If you're worried about Battlefield 3's realistic graphics pushing impressionable players to take up guns and commit acts of violence against real people, you're clearly missing the true problem with the game: the part where it encourages players to kill rats. Don't worry, everyone, PETA has your back.

Battlefield 3 Blog reports on a statement put out by the German branch of animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). In the statement, PETA says that EA's military first-person shooter "treats animals in a sadistic manner," referring to a single-player mission where players can stab a rat with a knife. PETA believes this act in the game could inspire children to commit similar acts to rats or other animals in real life.

So what do you think? Valid concern (despite the fact that children shouldn't be playing Battlefield 3 in the first place) or overreaction on the part of PETA?

[via GamesRadar, thanks to InvasivePlague for the tip]