With all of the controversy around Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, it is an appropriate time to discuss immersion in video games. It was recently revealed through leaked footage that terrorist attacks would be featured in the game and while Activision has said that the clip does not portray the game accurately, some feel that immersion of this kind is in bad taste. Frankly, Modern Warfare 2 is not the first and will not be the last title to depict a terrorist attack and it is only being targeted because of the lofty sales it will achieve. Mass Effect also suffered from the same woes, not being the first to depict sex in video games, but was targeted by news stations due to its sales and ability to move an interest group’s agenda forward. Terrorism and sex are just a matter-of-fact in film and the double standard is unfortunate. Part of the reason for this is that video games, unlike film, give the player an active role in what unfolds and often deals with some morally grey topics. With the demand of consumers to have more immersive experiences worth their money, it is obvious that some outliers will show up beyond accepted norms.

In my opinion, game developers shouldn’t be afraid to be controversial as it keeps them from being mundane. The terror plot depicted in Modern Warfare 2 will surely engulf the minds of many playing the game. If every title was a vertical scrolling shooter or a fighter, I would quickly grow tired of them. Rather, there should always be a few that try to make us question what we think, if for only a moment, as it will lead to immersive experiences that have never been encountered before and over time cause other developers to not fear public backlash. Video games can be an excellent method of storytelling but if a majority of the experiences occur in a dungeon infested by skeletons, then things are not progressing. The possibilities are endless in regards to immersing a player in thought provoking scenarios, just as in literature, and over the last few years we have seen an increase in the amount of these experiences.

On the other hand, there is a problem with being controversial for the sake of being controversial. Having a controversial topic does not necessarily mean the final product will be immersive. This usually occurs when a game is not well thought out and is there to push more units. Manhunt is a game which suffers from this. The game is shallow in some respects and panders to a crowd that enjoys cheap thrills. The level of brutality in the game ratchets up as you progress through it with no other purpose than being brutal. While it was not a terrible game, it attracted undesired publicity to the industry. Further, controversial games can be easily used as a scapegoat for the idiocy of people, like those who emulate Nico Belic and blame it on Grand Theft Auto 4. This definitely impedes the industry as high profile cases often end up in courts and legislatures, resulting in bans and other hassles. Jack Thompson is just the most visible of them. Instead of abusing controversial topics, we should instead implement them in our storytelling to improve immersion.

It will be interesting to see the stories that come out of future titles and I anticipate that they will eventually be on par with many other forms of art. More resources than ever are being put towards the writing within games and this is paying off in a major way for some companies. The one thing that would be nice to get away from though is the amount of experiences we have based on the military and terrorism. There are a plethora of games that have explored it and terrorism is a hot topic that many people want to understand more about, but only a few choice names do it well. There are hundreds of other historical figures and events that should be explored in gaming and it is only a matter of time until we are immersed in them. I always thought it would be fascinating to play as Jesus.

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