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 by Sol Invictus, Level 54
Last updated at October 31, 2009, 2:21 am
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While I would simply love to defend Infinity Ward for their efforts in pushing the envelope with Modern Warfare 2's narrative and the like, their latest marketing release displays everything that's wrong with gamer culture and revels in it.
The “*******” remark as uttered by Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels comes off misogynistic, betraying a kind of ignorance on part of Infinity Ward, but it is by far a lesser evil to the completely abhorrent acronym that makes up the title of this video and the text at the end.
In case you missed the acronym, it spells out “F.A.G.S.”
As I posted on reddit, using such words only betrays an inarticulate, intellectually stunted mind. Don't use them unless you want to sound like an idiot.
Lest anyone think to defend Infinity Ward for this debacle by attempting the claim that Activision may have been responsible for it rather than the developers themselves, I need only to point you in the direction of the following interview, wherein Infinity Ward PR man Robert Bowling talks about how the developer holds itself accountable for most of the game’s marketing.
“Not only do we know the game but we know the gamer. We know what to expect from them and what they expect from us. So it helps us guide design decisions and decisions overall, including with PR.”
He continued, “There are certain things that are good for a press release and there are some things that are good if we presented them in a casual way – such as through Twitter.
“It is why I started the Twitter account in the first place. I have direct line to our audience and the press. Many editors will follow me, and they can direct message me and I can clarify things. There is no middleman. We are responsible for what we say and what we do, and we can be held accountable for our successes and failures.”
A transcript and further commentary can be found at While Not Finished, for anyone who can't access the video.
Update: Robert Bowling posted the following tweet and has since pulled the video from YouTube, stating, "I think the core gag is great, the end is a bit too far from the intent of the joke & can appreciate the concerns. Pulled."
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15 comments
Cleric Oct 31, 2009 at 5:47 am
+1 votes
HAHA, all the sudden the movie Team America comes to mind 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chp2u2ln8_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chp2u2ln8_E
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foozzybear Oct 31, 2009 at 8:31 am
+2 votes
In general, when I look at my direct environment, most of the 'honourablue, true blue' people around me, who were offended by the airport level, tend to find this stuff actually funny:
'huhuh duuuuh, he huhuhuh, Cole Hamels said p******s, oh yeah and huhuh the acronym spells f**s.'
so sad to be offended by something NOT real, while laughing at ACTUAL bigotry. So so sad......
'huhuh duuuuh, he huhuhuh, Cole Hamels said p******s, oh yeah and huhuh the acronym spells f**s.'
so sad to be offended by something NOT real, while laughing at ACTUAL bigotry. So so sad......
foozzybear Oct 31, 2009 at 11:52 am
+0 votes
Indeed,
and also, I was thinking, if they don't find the words bigotry, but just, naughty words or something, then isn't there some point for getting to old for laughing at such acronyms? I mean really? it spells f**S? wow, geez, how clever, and how rebellious. yeah...
and also, I was thinking, if they don't find the words bigotry, but just, naughty words or something, then isn't there some point for getting to old for laughing at such acronyms? I mean really? it spells f**S? wow, geez, how clever, and how rebellious. yeah...
Wargasm Oct 31, 2009 at 1:15 pm
+2 votes
Sorry, but I like the lighter tone of this. I can laugh at people being called ******* and **** once in awhile. It's not serious.
Sol Invictus Oct 31, 2009 at 7:23 pm
+0 votes
It may not be serious to you and me because we don't experience bigotry on a first hand basis, but it's serious to the people whom it affects.
Wargasm Oct 31, 2009 at 9:48 pm
+1 votes
I suppose so, but then again I don't get offended easily. If there was a derogatory term for "white male" I doubt it would cause me much worry to be called it. People need to stop giving derogatory terms so much power. As an example, some homosexuals embrace the word gay and it no longer has a derogatory meaning to them. In other words when someone calls a homosexual a "***" the best thing for them to do is say, "yeah I'm a ***, so what?" It takes the power of the word away.
Schmink Nov 2, 2009 at 1:42 am
+1 votes
I think it's pretty thick that you can turn this around and say that it's the people that the hateful slur is about that need to change.
n00bie51 Nov 2, 2009 at 3:51 am
+0 votes
I understand what Wargasm is saying, but I don't like it when people call me a ***** because I'm Asian -- they're the ones who have the problem with their racial insensitivity, not me.
If you're Asian and you don't take others too seriously when you hear racial epithets and don't mind it, more power to you I suppose, but that doesn't apply to everybody.
Having said all this, I don't dislike this video so much because of its offensive profanity but because this Mr. Bowling says they "know the gamer" so it comes off like they know the community really well when I have serious doubts they do (unless the head of Infinity Ward starts responding to individual e-mails from members of the community like Gabe Newell of Valve does). Also, it wasn't funny. I'm not just saying that because it used offensive language, I'm just saying it just wasn't humorous.
If you're Asian and you don't take others too seriously when you hear racial epithets and don't mind it, more power to you I suppose, but that doesn't apply to everybody.
Having said all this, I don't dislike this video so much because of its offensive profanity but because this Mr. Bowling says they "know the gamer" so it comes off like they know the community really well when I have serious doubts they do (unless the head of Infinity Ward starts responding to individual e-mails from members of the community like Gabe Newell of Valve does). Also, it wasn't funny. I'm not just saying that because it used offensive language, I'm just saying it just wasn't humorous.
Wargasm Nov 2, 2009 at 3:55 pm
+1 votes
I'm just saying they should stop acting so offended. If I was gay and someone called me a *** I would simply say "Yeah, I'm gay, it's not that big of a deal." And that would be the end of it. I wouldn't be ashamed of being gay. It's not that they should change anything, they should just stop being ashamed of who they are. Getting offended only adds fuel to the fire. It makes it seem as though you realize you're a freak or something. Just act like it's normal and that the racists/bigots are the ones who are out of line.
It's a lot harder to force someone to stop being an ******* than to just pay them no mind. And as an example, if you really think I'm being an *******, pay me no mind and this conversation will end immediately, I can't just sit here and argue with myself.
It's a lot harder to force someone to stop being an ******* than to just pay them no mind. And as an example, if you really think I'm being an *******, pay me no mind and this conversation will end immediately, I can't just sit here and argue with myself.
Schmink Nov 2, 2009 at 6:29 pm
+0 votes
So what you are saying is that if something you say is an insulting
hateful slur directed at me, i should pay no attention to you because
defending myself is more difficult than internalizing it and letting
you be? What a load. The simple fact that you flippantly equate a gay
person standing up for themself to somehow justifying the slur with the
realization that they are indeed a freak if quit telling. So that's
all i have to say. Maybe if you sit there and argue with yourself long
enough you'll talk some sense into yourself.
hateful slur directed at me, i should pay no attention to you because
defending myself is more difficult than internalizing it and letting
you be? What a load. The simple fact that you flippantly equate a gay
person standing up for themself to somehow justifying the slur with the
realization that they are indeed a freak if quit telling. So that's
all i have to say. Maybe if you sit there and argue with yourself long
enough you'll talk some sense into yourself.
n00bie51 Nov 3, 2009 at 10:34 am
+1 votes
I understand what you're saying, Wargasm, and I don't dislike you. But being offended doesn't mean you're ashamed of something. You can call a black person the N-word, I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean they're ashamed of being black (unless they consider the N-word by another definition, that is, an ignorant black person).
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