Venezuela claims game is prelude to invasion

[Toastburner B]

Or, the topic that has nothing to do with the Wii or the PS3.

Looks like the plotline for Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is not very popular in a certain South American country (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060524/ap_on_hi_te/chavez_game)

CARACAS, Venezuela - A U.S. company's video game simulating an invasion of Venezuela is supposed to hit the shelves next year, but it's already raising the ire of lawmakers loyal to President Hugo Chavez.

Chavez supporters in Venezuela's National Assembly suspect the makers of "Mercenaries 2: World in Flames" are doing Washington's bidding by drumming up support among Americans for an eventual move to overthrow Chavez.

"I think the U.S. government knows how to prepare campaigns of psychological terror so they can make things happen later," Congressman Ismael Garcia said, citing the video game developed by Los Angeles-based Pandemic Studios.

Pandemic describes "Mercenaries 2" as "an explosive open-world action game" in which "a power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela's oil supply, sparking an invasion that turns the country into a war zone." The company says players take on the role of well-armed mercenaries.

Chris Norris, a publicist for Pandemic in Los Angeles, said the game wasn't intended to make a political statement about Chavez, though designers "always want to have a rip from the headlines."

"Although a conflict doesn't necessarily have to be happening, it's realistic enough to believe that it could eventually happen," Norris said.

Lawmaker Gabriela Ramirez said "Mercenaries 2" gives a false vision of Chavez as a tyrant and Venezuela as being on the verge of chaos. She said the game could be banned under a proposed law aimed at protecting Venezuelan children from violent video games.

In the U.S., "it sends a message to Americans: You have a danger next door, here in Latin America, and action must be taken," she said. "It's a justification for an imperialist aggression."

U.S. officials have repeatedly denied planning an attack on Venezuela, though
President Bush said he is concerned about "an erosion of democracy" here — an accusation Chavez has called blatantly false.

For those who don't know, the current president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, spends his free time bashing Bush. He has also stated several times that he believes that the U.S. is gearing up for an invasion to attempt to topple the Chavez adminstration.

Needless to say, according to him, this game is to prepare the young people of America for that war.

:rolleyes: Chavez is a bit of a loon, in my humble opinion.

[The Wandering God]

Wait, what?

The message it sends is
"We like making fun games. This one will blow the last one out of the water. You should buy it."

Ah, who cares. Mercenaries ruled, and when I get a PS3, this will come with it.

The Wandering God

[Toastburner B]

In hind sight, I should of given this a snappier title like, "Venezuela claims game is prelude to invasion" or something like that.

Anyways...it's a good thing these guys aren't in North Korea...every third military shooter nowadays is based in North Korea.

[Bamboozehound]

International politics is worse than a fucking sewing circle of old harpies.

[Krylo]

My only response to this is: They're making another Mercenaries game? Fucking sweet!

Also: You want a snappier title? You got a snappier title!

[Bells]

Well.. is not like there are many good games around today where you get to Open fire against the US...

Anyway, when someone decides to make a "DC : under siege" game, i would play it...

Mostly because im tired of every shooter being on a War of the past setting or "from the beach, Through the jungle, to the temple, to the camp, to the base, to the building/wherehouse where the Final boss lives..."

But also, because Advanced Warfighter dont run well on my PC...

[Magus]

Is the lack of an audience in Venezuela for this game supposed to be a threat at the game company or something? Is this really going to affect sales? Not to mention they're probably clever to go with this for a plot line, since tensions ARE heating up. It's almost like the Red Dawn of videogames, in a way, although the NK ones are probably closer to the mark. I foresee games based on war in Iran or some more in Sudan, really (I think there are games based in Sudan, correct me if I'm wrong).

Still looking for that Red Dawn-esque video game, actually. A combat game set in the U.S. would be a nice spin on things, and to avoid any offensiveness they could just make up a country, have us invaded by Latveria (and Dr. Doom). B^) Or they could do a War of 1812 videogame, but the excitement level might be a bit low on that one...

I suppose people COULD jump to the conclusion that Chavez is evil, if they haven't already. He's not the most lovable fellow in modern times, after all. But he's not any worse than a lot of other less-lovable fellows.

[Bells]

It seams that Chavez is seeing this game like "Anti-Venezuela" Propaganda

On that note, i could say that is the same as that Movie Bad Boys II did for Cuba... just not so Much

[Magus]

People watched Bad Boys II? B^)

[Bells]

People watched Bad Boys II? B^)

Got watch it before saying it sucks :cool:

[Magus]

I saw the first one, having to watch it should count for two.

Back on topic, a lot of people want to deride video games with some crazy claim that "They're brainwashing our youngsters into wanting to join the military," America's Army is the main one to point out with that.

But this seems like a very hippy viewpoint. Why is being in the army the equivalent of being evil, suddenly? It's a really good career choice, actually. Why aren't kids allowed to daydream about being a war hero, suddenly? Why is it suddenly bad? After all, World War II was a battle of good versus evil. Of course, since then and prior, war has been usually fought entirely for political purposes...but still. Too many hippies bring this up, and of course anti-Imperialist America bashers like Chavez. Bashing Bush is all fine and dandy, everyone else does, but where does this thought come from that America's military is inherently a fascist tool?

[Satan's Onion]

I thought the right-wingish "family values" crowd considered videogames to be the daydreams of Satan himself...so why would they suddenly choose videogaming as the medium by which to spread a "hey, het's go invade Venezuela!" message? Is this the same kind of logic Limbaugh and his ilk use when they insist that liberals are both complete idiots and masters of Machiavellian multimedia manipulation?

[Lockeownzj00]

But this seems like a very hippy viewpoint. Why is being in the army the equivalent of being evil, suddenly? It's a really good career choice, actually. Why aren't kids allowed to daydream about being a war hero, suddenly? Why is it suddenly bad?

Suddenly evil? Turning people into fighting machines, dividing people all over the world into factions is something that's only now being recognised as evil? Well, yes, perhaps now more than ever, but the horrors of war have been documented sinec the concept began. And, yes, it's a career choice. And I don't deny that with our current state of tribal international politics, armies are necessary.

"Why aren't kids allowed to dream about being war heroes?" Jesus. Because glorifying war is the most dangerous thing you can do to brainwash a person. It dehumanises you.

After all, World War II was a battle of good versus evil. Of course, since then and prior, war has been usually fought entirely for political purposes...but still. Too many hippies bring this up, and of course anti-Imperialist America bashers like Chavez. Bashing Bush is all fine and dandy, everyone else does, but where does this thought come from that America's military is inherently a fascist tool?

Is that really all you see World War 2 as? That's a terribly trite way of looking at it.

Hm. Where, oh where, does this thought come from. It has nothing to do with our military history, does it? It must be people who are jealous of America!

On this game's criticism: so much for the entire "alternative history" genre. Let's arrest Phillip Roth because he is insulting Jews! Geeze.

[Bells]

lets not start a ideological thread about war and stuff... -.-'

[MuMu]

They could've just used a fictional country and evaded all this bashing...

[Althane]

Use Latveria: Dr. Doom comes and gets pissed at us, that's -really- bad.
Use Metropolis: Superman comes and gets REALLY pissed at us.
Use Discworld: Terry Prattchet sues.
Use some third rate country that nobody really cares about: Perfectly fine.

So, yeah, it's safe to use third rate coutnries (what does third rate mean, anyways, you never hear fourth or fifth rate stuff...) such as Korea, who will soon have nukes, and Venezuela, which controls a portion of oil. After all, what're we more likely to invade, Venezuela and Korea, or, say, Latveria? :P

(yes, I am aware that this post seemingly makes no sense. Ignore the above if you want a serious post)

Seriously: Why is that we've had plenty of games based in Germany, Vietnam and Korea, yet none of those countries has complained of us planning to invade?

I mean, hell, we haven't even really HAD military excursions into that southren part of America. Central Americas really how far we went, military wise.

[MuMu]

the problem is that Chavez like to hurt Bush. The problem is that people like when he do this >_> But that doesn't matters, even if Venezuela was a hero in the game, he would complain.

[Bells]

Its easy to piss a country off...

See... Nintendo's PR said they are planning on release the Wii not just on the US, but in All americas... quoting the PR "The North America... the US, and Mexico... the americas..."

See... easy to piss of ¬¬

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway...

Maybe someday they will make a Game where a war is held on Australia or maybe South Pole... this would be a fun change of pace...

[Althane]

Uhm, what's so pissing off of that statement from Nintendo? The Americas -is- the name for the grouping of countries in South -AMERICA-. Just because America (which is a funky word, just say it a few times. A-MER-I-CA, seriously, funky word. OR maybe I'm just weird...?) is generally associated with the U.S. America doesn't mean they're trying to piss anyone off...

Or am I reading the post wrong?

As for an Australian War Game, who the hell cares about Australia? "Lookie there, that man just shot him a gator, we should buy him a drink?" (sorry to any members in Australia)

As for the South Pole? Freeze your 'nards off, nobody sane would put a military war on the poles of the planet.

[Bells]

Uhm, what's so pissing off of that statement from Nintendo? The Americas -is- the name for the grouping of countries in South -AMERICA-. Just because America (which is a funky word, just say it a few times. A-MER-I-CA, seriously, funky word. OR maybe I'm just weird...?) is generally associated with the U.S. America doesn't mean they're trying to piss anyone off...

Or am I reading the post wrong?

As for an Australian War Game, who the hell cares about Australia? "Lookie there, that man just shot him a gator, we should buy him a drink?" (sorry to any members in Australia)

As for the South Pole? Freeze your 'nards off, nobody sane would put a military war on the poles of the planet.

Actually... in a Nutshell.. i would just belive that Brasil has a Bigger gamers comunity then Mexico... i mean, damn... North America, Central america, but not South america?? Even microsoft is officially setting Xbox Live service in Brasil next year...

And i dont know why... but a "Splinter cell" kinda game on Alaska sounds intriguin to me...

[shiney]

It is ridiculous how horrifically gullible some people think young game players are. Some of them, certainly, but i mean seriously.

[Dark Seraphim]

"Why aren't kids allowed to dream about being war heroes?" Jesus. Because glorifying war is the most dangerous thing you can do to brainwash a person. It dehumanises you.


Yeah, what about the good old days when a kid dreamnt he was an old western vigilanti? Or a member of a militarized lawkeeping force? And certainly there were no writing that glorified war or warriors until recent times...

-----

Rhetoric aside, I'm entirely 'meh' on this game and the original.

[EVILNess]

I have one thing to say to Chavez. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit)

Besides, everyone knows that Canada is first on our hit list.

[Fifthfiend]

For those who don't know, the current president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, spends his free time bashing Bush. He has also stated several times that he believes that the U.S. is gearing up for an invasion to attempt to topple the Chavez adminstration.

Can't imagine where he could have gotten that idea, I mean it's not like the US ever backed an attempted coup to topple the Chavez administration (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,688071,00.html) or anything crazy like that.

But no, I mean after all it's not like anyone could ever have any kind of legitimate reason to bash George W. Bush, Philosopher-King and warrior-poet that the man has proved himself time and again to be.

[Satan's Onion]

Use Latveria: Dr. Doom comes and gets pissed at us, that's -really- bad.
Use Metropolis: Superman comes and gets REALLY pissed at us.
Use Discworld: Terry Prattchet sues. ...

Tho', even if Pterry did approve, it wouldn't be worth playing. You just know Vetinari, Sam Vimes and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch would pwn the whole game.

and fifth, I understand the point you're making, but I still doubt Dubya would try to soften up U.S. youth for a Venezuelan campaign with a videogame. Hell, knowing him, Bush'd probably wait until his poll numbers are lowest and just pour a bunch of soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan into the place one day, and announce the move a couple of days after.

[Krylo]

Guys, this is a thread about a video game and a country's reaction to it.

It is not a thread on the validity of war.

Nor is it a thread on the idiocy of Bush.

Stop discussing those things.

K'thnx bai!

[Mirai Gen]

Well said.

I don't see why it is that people get so inherently up-in-arms about such ludicrous things.

Did any of the Tom Clancy novels/movies/games get shit for featuring in real third-world countries?

Well, there's this thing called 'storytelling'. It's when you make shit up, and show people how good it is that you made it up. Tom Clancy tells people exactly how a bomb is made, what components it is, and how it works, and people get all antsy because analog sticks are now pointing guns in VENEZUELA! OMG TRAINING PROGRAMS!

It's more propaganda BS.

[Satan's Onion]

sorry krylo. Must've been the glass of chardonnay talking. :o

But I stand by my Discworld-related comments. Vetinari/Vimes/the Watch FTW everytime :D .

Did any of the Tom Clancy novels/movies/games get shit for featuring in real third-world countries?

Well, Jack Thompson's still got a few years left in him, so don't rule it out. Remember, the videogames brainwash our poor, deluded, impressionable children, so of course if you show them a combat game set in Venezuela, they'll go; y'know, for the same reason we've been seeing all those kids eating flowers and then trying to shoot fireballs out of their hands.

[Fifthfiend]

Guys, this is a thread about a video game and a country's reaction to it.

It is not a thread on the validity of war.

Nor is it a thread on the idiocy of Bush.

Well then it's good that nobody mentioned either of those things thus far, isn't it?

If you'd care to read the first post of the thread, it's pretty clear that what this thread is about is calling a particular country's leader a "loon," a judgement rendered largely for his being insufficiently enamored of George W. Bush. I'm not exactly seeing how it isn't germane to that subject to consider that perhaps there might actually be reasonable, non-loony grounds for holding that view of the President.

But all right, if you want to demand that this thread be restricted to "Haw haw, lookit them stoopid ignint Venezuelans, over there in Venezuela! They shore are ignint and stoopid, them Venezuelans, haw!" then fine and well, I suppose.

I mean really, foreign lawmakers taking issue with unflattering portrayals of their nation's government in the media of a nation whose leadership has expressed outright hostility towards them on not-infrequent occasion? Really, of all the nutty things.

[Lockeownzj00]

The entire time fifthfiend was making that post, I was underneath the desk giving him a blowjob. I'm his personal Lewinsky, except, I wanted it.

PS: I personally love those veridical nations like "Zanzibar Land." Come on, man. Zanzibar Land! Maybe we should just change the beginning letter of the offended parties in all alternate-history entertainment. Consider this fictional example:

The President of Benezuela spoke of his concern for the unkind comments of Dritain's prime minister, Zony Clair. The Enited States launched an offensive on the Benezuelan capital, Paracas, for no discernable reason at all. Bavid Ketterman made a bunch of jokes about it afterwards. A secret US police force detained him for the critical commentary, at which point W descended upon the crew and saved his ass, muttering a string of words that all started with 'W.'

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Do I think that this game was intended as a secret propaganda tool or a prelude to war? No. Do I think this game invokes anti-Venezuela sentiment in creating its plot. Yes.

Chavez isn't coming out of nowhere with his reaction, but this doesn't mean anything per say. I mean while this isn't on par with Pat Robertson's calling for Chavez's assasination, or the US funded coup, it still is a middle finger in his face.

If a video game came out in which you killed & butchered Canadians, don't you think they'd have a good reason to complain? The game might not even be completely serious, but when you target anything other than a generic enemy, this is what happens.

That's why most games have us killing aliens or ghosts.

SWB