"a product that’s meant to be passed off as a leisure time activity, actually promoting what most world leaders speak out publicly against."

So a leisure time activity can't present abhorant acts? Watching a movie would fall in to this group but I'd hate to live in a world where films can't show death.

Activision must be loving this though. They release a game (soon), it gets an adult rating and still the nut jobs come out of the woodwork speaking of how it is all so wrong and in turn increase it's media coverage and inturn sales of the thing they hate.

Lesson to anyone out there who thinks a certain media is a bad influence - shut up about it and down fan the flames.

one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter !

Quick lets go bully some 3rd world countries for there oil.

Very convenient that this movie was "leaked" so close to launch. All the hype is bound to be good PR for Activision as we have seen time and time again.

I must admit that I fail to see what the fuzz is about. People have been playing terrorists in games for years, and neither terrorism, violence or death are concepts invented by the gaming industry. While terrorism certainly is a big issue in this day and age it is hardly influenced by video games, and it is certainly not diminished in the slightest by censoring games. Claiming otherwise only serves to make oneself appear foolish and hystical and ultimately belittles the very real problem that terrorism presents.

If the scenario in the game is skippable why is it in there? It is insensitive. It needs to be removed and an apology needs to be issued by Activision/Infinity Ward to the families of the victims and survivors of the Mumbai Incident last november.

It could benefit the Australian market, especially if the protest groups mentioned here join in with the call for an 18+ certificate for games.

Nobody kicked up a fuss in Assassins Creed where you could walk up and shank a civilian in the stomach or in the back.

Or in Predator where you ripped people heads off?

Or in Game ABC where you can do XYZ?

People have come to expect violence in games.
Whilst it becomes the norm, something edgy or different always gets a reaction (Manhunt 2 for example). The only reason this is creating an uproar is because of the simularity to something relatively recent. Whilst yes, the mumbai incident was horrific, and yes this does seem simular, its not going to change anything.
Removing the level isnt going to make terrorist cells lay down their arms and start planting trees to lower co2.

I doubt this is a PR stunt, but Activision are trying to spin it to their advantage, and why wouldnt they?
This game is going to walk out of the shop on launch day, airport level in or out.

.... who are fighting in the warzones around the world are pre-ordering the special edition with NVGs because the army don't give them out standard issue!

I'd like to expand on a point I've read a few times to do with this article. If the level was SO insensitive and seen to "big up" terrorism, then why have the BBFC given it an 18 rating? They could have banned it outright. But they haven't, and good on them.

With real-life footage of atrocities shown on the nightly news, it's somewhat hypocritical for people to cry out for this level (or even the entire game) to be banned.

Hopefully, this level will help to stir emotion within gamers, and show just how wrong these acts are. Either way, Activision should be applauded for taking this risk, and hope that more developers follow their lead with future narratives

Hey think about it... in the Grand Theft Auto series you can do terrrorist acts, yet nobody said anything about that, but still has had some conterversy about things...

Played the scene myself, I must say, it doesn't feel right at all. But I do not think it should be removed.

It creates a very real experience, never before have you seen it from the other side like this. It makes you think.

violence is every where! i had to explain peodo's to my 6 and 3 yr old because it was on NEWSROUND! and that sure as hell never came with an age rating.
driving games have u picking up whores and shooting cops...and thats OK??!!!
most fps's have beatifully cut scenes with plenty of gore!
every horror or action film has innocent civilians dying, and thats OK?

one scene....get over yourselves...
it could be worse, hell they could show the NEWS!!

and personally i find pixels and made up story lines a whole lot less depressing than the nasty messed up world we actually live in !