Count To Five - Counting to Two

Activision

1. I haven't really weighed in the entire Activision-Respawn-Inifinity Ward web of odd events. Partially because I don't have much positive to say about either Activision or Respawn at the moment. I don't have any incentive of personal connection to anything to be one of those people taking sides and of the information available, both sides have looked fairly petty and bush-league. 

Where I do look at and feel a little some empathy (not that they need it) falls around players not even directly involved in this mess. D.I.C.E. put out what's been by all accounts a great game which isn't getting all of the press it rightfully deserves. It's gotten much, sure, but a lot of attention has been taken away for what they are doing for EA for over a newly signed group - past EA history notwithstanding - that's not doing anything for some time. Then of course, there's Treyarch that's always been cast in far more negative a shadow than deserved for their efforts because of Infinity Ward and their success. And if they they weren't needlessly overscrutinized before, they really will be now being the most senior of the Call of Duty developers.

I'll sit back and see what comes of the legal spat between Respawn and Activision. I'm cautiously excited about both the Respawn-EA deals as well as Bungie's new deal with Activision. I won't say this often, but I'm sort of openly rooting for Treyarch this fall with Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Mojo-Bone Software Studios logo2. I'm fairly used to people having ostrich-syndrome when it comes to political and social issues in entertainment industries I follow. I've been a sports-fan all my life and am sorely used to friends and other fans with little to no sense of sports history griping every time sports intersects with less entertaining aspects of our lives. Many gamers are no different and have the false expectation video games can or have stayed out of being touched by those same forces.

As such, the recent new Arizona immigration law and the resulting political and social outrage from some has resulted in mass calls for boycotting Arizona. Effectively it's boycotting businesses, though people phrase it such a way that's so ridiculous to almost being humorous as if they are boycotting the entire state and all in it.

Less cynically humorous is the actually human impact. In a story reported this week by azfamily.com, Mojo-Bone Software CEO Adam Goldman said he made the decision to move his family and staff to Los Angeles to stay viable. Preparing production on their biggest title yet in, the company his having issues preparing to bring their cast of 30 in because of much of the hostility by opposers of the new law directed toward Arizona right now.

"They don't want to come to be harassed and they don't want to be associated with anything in Phoenix right now,” Goldman told azfamily.com.

The Phoenix Suns wore their "Los Suns" jerseys in a NBA playoff game "in support of Latino community" this week. (Matt York/AP)While many that are fans of games, watch sports, listen to music, or watch television and movies want to escape and never want their particular form of entertainment to ever have to think, we all have to remember these things are played, performed by people and are part of businesses that very much affected by the same issues that contingent of fans want them to show no voice in.

Maybe next time we make a point to jump all over game company for taking on some political or social issue, we should consider those same issues do affect them. And while Mojo-Bone Software may or may not ever touch social commentary in any of their games, I'd say their story reaffirms why games and the people that make them do have a stake in being socially and politically active (or not) if they so choose to be.

Changing Perspectives: A Machinima Recreation of "No Russian"

Michael Barnes recently posting a very interesting and intriguing video on his YouTube channel recently. It's a machinima recreation of Modern Warfare 2's oft-discussed "No Russian" level done recording from alternative camera angles of the PC version. It's fairly well done, in my opinion, though Barnes in a self-critique of the video claims "I cut it too much, feels short and too fast."

Count To Five: AC2 DLC, FFXIII Box Art, and Dante's Demo

This blog really isn't a place I plan on putting a lot of news. The 1UPs, Gamespots, Gamasutras and JoyStiq's of the world or place better fit for breaking news being they actually have full-time staffs dedicated to that. Besides, I more or less reserve my actual reporting for The Game Reviews and some of my opinions for Bitmob. But when I'm not doing a full-blown highlight of something here, I do want to quickly highlight certain news and other random thought I'm probably tweeting elsewhere anywhere.

Welcome the Count To Five. Here I'll highlight five bits of news or things that pique my interest or quick thoughts for which I'm not dedicating full articles here or elsewhere. And being practically everything else new I'm debuting around start with it....

1. Final Fantasy XIII Box Art Reveal

 See, not exactly huge news. But being I'm anticipating this game like a person dying of thirst anticipates fresh water, I'm showing it the love.

2. Spring 2010 Blooms More Assassination

Ubisoft annouced two packs of DLC for Assassin's Creed II set for next spring. Entitled "Battle of Forli" and "The Bonfire of the Vanities" (releasing in January and Feburary repsectively), the DLC would presumably be set near the latter part of AC2's Ezio's timeline or soon after if the actual bonfire is any indication.

3. Abandon All Hope Next Week

EA annouced "Hell's Gate", the Dante's Inferno demo, will release on PSN December 10 and on Xbox Live Christmas Eve. The demo will feature the entire first level of the game.

4. Dan Hsu and Demian Linn Back At EGM

As announced via a press release, the new Electronic Gaming Monthly has brought former EGM Editor Chief Dan Hsu and former Reviews Editor Demian Linn to oversee the reboot of the magazine. Hsu shared his thoughts on coming "full circle" on Bitmob today.

5. Game of the Year Thoughts

Still yet to play some of the major title (Uncharted 2 and Dragon Age: Origins stand out) but my short list of games I'd be considering for year end honors are coming together. Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed II, an Batman: Arkham Asylum stand out in my thoughts as nominees for best console game, Splosion Man and Shadow Complex are personal favorites on the downloadable sphere. Won't be tossing out any nods officially until after Christmas, but there's my thoughts are now.

Hero Worship - Part 1 (Via Bitmob)

Colin CowherdAs typical, I spent a good portion of the week listening, if not watching, Colin Cowherd's ESPN Radio show The Herd. I'm pretty fond of Cowherd as generally attempts to bring a perspective to sports that doesn't treat sports as if there's not a world going on outside of the sports world. It's much of the reason I enjoy Stephen A. Smith even if one of my best friends that found his giving the sports world a context within the bigger picture of the world instead of allowing it to just be an escape. It's something I often wish I saw more in games journalism without the prodding of controversy.

This difference between myself and the friend in the sports context is totally understandable and it comes to history and culture. Sports, amongst other fields of entertainment, was often in the past one of the spheres my people had to make statements against social injustice. Jackie Robinson in the struggle to integrate baseball, Muhammad Ali in refusing to fight in war he didn't support, Tommie Smith and John Carlos lowering their heads and raising the Black Power fist on the podium during the national anthem at the 1968 Olympics were all heroes to many in the culture not just for their athletic feats but for the courage and defiance.

Getting back to Uncle Colin, a name Cowherd uses when he feels he's teaching life lessons, The Herd's host was critical of Lebron James for what he considers "dude worship" of Michael Jordan. Essentially he contends NBA players, many of which never went through what he considering the maturation and identity building process of college, spend too much time idolizing Michael Jordan and not enough time building their own brands and identities.

Michael JordanWhile I think my dear Uncle Colin completely missed the point of what Jordan symbolized to Lebron and really his entire generation (i.e. opening the door for the Lebrons and Kobes to be their own brands), I did begin to think more and more about what makes a hero to people. In particular what makes a hero in games and one that stands out for being more than just the avatar carrying out a mechanic.

The Soldier

Being not too far removed physically from the Ft. Hood massacres only days before the release of Modern Warfare 2, the first placed I turned to was the military shooter. Where there's a certain ridiculousness to the sci-fi shooter, there's a certain gravity in a well-done military shooter that may never reflect the full experience—I'm not even sure I'd really want that experience—it does give an idea of the sacrifice, the skill, the scope and the loss a solder faces in war.

For instance, let's look at the much-maligned Boomer in the series SOCOM series. Putting aside a segment of the SOCOM audience's frustration with his AI and the subsequent probable out-of-game satirical context, Boomer accompanies the player throughout the first game. He then is wounded in friendly fire in SOCOM 2. The next time he's seen in the series in Combined Assault he's dead at the hand of terrorist after having his chopper shot down. Such calamity is pretty funny in the over-the-top gears formula. The well-publicized friendly-fire death of Pat Tillman and it's cover-up amongst the many other deaths for some may sober the comedy other's may find.

Taking a look Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, one can imagine not just the stresses of being Nikolai or Allen working as an informant, but what might have happened in the period of time to Nikolai between having his cover compromised and being rescued. Or being amongst the USMC forces that failed to evacuate a city before a bomb, in this case a nuke, goes off taking the lives of many, including soldier you might have known. Or being Soap or Price, already wounded watching the execution of your squad-mates.

 A recent study released last week by the U.S. Army Mental Health Advisory Team found 24.1 percent of soldiers in Afghanistan showing signs of post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety. This isn't counting soldiers that have come back home attempting to adjust to civilian which often isn't a easy transition.

We're in a time where this information is readily available to all in the United States in making a decision whether to join the military. The very realistic possibility of death if not permanent injury and long-term mental trauma stand before every person making that decision.

Many still accept that calling.

For the gamer, every headshot has a respawn. Any bout of frustration can be met by powering off the game and coming back later. On the field, there are no respawns, no resets, no perks. There are often difficult moral choices that a FAQ can't tell you the predetermined consequences and rewards.

 Most of us, frankly, don't have the courage to sign up for a war not on a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download. I certainly haven't been in a rush. And for me, all political and moral arguments for or against any particular war or war in general notwithstanding, that seems to make soldiers part of the stand out heroes in gaming.

MW2 'Til I Collapse Trailer'

I know sometimes we're guilty of awarding game publisher with praise for good marketing. Well, you can headshot me because I the Modern Warfare 2 launch trailer was a marriage of great game and awesome song I still like watching even after tearing through the game already.

Also, there's a look at the launch event from Activision that follows.