It seems that you can't release a Call of Duty game without controversy. Modern Warfare 2 featured the infamous "No Russians" level where players can kill civilians with a terrorist group. Call of Duty: Black Ops features a scene that has angered the government of the nation of Cuba.
In the first level of the game (Spoiler!), the player takes part in the Bay of Pigs invasion, that culminates in an attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro, the president of Cuba. As you could probably understand, the political murder of a head of state has angered Cuba. Here's the official word from the Cuban media, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cuban state:
"What the United States couldn't accomplish in more than 50 years, they are now trying to do virtually," said an article posted on Cubadebate, a state-run news website. "This new video game is doubly perverse. On the one hand, it glorifies the illegal assassination attempts the United States government planned against the Cuban leader ... and on the other, it stimulates sociopathic attitudes in North American children and adolescents."
While I seriously doubt anyone's "sociopathic attitudes" are going to be stimulated by a video game, I think Cuba's reaction is understandable. Imagine how incensed Americans would be if a game came out that featured the assignation of a respected leader? How would we like it if there was a "murder-Reagan" level in a widely available game?
The United States did actually try to kill Castro back in the day. According to some accounts, Castro has survived more than 600 assassination attempts since he seized power in the late 1950s, including CIA poisoning attempts from milk, a pen and his cigar, as well as a gun hidden in a camera.
"I think I hold the dubious record of having been the target of more assassination attempts than any politician, in any country, in any era," Castro, who is still the head of the Communist Party in Cuba, said in a July 1998 speech. "The day I die, nobody will believe it."
...Unless, of course, the CIA was successful, and the Casto we know today is actually a double...
Source: Yahoo
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JDawg1999
@StrangerMyst, that is a good point, but Castro is an antagonist(in the game). He was seen working right next to the game's main antagonist(Dragovich), and they were completely trustful of each other. Also, in the "Zombies" mode on the map "Five", Castro and JFK seem to be enemies, making mocking remarks at each other, and them and the other characters mention Kennedy putting an explosive in his cigar(a real assassination attempt at Castro). However, it could just be how Treyarch makes the zombie characters react, as every character has a friend and enemy on the maps.
The fact that President of the United States was supposedly killed by the main character isn't really an offense to America. According to the storyline, it was because of serious brainwashing caused by the main antagonists(Steiner, Dragovich, and Kravchenko, all allied with Castro), and was forcefully convinced into the act. Additionally, at the end when fighting Dragovich, there is this dialogue:
Mason: You tried to make me KILL MY OWN PRESIDENT!
Dragovich: TRIED?
He then continues to drown him with anger and the final moments of the game continue. That obviously shows, as it should have been known before, he wasn't sent by a nation's government to do it, nor did he do it willingly, as if he knew he did anything at all.
GrandWizard007
All I can think to say is "what a bunch of babies!" Its a damn game! get over it! Oh and on the part where they discuss a game with the assassination of President Reagan would not bother me a bit sence he was nothing more than an ass to begin with. And even so if I did like him I would still say "BIG DEAL!" because its only a game!
armyb0y4life
its nothing to make a big deal about. i understand that cuba might be mad, but CASTRO was a bad person anyway so its acuatly a good thing
StrangerMyst
SPOILER ALERT.
First, in the game, he's a double, so ease up. Secondly, ummm, don't you play a guy who actually DID kill an American leader at the end of the game? And he really WAS assassinated... I don't hear that outcry.
obriens0n
castro kinda scares me i mean what is he doing? and how did he manage to survive this long??
Number216
where's the outrage over Tropico 1, 2, & 3 Cuba?
Elliott_Ness
THIS JUST IN!!!!!
After 600 failed assassination attempts on the Honourable Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz by the United States of America it has been uncovered that Mr. Castro has had Ghost Pro, Warlord Pro and Second Chance Pro perks activated on his persona since the 1960s.
lambogamer
wow seems like every kick ass cod game has some country getting pissed off time dey notice its just a game
HE1RO
i am not a communist sympathizer so i dont care what Cuba thinks, maybe if everyone payed attention in history class, they would know Castro was a total doucher.
Krypton
Meanwhile in other news....Cuban gamers are loving the new Call of Duty game. Because now they can try to kill Castro.
jicag744
OMG I LOVE THIS GAME ITS SOO AWESOME I WANNA KILL CASTRO
koolboricua
I give Castro lots of credit, 600 attempts and still alive? man that guy needs to go he has damage Cuba in many different ways.
ROOST3R117
Sorry Cuba, at least it's not like the Russian Civilian's being killed. Cause all this never happens in movies..... . . ......
John-Galt
Sorry, to make a triple post, some pop-up came up when I tried the first time which made it seem like nothing posted. "Wrong object reference" or something. Feel free to "thumbs down" my comments.
John-Galt
When I saw the "first fifteen minutes playthrough" on this site I was thinking just this. I honestly do not care what is put into a game, but people should realize how that can effect some people. I am surprised actually that the company was allowed to put that content in without the OK from the Cuban government. What would our response be if a developer in Russia came out with a game where you are the one who successfully assassinates JFK?
John-Galt
When I saw the first fifteen minutes playthrough on this site I was thinking just this. I honestly do not care what is put into a game, but people should realize how that can effect some people. I am surprized actually that the company was allowed to put that content in without the OK from the Cuban government. What would our response be if a developer in Russia came out with a game where you are the one who successfully assassinates JFK?
Str84twenty
Who gives a rat's ass about Cuba? If they don't like what's in the game then they don't need to look at it.
Fr0st327
Cuba's just butt-hurt. Nobody cares about they're piece of crap country, and leader.
Fr0st327
Cuba's just butt-hurt. Nobody cares about their piece of crap country, and leader.
NocturnalX
I understand the countries backlash; however, great art often draws from current life and is often controversial during it's time.
For example, Dante's Inferno (not the game kids, the actual poem) was very controversial during it's time because it placed current and recently deceased public figures in Hell, being tortured in suggestive ways.
I'm definitely not saying that CoD: Black Ops is in any way on the same level as the great literary work that is Inferno. What I am saying is that we, as viewers of art (games, movies, books or otherwise), should keep in mind the controversial works of art from past and their impact on society during their time when viewing controversial pieces of art released during our own livespans.
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