I've read about the dramatic introduction-scene in World in Conflict. Once again it's USA that is invaded and ofcourse I, as a player, should defend the country. Once again it's some hordes of latin-american druglords, mad scientists, muslim terrorists, evil dictators, germans, japanese, russians who decided to pick a fight with USA, the allies, FBI, CIA, NSC or some made-up american institution that has been disguised as helpful with another name to seem global (for example GDI). Everything dependent on the foreign policy-fashion when the game is released.
I've been playing video games since -96, in other words since I was around 5 years old. Until today I have in the role of an american in a bunch of different games been shooting millions of germans, blowed up hotels in Pyongyang, bombed huts in Southeast Asia, destroyed the japanese navy several times, set fire on the Middle-east. Basically been fighting terrorists all around the world.
I am honestly really tired of this. USA is always the defensive protector of peace and freedom, that surprisingly - and without reason! - is attacked by the evil in the outside world.
Why should the game-industry continue to maintain this false view on the world? USA are still some of the most diligent attackers, and has been that since they were formed.
The Phillipines, Cuba, Mexico, Russia, Nicaragua, Libanon, Chile, Columbia, Guatemala, Grenada, Panama, Sudan, Somalia, Jugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq.. The list can be unlimited, but still the game-industry seems to have a hard time to make something out of all these potential ideas on video-games where USA is the attacker, and I as a player have the role as a defender. That whould be more likely a realistic game!
Ofcourse I understand that the business is controlled by people who wants to make money. It's no charity in making computer-games. I also understand that the income on a high grade is controlled by the demand on the american market.
Example: Company of Heroes. When the games leading characters is split, it's nothing else than an american campain. It's hard to explain, try out the game and you will notice it.
The majority of games are made like this. Games of the opposite kind are made with around one game per thousand. Anything else would make the americans furious, literally.
Nothing should disturb them in in their self-glorified slumber.
Therefore it will probably never be a World War 2-game from a german perspective, never a strategy-game where USA are attacking Russia, never a sneak-'em-up where we have the role as a latinamerican guerilla and infiltrate american army-bases.
Remember two years ago when Hizbollah made a Counter Strike-clone? Even though there are thousands of games where we without doubt are expected to shoot fields of asians, russians, germans, arabs etc. and even though Pentagon made a game for their recruit activity, the CS-clone was labelled as really shocking only because someone reversed the perspective.
Ofcourse I don't expect this thread/post to change anything. I'm also admitting my double-moral, since I like such games as Company of Heroes and World in Conflict.
My wish is only that the game-industry should be less narrow-minded, because I think that the current situation is affecting the image we have on the world while we are unaware of it, even if it sounds a bit exaggerated.
Furthermore, I have nothing against USA as a country, this was only directed towards the american game-industry, since they affect us aswell.
Give this a thought.