I don't see how anyone who enjoys and is old enough to play this game would skip the scene.

While they've made the content optional, it appears that most assumptions regarding context are correct.  You are playing as a terrorist and gunning down weaponless travelers in an airport.  This is the objective.  

I understand that IW is trying to get rid of CG in order to provide more interactivity in MW2.  I further understand you can opt out of this mission.  While I think providing more interactivity in video games is a great way to further the medium’s potential, I, however, believe the particular act they are charging gamers with is extremely tasteless and wrong.  Gamers shouldn't be put in the shoes of a terrorist that is simply going to leisurely walk around an airport and kill civilians as they run away.  A CG is far better for portraying the said sociopathic of scene.  Acting out an objective such as committing terrorism seems rather pointless and desensitizing—beyond that of simply watching it play out on its own.  

It would be like charging a gamer with acting out as a religious zealot and running into a crowded city area and detonating an attached bomb in order to kill nearby persons.  We know these things happen, and they are terrible.  We’ve seen them happen in movies, read about them, etc., but should be really be acting them out in any way shape or form?  And if we do act them out, does the benefit gained from it (such as creating a better in-game flow or more interactivity) actually outweigh that of the horrendousness behind what we are portraying and doing?  I think not.

While it is a bold move and will hopefully fuel the medium in better interactivity, if what we believe to be the context of the situation, I don’t think it should be acted out by fellow gamers.  

It's a bold move and i'm glad that they have the balls to do something like that. I truly believe that Activision would not have allowed them to do this unless the first game was so succesful. They are saying something during that part of the game and i will be happy to find out what the message is while i'm playing it.

I want the medium of gaming to grow and the advantage that gaming has over all other forms of story telling is interactivity. Interacting with this segment could really provide more motivation for your character.

gimme!!!

I'm glad it is optional. Despite my many years of killing virtual people in video games, that level was a little too much for me.

ya he did say 2 checkpoints hmm...

If you're truly offended by this scene, here's a great idea. Show IW how offended you are by NOT buying the game in the first place. Taking a moral stand can be difficult however, your words are meaningless fluff if you cry, "foul!" yet, just have to play the rest of the game so bad that you cave in....

So, take that stand... Hell, it'll be one less person in line day one. I and the rest of the gaming planet that understands we're not controlling real terrorists killing real people, thank you for your strength to resist buying it.

I saw the video and it is pretty twisted but this is just a game. However these kinds of terrorist acts are very real and that is the world we live in. Having the option to be in the shoes of a terrorist shooting up an airport doesn't really seem to have much of a point just senseless violence but then again I havn't played the game to see the tie-in that it has to the main story line. If anything I think that it is good the IW is pushing the envelope...we just have to wait and see what the context of this segment really is.....basically this is a pretty shocking thing to see in a video game....the media is going to have a hay day with this

I can't say it bugs me in any sort of way just because it is a video game.  If it was real life though, yes it would irritate me.

Some would say it's just a video game, others will be highly offended by this mission gamers and non gamers alike. I personaly think it is offensive and will opt out of it when i get my copy of the game. But i also am firmly aganist censorship of any type. I believe that people have the right to make any book, movie, video game, tv show, etc.. And that you personally should hold the decision to view/not view or allow/disallow your children to view such media. But my stance belies the reality of the situation. We all know that there will hundreds of thousands of underage players playing MW2 despie it's mature rating. With that said i think it would've much better served Infinity Ward to have made that scene a CG cutscene. I just personally can't see any reason a sensible person let alone a team of supposed sensible people would put this in a game. In my opion most people will opt out of this mission since there is a forewarning and it is not a mandatory mission. But the larger percentage of people who play the mission will be underage players. We all remember how we acted when we were kids and especially when we were with our group of friends. Now i'm not going to get into the video game violence causes real violence in children argument but think of it this way. If you agree with me that most people who will play this mission will be underage what will really become of this mission. Most older players will opt out and most younger player will try it because A)They're friends told them it was cool, B)We all rember how cool we thought it was to do anything that offended older people, or C)They're young kids so they'll probably play it just to try it. I don't beleive that violent media fosters violence in children but to much can't be a good thing, and a mission that has you gunning down helpless people at an airport that will more than likely be played by mostly underage gamers just seems senseless to me. And also very unresponsible on Infinity Ward's part when i believe it could've just been a CG cutscrene regardless of the fact that they want to have less CG scenes in their games.

This reminds me of the choice that was available to you in Bioshock when it came to the little sisters. No matter how hard I tried I could never harvest one of the little sisters, but I do think that I will play through this level. I is a good thing that you have the choice though, unfortunately we do live in a society where if enough idiots complain something will be done about. It’s actually kind of funny because people only complain when they have "feelings" toward the subject. For example the kind of people that would complain about this level are the same people that complain about hot chicks dressing like hot chicks, they do not like it because they do like it if you know what I mean.

Offended? Get use to it... Notice the title Modern Warfare... Terrorism is a form of Modern Warfare, maybe not the most civil but what warfare is? It says you can skip over it... :D

Why would you want to skip an part of the game I just dont understand the change in view point.

Here we are complaining about being a terrorist doing terroristic things like killing people, but being the "good guy" killing people is ok?...come on, its a game. If this is not your thing....dont buy the game.

Good, this will shut the religious zealots up for awhile.

Shoot'n

Just watched it and have to say it's pretty messed up. I can understand it being a cutscene, but did they really have to allow the player to be an active participant? Has me questioning whether or not I want to actually pay for it.

violence is never a good thing even if it is "good guys" killing "bad guys". But this is just a game and I will be playing thru this mission knowing that it is not real. I think the point of the segment is to get a first hand look at terrorism and not from the civilian perspective or the "good guy" perspective. I think being in the shoes of a terrorist and watching these people get mowed down  will evoke alot more emotion than simply being a by stander/civilian. Not saying it is a good thing but this stuff happnes in the real world and sometimes people need a real shocker to get them to open their eyes