Spoiler Warning: Do not read this post if you don’t want to have plot specifics revealed.

Infinity Ward has confirmed that the leaked video game footage from their yet to be released Modern Warfare 2 title is real, and as expected, the airport terrorism acts depicted in the video will be optional. Meaning you don’t have to kill loads of civilians if you don’t want to. Now lets sit back and see how many of you actually do anyway.

When asked to explain the context of the footage, IW stated:

“The scene establishes the depth of evil and the cold bloodedness of a rogue Russian villain and his unit. By establishing that evil, it adds to the urgency of the player’s mission to stop them.”

“Players have the option of skipping over the scene. At the beginning of the game, there are two ‘checkpoints’ where the player is advised that some people may find an upcoming segment disturbing. These checkpoints can’t be disabled.”

There you have it. Plot related and completely optional. And lets not act like this sort treatment is new. Television and feature films have been doing this sort of thing for ages.

Sure, you can argue that the interactive element in video games takes things a step further, and that a simple cinematic could offer the same treatment without the sense of control over the situation. You would probably be correct, however whether it be purely visual or interactive to an extent, entertainment mediums are, and always will be, about building tension, passion, animosity, and suspense. It makes the climax that much more rewarding when you finally kill the bad guy, save the princess, or … I think that about covers it.

“Modern Warfare 2 is a fantasy action game designed for intense, realistic game play that mirrors real life conflicts, much like epic, action movies. It is appropriately rated 18 for violent scenes, which means it is intended for those who are 18 and older.”

Well said. So, before you knock a developer for including this type of interactive playable content in their game, take a long look at yourself before you purchase that ticket to see SAW 6 or press the play button on a recently recorded episode of Dexter. The majority of us subject ourselves to questionable content on a weekly (sometimes daily basis), and last I checked buying a movie ticket and/or turning on the TV is an “interactive” process.

Infinity Ward quotes courtesy of VG247.