Philly Inquirer: MW2’s Night Vision an "Invitation to Mischief"? [Violent Video Games]

The Inky’s video games blogger professes his love of “fake realism” but thinks the NVGs being offered with Modern Warfare 2 ’s “Prestige Edition” are akin to “giving away a free race car with Gran Turismo.” Rob Watson, the “Bare Knuckles” blogger for the Inquirer, doesn’t want to come off as someone railing on the evil of violent video games . Still, he says “this is a bad idea. “I would say 99.9999 percent of gamers who buy the Prestige edition will have a blast with these new goggles, innocently playing around at night with them. Yet, it is also like giving away a free race car with Gran Tourismo or Forza - someone is going to cause a highway wreck. In Modern Warfare 2’s case, I shudder (just a bit) to think of someone, who may have a hard time with reality anyway, donning these goggles for real mischief or even worse.” I know, I know, I’m cringing at that kind of dot-connection, too. But before you go ripping off this guy’s head

(well, virtually anyway), maybe his point could be rephrased. The night vision goggles are a novel promo; but think of the headlines we’re going to get should anyone use them in the commission of a crime, especially a violent one, whether or not Modern Warfare 2 is said to be an inspiration for it. Yeah, I’d consider that a plausible and obnoxious consequence of the Prestige Edition, but it’s still not enough to make it “a bad idea.” In the end, I am sure Activision’s lawyer-mans looked at this and the risk of exposure. Someone blessed it, and they probably figured that it can’t be said - in a legal sense anyway - that functioning night vision goggles sold to adults are an enticement to commit the violent acts depicted in a game, any more than selling a combat helmet is. Night Goggles With a Game - Invitation to Mischief? [Philadelphia Inquirer via GamePolitics ]

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Philly Inquirer: MW2’s Night Vision an "Invitation to Mischief"? [Violent Video Games]