So what exactly is behind the magic of CoD:BO? How about a kick-ass ad campaign?
If you weren't blown away by that then...well you're like me. Now don't get wrong on this one, I've heard nothing but praise from numerous friends and gamers alike, and I for one have never really gotten into the CoD series. Does that mean I can't appreciate it? Of course I can, and it certainly looks like an awesome First Person Shooter experience.
By now you must be wondering where ESPN factors into all of this right? Well I can tell you that it has nothing to do with that particular ad experience. However if you weren't aware, a certain famous basketball star has recently come under fire because of a "controversial" ad campaign attached to the said title. I'll be playing that said commercial in a second but let me say that when I use the term controversial, I use it very lightly.
And if you haven't managed to guess by now, the controversy surrounds Kobe Bryant. Past allegations aside, Mr. Bryant here seems to just be having fun in the commercial and that's a good thing right? Well according to the folks over at ESPN's 1st and 10, Kobe has made a grievous error by having anything to do with that commercial. Don't quite understand what I mean? Take a look see:
Obviously from the start you can feel that they're a little uneasy about the topic at hand, but the guy that really takes the cake is Skip Bayless. I'm not exactly known to just straight up call people idiots...well that's a lie but seriously, this guy is a fucking idiot! From the get-go he's starts going off on this moral crusade about how this isn't good for Kobe's image and how that reflects on his team, and the public eye. In fact one of his biggest complaints about the whole Bryant issue is the fact, that in the commercial Kobe is smiling while wielding an assault rifle in combat, and he compares that to the situation in Iraq with US troops.
Hmm, lets break this down shall we? Yes we are at war, or are in a semi-post war situation in Iraq, that much is true. And yes Call of Duty is a game(game being the keyword here)that revolves around the premise of war. But really though...ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? You're really that bored, that you have absolutely nothing else to report on than a simple, straight-forward ad promoting a video game? An ad that just so happens to feature Kobe Bryant, an exceptionally talented basketball player. That's pathetic Mr. Bayless, as you seemed to have completely missed the point of the entire commercial. The only message being conveyed here is the quite literal representation of the in-game avatars being physically portrayed by the people behind the controllers/TV screens, in other words, YOU! Or in this case: Kobe Bryant, Jimmy Kimmel, a lawyer, construction worker, college student, etc. The idea being that anyone who's anyone, can pick up a controller, play this game, and have a good time.
Do you get it yet Bayless? Kobe hasn't done anything wrong by choosing to appear in this ad. In fact this has nothing to do with or in direct correlation to the war in Iraq, but more so just war in general and how Black Ops units enact their duty on the battlefield. Albeit with a bit more flair added to the mix to sensationalize the events within the video game. What this boils down to, is that you Mr. Bayless are over-analyzing(quite the understatement here)a harmless commercial, and for what? To stir up ridiculous and unfounded controversy for no reason what-so-ever, oh wait, It's because you have nothing else to do. Get a reality check you oaf.
On that note, the controversy behind video games and violence needs to stop. It's a subject that's full of hot air(or shit)and the people behind it should be ridiculed and feel embarrassed for not being more responsible as adults. At this point we're just beating a dead horse further into the ground, just let it go! And let gamers around the world enjoy our favorite pastime in peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment