Modern Warfare 2 censored in Russia?

[UPDATE] Online reports indicate latest Call of Duty was recalled in Eastern European country; Activision says PC version was released minus airport massacre scene.

SPOILER WARNING: Details of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's plot are discussed below. Those who have not played through the single-player campaign of the game should stop reading now.

Source: See below.

What we heard: Anyone who has played the single-player campaign of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 knows it doesn't exactly shine a positive light on Russia. The game begins with machinations by a villain from the Eastern European country leading to a full-blown Russo-American war. That bloody conflict sees both a Russian invasion of the US and extensive American Special Forces operations inside Russia's eastern-most regions--not to mention a very limited nuclear exchange.

In Russia, Modern Warfare 2 censors you!

It's not surprising, then, that reports have surfaced, which indicate Modern Warfare 2 may have been censored--and temporarily banned--in Russia. A post on the Russian-language site Gotps3.ru claims that the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game were recalled from stores on Friday. The PC version was released, but only after it had the game's most controversial level removed. In it, players participate in a terrorist massacre at a Moscow airport named after Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare's antagonist, the ultranationalist militia leader Imran Zakhaev. According to Gotps3.ru, console editions of Modern Warfare 2 will likely be rereleased in the next 10 to 20 days with the airport level excised.

The official story: Activision had not responded to requests for comment about the Russian release of Modern Warfare 2.

Bogus or not bogus?: Though it sounds not bogus, there isn't any hard evidence. Most mainstream reports on the matter--including pieces in the Silicon Valley blog VentureBeat and the British tabloid The Daily Mirror--link to Web sites that link to the Gotps3.ru story. With that the only source, the ban is far from officially confirmed.

[UPDATE] Activision now claims that Modern Warfare 2 was released as planned in Russia--but only on PC. An Activision spokesperson told GameSpot "Reports that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been banned in Russia are erroneous. Activision only released a PC version of the game in Russia which went on sale on Tuesday, November 10."

However, as was reported, the game does not have the controversial Moscow airport massacre sequence. "Other countries have formal ratings boards that we regularly work with. However, Russia does not have a formal ratings entity," the rep said. "As a result, we chose to block the scene after seeking the advice of local counsel."

As of press time, Activision reps declined to answer questions about release plans for the console versions of Modern Warfare 2 in Russia.

446 Comments

  • yearof3000

    Posted Dec 10, 2009 9:49 am PT

    @Arsyad00 Sing the "FUN" song!

  • DayvM

    Posted Dec 2, 2009 11:53 am PT

    i dont understand why people take games so seriously? If this goes on, even assassins creed could be put down for too much assassinating... but thats the good bits!

  • Arsyad00

    Posted Nov 29, 2009 3:24 pm PT

    hey let`s not forget that the game was made for `FUN`

  • smur1701

    Posted Nov 27, 2009 8:49 pm PT

    Their country, their rules. If someone published a game with America going to hell, the media would be all over it. Only difference is nobody has had the balls yet.

  • UchiahFAN

    Posted Nov 26, 2009 12:37 pm PT

    if in a video game civilians die people care but when the american government bombs Muslim countries no one cares?

    i thin the media should go screw of

  • poweraceo

    Posted Nov 24, 2009 9:30 pm PT

    why is russia always th bad guy? well lets face it north Korea and Iran are slacking

  • megamega777

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 6:40 pm PT

    I don't blame them...

    Also @ tunaface That was the funniest thing that I have heard all week!

  • tunaface

    Posted Nov 23, 2009 1:47 pm PT

    In Soviet Russia, game censors you!!!

  • Crimsader

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 6:45 am PT

    This sounds pretty communistish...

  • steelmouth

    Posted Nov 22, 2009 2:49 am PT

    OK i havent played the game but i saw that massacre on the video review and it dont look good not at all thats just vile IW and shame on you for including such a horrific level on the game knowing fully damn well no one will skip it we all gone play it and enjoy it

    ps ppl dnt blame Russia they ddnt sensor the game hell they dont even have a censoring body, Thats all IW censoring not russia

  • Stealth_CL

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 6:17 pm PT

    Can't blame them. If there was a level where you mow down Americans everyone would be sh*tting themselves over political correctness.

  • Morphine_OD

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 2:03 pm PT

    I'm from Russia and me and all of my friends got their MW2 from some UK e-store, and honestly - the mission is perfect, without it you can't fully realize all the madness of MW2 setting, that particular mission throws you in with supersonic speed, and you remember it til the very end of the campaign. It's ridiculous to cut it, no one in Russia cares about such little things as violence and negative portrayal in media. We're not Aussies, nor we are Gerries, we don't care about censureship and like to play games Raw.

  • deffine

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 1:45 pm PT

    duh Akijo the greats enemy of cousre has to be a strong one. Russias militarty is the only compitention they got with USA.

  • Akijo

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 9:39 am PT

    Why are russians always the bad guys in video games... maybe because they are the 2nd strongest military force in the world. And they have a lot of nuke that does boom.

  • DiabloNeonX

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 6:03 am PT

    Robgam3r, it's obvious you're an American. America is one of the only Western cultures that glorifies violence and vilifies sex. It might be the only one actually. So you're complaining about lack of blood and jiggling boobs. *facepalm*

    I'm an American and I hate that image. I'd much rather there be nudity in the media than gratuitous violence.

  • Gammet25

    Posted Nov 20, 2009 3:58 am PT

    Why is so many war games pinning Russia for the next terroist bad guy of soceity?

  • shooters125

    Posted Nov 19, 2009 8:36 pm PT

    Man thats what I hate. Epic moments always come at a price.

  • huskerman34

    Posted Nov 19, 2009 4:02 pm PT

    Not only russians werer upset with that airport massacare, so were alot of people here in minneapolis. It made the 9 o clock news berfore the game even hit the shelves. Given the situation with Terrorists i thought the level was really tasteless. They could of masterminded something different. Other than that it was a damn goood game. Freaking sureal.

  • Ruhdezee

    Posted Nov 19, 2009 3:53 pm PT

    to be technical Russia isnt the bad guy in this game. a INDEPENDENT terrorist named MAKAROV is causing the trouble, and he isnt leading the country so its just one crazy dude

  • parrot_of_adun

    Posted Nov 19, 2009 3:16 am PT

    Well the update makes sense.

    After all, there is little to no creative censorship in Russia (political censorship is another story).

  • kiteoftwinblade

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 7:17 pm PT

    Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they did remove it, and they kinda have good reason. The " In Russia, MW2 plays you!" caption made me laugh, though.

  • Sethbeastalan

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 1:16 pm PT

    @robgam3r The article said that Russia has no such board, therefore they played it safe based on local counsel.

  • person2

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 8:17 am PT

    @Muteki
    @ricardo-sene

    Yes, you are part of it, which is in fact a reason to make it less tragic than a movie...because the NPCs you are with are killing them as well, so you have to option to not kill anyone...while in a movie, your favorite(?) main character will always slaughter all of them and theres nothing you can do about it. Not to mention the fact that they give you the option to skip that part in the first place.

    thats the beauty of video games

    also another point i hear people bringing up is that in the grand theft auto games you kill millions more innocents than in modern warfare 2 (its an exaggeration, don't take it too literally) and it doesn't bring up near as much controversy as this

  • robgam3r

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 2:23 am PT

    why r people editing games lol isnt that what the rating is for like ninja gaiden 2 sigma on ps3 took out the blood but u can shake the boobs so stupied

  • bobasweat

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 12:47 am PT

    i thought killing the civvies was the most fun part of the game. i cackled like a madman whilst doing it. it awoke something in me. i must go kill innocents now.....

  • alpunk96

    Posted Nov 18, 2009 12:35 am PT

    @xialon
    although I still don't agree with you I can see why you think it's a big deal.
    It's still their right to put that in the game and personally I don't view it as a big deal,but I can see where your coming from and I can,of course see how it could possibly be offensive. Peace Out.

  • Hizakii

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 10:56 pm PT

    Kan0nF0dder
    -blown out of proportion as usual media ratings go high and again the label terrorist will be laminated on that particular stereotype.

    oh then theres people that will say oh its just a game just play it

  • lamprey263

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 10:36 pm PT

    Maybe they're upset about the level not just because it involves the deaths of many innocent Russian civilians, but also because in the game it was a false flag attack to get Russia to attack the United States. After all, it is believed by some Russians that the Russian apartment bombings were false flag incidents to build support for a full scale invasion of Chechnya. Plus It isn't rare that journalists that even talk about this theory are murdered in Russia, for either reporting about the possible FSB's involvement in domestic terrorism or the FSB's involvement in other organized crime; either way, it's definitely a taboo subject.

  • Kan0nF0dder

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 9:18 pm PT

    Er if the massacre level was based on was muslim terrorists in a major US airport how would people have reacted?...anyone think about that?

  • dulichild posted Nov 17, 2009 6:51 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    dulichild

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 6:51 pm PT (hide)

    communism! errr

  • Blank2k2

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 6:50 pm PT

    @kavadias1981

    Cant say ive caught that film lol, sounds about right though personally im more into sci-fi games, so as soon as i need to shunt power to a phase bank or eject a warp core im set!

    or failing that, I could fall back on my previous training of jumping on moving platforms and jumping on the heads of bad guys, and occasionally jumping down drain pipes to collect coins.

    In reality though, it wouldn't surprise me if in 20 years time if gamers aren't approached by the military for there unmanned (remote) planes etc, why try training a soldier to adequately fly a remote plane deal, when theres already plenty of people that have been doing it for years at much higher skill levels.

  • penguins227

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 4:40 pm PT

    Just because it paints the country as a bad picture doesn't mean to not release it!! If there was a game with American terrorists, would it be "refused" to be released? What about Grand Theft Auto? That paints America as a bad picture, and we did nothing. That is simply crazy. Almost government controlled.

  • facistinabag

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 3:37 pm PT

    @OnPoint411

    We've got a halo fan that's never actually played the game. No country is the "Bad Guy" in this game. Makarov was the bad guy.

  • Flint247

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 3:27 pm PT

    Well, I learned a lesson here for if I ever make video games: And that's to not take things TOO far, if I know there will be controversy behind it.

  • brendanhunt1

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 3:21 pm PT

    actually after seeing gameplay footage of the airport scene at the part where you come out of the lift.It did seem almost over the top. Weired because i kill alot of people in gta and its fun. however its just a game, like any movie.
    im suprised somthing like gta had all the news stories about its violence but this virtually gets nothing on tv.

  • souaden12

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 3:16 pm PT

    Firstly, I actually got sick of all the hype that was about the game before its release. I mean there are far better games than this one and nobody talks about them. Anyway that's not the point
    The airport scene. Hmmmm, when the lift opened, and I shot a civilian, I really felt bad. I know it's a video game and not reality, but something felt not right about shooting civilians and the realism of the graphics, I actually reloaded the level and didn't shoot a bullet untill I was attacked by the police. It just wasn't right or ethical. I guess there are limits for everything in the end.

  • brendanhunt1

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 3:04 pm PT

    ...and flights to moscow airport plummet

  • Vandelay16 posted Nov 17, 2009 2:49 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Vandelay16

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:49 pm PT (hide)

    I declare war on Russia! *whips out AGM*

  • AjaxsLastStand

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:46 pm PT

    So when a group of GRU gas a theater in Russia and kill a massive amount of civilians, it's written off, but if a video game shows civilians being killed by terrorists, people get upset?

  • phish999

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:41 pm PT

    jesus please don't let tipper gore find out or all hell will break lose like the 80s when she announced the filthy fifteen for metal music wooo dee snider for standing up to that ignorant b***ch

  • PvtRyan3 posted Nov 17, 2009 2:38 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    PvtRyan3

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:38 pm PT (hide)

    Russia can not handle a video game.

  • I_am_theOpus

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:35 pm PT

    dammit I was going to make almost the exact joke in that picture caption.

    P.S. In soviet russia, the TV watches you!

  • lukas1051

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:26 pm PT

    This is unacceptable. I propose nuclear war.

  • Skakruk

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:25 pm PT

    to incubus and warnerator - grow up,lols!

  • UnknownForm

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:16 pm PT

    Let's just say that there can be controversy for anything that's violent...

  • lilmurfer posted Nov 17, 2009 2:03 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    lilmurfer

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:03 pm PT (hide)

    ok people are angry about this. Before you know it, animal rights group will get angry about killing animals in games. What is this world turning to.

  • x8VXU6

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:02 pm PT

    Ebay is ur friend Russia

  • supertostadas

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 2:01 pm PT

    It's all about publicity!!!!

  • jay_rock_

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 1:58 pm PT

    Wow I seen that scene it just shock me and Im a grown man..

  • Incubus420 posted Nov 17, 2009 1:55 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Incubus420

    Posted Nov 17, 2009 1:55 pm PT (hide)

    HAHA its just a game. No way Russia can take us out in a war.

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