me an ass-kicking kung fu master? Cuz that would be mad cool!

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Originally posted by: The Omen
Stereotypes come from truth.

If we're going to be offended about these types of games, be offended by all of them.  I see little difference in shooting a man with no name in a military suit, than a guy from The former soviet union..they're all games.  

That's why I liked shooting space aliens from Metroid.  Now, I can just use my newly found kung fu skills and just shoot energy balls instead, after of course, I grab them with my eagle claw of death, fly into the air, stay there for 10 minutes, then toss them back down to the ground using my Stupendular Ballistic Throw of the Ancients.

OK, that sounded stupid.

[Nephilim]

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So if it's some generic white man its okay? Lets not go one way here please. **by the way, I like bonus points for shooting any enemy in the head. Race /religion doesnt matter ...Kill em all!**

It seems like you have played GTA then lol

I dont care who they kill, aslong as it isnt political.....
Leave things in the parst, we dont need 10 new pc games a year were your goal is to kill vietnamese in the vietnam war.

[Caillan]

I agree with DeadlyD about this issue here, though probobly for reasons that differ from his own. Propaganda doesn't work through logic, it works through repitition, and no matter how unintentional it is, it works on a very consistant basis.

Now, I shouldn't have said that, because political/theological and presumably therefore aspects of moral/ethical discussion is banned in these forums. This thread is like dry tinder in a furnace. It will burst into flames, it's merely a matter of how long it takes.

[KDR_11k]

Did you know that, since Japan has no real enemies, they often use the US or the western world (or metaphors for that *cough*valuan empire*cough*) as the bad guys? Did you know that "All Your Base Are Belong To Us!!" meant something like "Thanks to the cooperation of the UN we have captured all of your military installations" and that the player was fighting for Japan in Zero Wing? There's a lot of anti-US/anti-west "propaganda" in japanese games and movies.