My Thoughts On Infinity Ward’s Grenade Spam PSA

This weekend saw Infinity Ward at the heart of another controversy, this time in regards to a viral PSA released leading up to the debut of Modern Warfare 2. If you don’t know what I am referring to, this should fill you in. 

After hearing about the controversy early this morning, (I was out of the loop leveling up my Siren in Borderlands this weekend) my initial reaction was to shrug it off. Homophobia is nothing new within the video game community and is the reason I rarely venture into multiplayer matches without my microphone turned off. A video game company used a homophobic slur (A word our website automatically filters) in an intentionally juvenile and satirical viral video. Big deal.

But the more I thought about it, the more I was saddened by my complacency. As I read comments around the web in response to the hubbub, I heard many unifying opinions. “No big deal,” “get over it,” and “seriously, lighten up” was the common sentiment.  And I understand why. It is all too easy to write off the video as a joke. But it is a big deal, and something that should be addressed.

Before I go on much further, you must keep in mind that this is my personal opinion, and is not representative of Game Informer as an entity. The great thing about our new website design is that we have a front page to deliver the news, complimented by personal blogs that allow us to elaborate on our opinions relevant to breaking issues.

To understand my fervent stance you need some background. I am a huge GLBT advocate. My older brother came out as gay when he was in high school. Prior to then (and I am ashamed of my behavior, so still feel the need to qualify that I was only 12 or 13 at the time) I tried to fit in by using slang and running my mouth in inappropriate and ultimately derogatory ways. I didn’t realize what I was doing or why it was hurtful. When my mom sat me down and explained that my brother was gay, I stopped cold turkey. I haven’t let a homophobic slur slip in well over ten years, even though there was never any actual homophobia behind the utterances. 

After my brother came out, I became fiercely protective of him. To this day he is a hero to me, proudly pinning rainbow patches to his backpack and putting GLBT stickers on his instrument case all throughout high school. Standing up as he did, he was a target. He had ugly, ugly words slung at him every day, not the least of which was the one used by Infinity Ward at the end of the PSA. Sometimes it was all I could do to restrain myself from getting physical with the people who harassed him. All the while he simply walked by and ignored their bigotry. I learned a lot about strength from him.

Knowing that I am a GLBT ally, it probably will sound strange for me to admit that the term used by Infinity Ward didn’t offend me. Or more appropriately, faze me. Why? Because like the derogatory terms used to describe my gender on XBLA, I am desensitized to such language. Does that make it right? Absolutely not. 

I am aware that the majority of hatred spewed over the internet has little malice behind it. It is simply a case of ugly words used out of habit by people who don’t think about what they are saying – much like I did in middle school. That helps to take the edge off my anger. Again, does that make such behavior acceptable? No.

The problem with such loaded language, and something that Infinity Ward should have been aware of, is that it has different connotations to different people. When someone calls me one of any number of degrading terms online, the least offensive of which is B**ch, it doesn’t get to me. I brush it off without a second thought. The same term heard through the ears of a victim of abuse, however, carries with it an unimaginable amount of weight.

The same is true of homophobic language. If a gay individual hears such words thrown about on a regular basis, with little legitimate hate behind it, it may be possible for them to brush it off, much like my brother and his husband do. However, to an individual who has been called such hateful language before being viciously and needlessly attacked for their sexual orientation, the word carries with it fear, shame and anger. It is worth noting that I am not trying to condone the use of causal bigotry online. I can’t wait for the day that I enter a multiplayer match to hear good-natured competitive banter instead of hate speech. I am simply trying to call attention to why it isn’t fair to brush off such occurrences as “a joke” or  complain that the world is becoming “too PC,” especially if you don’t know what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes.

What complicates the issue further is that Infinity Ward has a responsibility to the gaming community. I find it hard to believe that IW doesn’t have one GLBT member or ally at their development studio that could have seen the potential ramifications of putting such a slur in their viral video, even if it was intended to be satirical of the culture their franchise appears to attract. By Infinity Ward using the term it condones and legitimizes its use to an extent.  Just read the comments across various blogs from individuals giving Infinity Ward props for daring to use such language. The last thing we need to do is facilitate such behavior.  And as evidenced by the official *** thread on the Infinity Ward forums, this is exactly what they have done – made a joke of a truly offensive term. Forum goers already have banners showing their allegiance to the group. The damage is already apparent.

The video also draws attention to a large discrepancy between how Infinity Ward wants their studio and products to be portrayed. I will never forget the helicopter scene in Modern Warfare. The moment was simultaneously moving and disturbing, a combination that made it that much more powerful. I expect that the oh-so-debated airport scene in the upcoming sequel will do the same – make me sick to my stomach all the while forcing me take a hard look at the morally grey state of war in the world. Modern Warfare 2 is positioning itself to be one of the most mature games in history – not just in terms of violence and gore. It is taking on controversial subjects and evoking strong emotions by pushing the boundaries of what our medium can do. Infinity Ward holds quite a bit of power in this regard. And as Uncle Ben would say, with great power comes great responsibility. 

So for Infinity Ward to pursue such a treacherous and mature path, then to turn around and make childish jokes seems contrary to how they are trying to position themselves as a studio. What are you Infinity Ward? Are you a cutting edge development team who isn’t afraid to risk reputation to deliver unforgettable interactive experiences? Or are you a game studio who caters to the lowest denominator in the gaming community by facilitating the use of homophobic language?

I would like to think that Infinity Ward is the former and that this little slip-up is a onetime thing. I am glad that they owned up to their mistake and pulled the video. Thank you for that Infinity Ward.

The most disappointing aspect of the debacle is that the video itself was quite funny – showcasing a popular sports figure coated head to toe with sticky grenades while parodying the grief of random ‘nading. The begining made me laugh. But the video should have been left without the tacked-on ending. The acronym felt gratuitous and unnecessary. 

I feel the need to give props to our Phil Kollar before signing off, who seems to have become a target himself for expressing his opinion on the matter via his personal Twitter account. It always takes guts to express a contrarian opinion and I back up his opinion.
  
So that is it. My thoughts are out there on the table. Feel free to share yours below.