Where Was the Editor on this One?

Kotaku writes: "This is a terrible trailer. We've all been over the morality discussion of World War II games, or any game that simulates an actual war in which real people we know fought. For this genre, that hard rock accompaniment to Call of Duty: World at War's launch trailer is atrocious, and I certainly hope it's not going out on television (where the trailer is much better). "NO RULES?" Is this a UFC montage? "NO FEAR?" What, we're reducing World War II to a rear-window sticker in a white trash lowrider? Where's Calvin pissing on Japan?"

[Timesplitter14]

I have to agree with Kotaku for once (eeewwwww...). This is ridiculous. With this trailer, the devs look like a bunch of kids who think war is cool, and that the germans were nothing more than dead meat.

[Old Snake]

Get a grip. If you haven't forgotten this is a game, just like GTA and other countless games with violence. They can't have make a game that is serious?

[Timesplitter14]

I firmly believe that no one on Earth believes games are reality, except those who have serious mental illnesses. But that doesn't mean I can't think the ideas shown in the game are completely stupid.

What I hate about this trailer is that it's as if they were trying to say that all germans are evil and the manly americans just went there to kick their asses, and it was all very cool.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

People really need to get over these things... Why do we always have to be constantly politically correct or sensitive? These days you can't say or do anything before you are critisized to death!

It is even worse, when these things apply to media....

It is like the whole debacle with Resistance and the Churc or LBP and the song. It is a frickin game!!!

[TheDude2dot0]

I don't see how this is different than any other crappy, overdramtic trailer for a shooting game.

[Akiira]

@1.4 its different because this is based on real events and those events are being skewed and changed like alot of history is, which is wrong.

[TheDude2dot0]

Every game is based off of real life in some way. That's no excuse to whine about a trailer's poor attempt to be BA.

[cyclindk]

When will there be a WWII game where you can play as the Germans and Japanese in their respective campaigns; games should represent history as it happened not just one side of a story, that's completely childish.

If playing as the Nazis needed a moral aspect, you could play as one of the ignorant foot soldiers who happens across all the same atrocities the higher-ups were responsible for committing. It's not like every single soldier was some anti-semitic biggot masterminding the holocaust. The same goes for the Japanese.

[El_Colombiano]

Now that, that right there, would be a must have game.

[Timesplitter14]

Agreed. That would be awesome, and would give the game the possibility of having a great storyline (better than the average WW2 game at least)

[cyclindk]

Finally, clear-minded free-thinking people...what a relief. Everyone keeps talking about how there's nothing left to do in a WWII game that hasn't already been done! There's only every single battle of WWII from the German, Japanese and Italian (had to include them) perspectives...

Imagine playing out the initial Blitz Krieg plan and finally being halted at Stalingrad in Russia, THAT would be epic.

[Parapraxis]

It's a good idea in principle, but probably wouldn't float.
It would offend too many people.

[Timesplitter14]

Well... yeah I agree that some people will be offended.

I just think these people are stupid :

''Kill the germans? Hellz yeah! Hard-Rock with slow-mo kills!''
''Kill americans? No... that's just wrong...''

[Parapraxis]

again we agree Timesplitter14.

Unfortunately it's often the "stupid" people who make a big scene, especially in regards to more violent video games.

Smart people realize that it's a game, proper parenting is a must, teaching your child history from multiple perspectives is a wise thing to do, and it's part of the past, people and countries have changed greatly.

Stupid people scream at the images and write to their congessman, or call Fox "news" (double entendre lol)

[Bathyj]

I've been saying that pretty much since the first MoH game came out on PSOne but it will never happen.

All Nazis are evil didn't you know and killing good ol boys just isn't done. Hell they're aren't even games where you kill Japanese, (maybe there has been, but not common) because we dont want to offend Japanese. We only want to offend Germans.

[pilotpistolpete]

It's a bit hypocritical, that's for sure.

I can just imagine how Germans feel about the whole evil Nazi scenario most games take. Remember Wolfentein?

I do believe that this is one of the reasons Germany has a very strict ban and restriction on games. Anyone who played 80's games knows that nazi were often the enemy.

Imagine now playing as a a soldier taking down some americans in Cuba, Vietnam, etc. Taboo, for sure, but isn't it insensitive to label Nazi as evil?

[Parapraxis]

"isn't it insensitive to label Nazi as evil? "
umm...not really.
But it IS insensitive to label Germans as evil.

[pilotpistolpete]

So you think that everyone that was in the nazi party is evil? Maybe you need to talk to some old WW2 vets from germany. I'm sure they won't kill you if you come close to them.

[Parapraxis]

I know several German famalies, Nova Scotia is loved by many Germans.
Your statement was rediculous.
There is a difference between those who willingly enrolled with the Nazi party because they actually believed the message was "good", and then those who ended up being forced into the life of a soldier for the Nazi regime.
The Nazi goal was evil, as is that of Al Qaeda and other groups.
Next you'll tell me we should be more considerate for Neo-Nazis and KKK clan members...because you know, some of them just ended up in those groups.
War is not viewed in the respects of each individual combattant, it is viewed in respects to the leaders, their parties and the goals and ideals they contain.

oh and don't put words in my mouth, I never said everyone that was in the nazi party is evil.

[ChickeyCantor]

op,

Now that's exactly what i keep telling my friends.
These war games are like freaking "propaganda".
It makes me realize that these games are just made for americans.
Let's be honest here.

[SL1M DADDY]

Would be ripped apart by the media and trashed before it even launched. Not that I care but let's be honest here, they were called the axis of evil for a reason and showing compassion to the Nazi army because some folks feel there were a few good soldiers in Hitlers army would more than likely go over like a lead block. Try to explain to the millions of relative to the millions of Jews that Hitler had his army of "good Nazis" kill that you feel a game that depicts the Nazis as "good folks" and I can imagine you will need a rag to wipe the spit off your face faster than you can say "I'm sorry".

It's just more popular to fantasize the Allied powers than the Axis powers. Sorry, but that is the truth of it.

[Elven6]

This would be controversial for gaming at least, movies already portray this subject (My favorite being Stalingrad). The fact is their are idiots in this world who do indeed think ALL Nazi/Germans of this era were "evil" when in reality their were people like Oskar Schindler in the ranks who are the complete opposite of the stereotype.

The game would require too much back story, explanation about conscription (I believe before Hitler came to power the German army was 10K strong, after with conscription it was over 5 million), etc which probably won't go well in a game.

IF such a game is made it would need to be more than Call of Duty, it would need to be character driven like Brothers in Arms to TRY and justify itself. Again I highly doubt such a think will be attempted because of the Fox news's of the world and those who refuse too understand the message of the game.

[Parapraxis]

The words in the trailer sound like something a general would say to his troops.
I don't see what the big deal is.
The Kotaku kids need to grow up.

EDIT: to the disagreers, in what way would you propose promoting a war game?

War isn't pretty, it's harsh, brutal and unkind. Soldiers are trained not to think or be emotional.

You can't second guess when hesitation can lead to your own death.

Maybe the makers of this trailer were trying to convey that reality. Has anybody asked them? Will they bother?

It looks like the trailer was very effective in making people FEEL uncomfortable, and guess what, war isn't comfortable.

[Timesplitter14]

Generals need to grow up.

No rules? No mercy? So basically they're telling the soldiers they can kill the civilians?

No fear? You can't tell people to have no fear. Fear just happens by itself, wether you want it or not. And just read WW2 stories from veterans. Everyone was afraid.

I always find it funny that generals and soldiers are often religious. What happened to ''thou shall not kill'' or ''whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.''?

Hypocrisy or stupidity. That's what happened. And I'm atheist. I'm not trying to promote Jesus here.

[Parapraxis]

I agree with you in every respect.
However, it's the method in which they work.

They have to tell the soldiers to have "no fear", if they didn't they'd lose every battle.

Civilians often are in the highest groups of casualties in any conflict. People know this when going to war, yet still do.

Religion can usually be used to serve ANY agenda, this goes for all religions and the people they indoctrinate. People select the parts they need to use in order to CONTROL people, and conveniently leave out what goes against them.

Telling soldiers the reality of the situation would not suit their agendas in any way. The military uses words such as these in order to have dominion over thier subordinates. I don't like it, but it's reality.

[crimsonfox]

kotaku suck on a fat baby's penis for sure

[jack who]

its just a gaammmmme

[BattleAxe]

I don't see anything wrong with the way that this game is being marketed. This world is becoming too sensitive and politically correct.

[Mahr]

"Where Was the Editor on this One?"

That's funny; I often say the same thing whenever I read Kotaku articles.

[crimsonfox]

you been hit with the proverbial

[Pablos102030]

LOL, so true.

[maysterchief]

The thing that felt wrong to me more than the words, was the music. World War II has a mush different feel to it than the Vietnam War. The music felt more like Vietnam War music than World War II music, if that makes sense.

[razorbladelight]

to an extent with you. The music felt out of place, not because it was better suited for another war, but because it just wasn't suitable period. It plum sucked. The music was what made me think "were they aiming this exclusively at 12 year olds who still think war is just in video games?" I dunno, but besides that God awful music, I don't see why Kotaku is whining. Someone else mentioned this already, but in honestly I thought it too when I read the title. What really needs an editor was the article and not the damn trailer (except for in the music department).

[matchgrade]

Because I can definitely see "Bigger, Better, and More Badass" popping up in the next trailer.

This has been my biggest gripe about the CoD series. It's that they love to take the bloodiest, most gruesome and devastating war in human history and make it "Totally frickin sweet!" All the previous games (up to 4) were pretty much just three things:
a) Scores of Germans getting hopelessly shot up in the most biased scenarios i've ever seen
b) Triumphant music playing in the background; scenes reminiscent of John Wayne cowboy films
c) Devs conveying their hatred of German people

I was very pleased and surprised to see Infinity Ward mature when they ditched the feel-good attitude and presented the dark, unsettling side of war in COD4:MW, but this trailer just proves to me that the devs at Treyarch are no more mature than the 11 year olds who are gonna play this game (seriously, Nazi zombies?).

[outlawlife]

the worst part about this trailer....the music

same repetitive guitar riff over and over and over, goes to something new for about 5 seconds, back to the riff loop

[Ghoul]

Hypocrits sorry, just because its about american conflicts its all of a sudden a tasteless trailer.

I am German but i would never come up with such bullshit when the german killing games come up with a decent trailer and soundtrack (mainly because i seriously dont get offended by a videogame). Its a game live with it, and if you get offended by such a trailer you really are a hypocrit couse i cant see where your criticism was the last 10 years in ww2 games, so just because its vietnam we all of y sudden need to take care of the poor americans feelings ? gimme a break.

The gaming industry NEVER critised ONE trailer where americans butchered through german and japanese massen together with a decent sounddtrack. but oh sorry this trailers shows some nasty sides of americans butchering vietcongs, off course THAT is something different we should all respekt the americans and boycot such marketing habbits.

seriously think about it.

[Mahr]

Um, the game in question, Call of Duty: World at War, is set in World War II, not Vietnam.

[Ghoul]

i give a flying .... wich setting, im just getting sick of this hipocrits all the time.

Its not like america came up with movies and games of that matter and style.

[ivor84]

I'm surprised they didn't just reuse COD4's trailer, since that's all COD:WAW is a reskin of cod4 with dogs of war thrown in, oh and a rip off of Left 4 Dead too.

[Elven6]

Because COD 4 was so original right? :/

Cod 4 is one of the most scripted games ever made, albeit it is good but it really didn't add to the shooter genre any like all the die hard fan boys say when they try to bash World at War.

[slugg]

Has everyone heard of the concept of good vs. evil? The sides in WWII were as clear cut as it can get. Far from deviating from history, Call of Duty world at war seems a litte TOO acurate for some people I think. The Germans embarked on an unprovoked, rehensible attack on their neibors in the name of world domination, and perpetuated the Holocost at the same time. So what if a few footsoldiers were ignorant of the atrocities their government was perpetuating-- that doesn't give them a pass. Try that next time you get pulled over for speeding "I didn't know what the speed limit was" whatever. Ignorance is no excuse. Likewise, Japan's rape of China and unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor saw (mostly in China and the Philipines) some of the most horrendous war crimes perpetuated on this earth. Do a little research, and you'll see why no developer would EVER make a game from the Nazi's or Japanese point of view in WWII. That would be like pitching a game where you play as a terrorist and blow yourself up to kill innocent women and children in a restaurant or something.

[Mahr]

"Do a little research, and you'll see why no developer would EVER make a game from the Nazi's or Japanese point of view in WWII. That would be like pitching a game where you play as a terrorist and blow yourself up to kill innocent women and children in a restaurant or something."

As opposed to a game where you play a gang member/drug dealer/assassin who goes around beating hookers to death, carjacking, and killing thousands of police officers in addition to untold numbers of pedestrians? I just pitched one of the most lucrative and popular franchises in game history.

If there's a market for a game with certain content, then it should be made. The concept of whether you're playing a "good guy" or a "bad guy" shouldn't get in the way of things. Heck, some games (e.g., KOTOR) play about ten times better when walking the path of pure, unrepentant evil.

[slugg]

But the thread, and therefore my comment, was aimed at shooters, world war 2 shooters in particular. All in an attempt to stay on topic, which hardly anyone else bothers to do, I've noticed....

[Mahr]

Fair enough. But why should a World War II game be treated that differently from any other game? If gamers can enjoy (and sales indicate that they do) a game where the player can choose to do things like shoot up a school yard, then why not a game where the player can choose to play as the Germans or the Japanese?