Stop Picking on the Russians!

[Zhukov]

I think the reasoning goes that Americans (the primary market) would be unwilling to buy any product that involves a villain that they haven't already become accustomed to hating. Hence Nazis, Russians, Arabs and maybe the occasional South American.

It occurs to me that perhaps we should give them a bit of credit.

Or maybe developers are just lacking in imagination. Who knows.

 

[Exocet]

I actually thought up of a alternate reality scenario where NATO and the Warsaw pact are close allies and are power hungry,Asia is federation ruled by a tyrannical Imperial Japan,and Africa and South America join forces so to speak,to fight off the two others from barging in taking their natural ressources by performing guerilla warfare and terrorism acts out of desperation.
It has the elegance of not having any "good guy" and taking what we have today,adding fantasy and exagerrating other things.

Also,three way conflicts keep things from getting stale,and fighting against guerilla keeps things exciting.In my perfect game vision,there are even child soldiers,but I somehow doubt that would pass the ESRB board without being stampeded by Adult Only stickers and angry soccer moms claiming it's a training tool for school shootings.

 

[Dr.Panties]

the Chinese market is apparently too lucrative to risk having your game banned because the country doesn't like it too much.

Incorrect. Every single piece of software is available in pirated form. Everything. Every game or program that you can think of (and that has already been released) is already available as a pirated copy, on any platform, for sale in public. There is no Chinese market for genuine games or software...or films for that matter.

Back on topic, why not step back from international, extraterrestrial or supernatural conflicts altogether? I would definitely feel invested in a game in which I played a vigilante/mercenary annihilating a ring of human traffickers.

That would be sweet. Infiltrating a compound, double-tapping every single one of those human trafficking cunts, and escorting the poor victims to a safe zone. Certainly more realistic and satisfying than Homefront-oh-noes-da-koreans preposterous bullshit.

 

[Hop-along Nussbaum]

As soon as Russia or the Middle East develop a gaming industry, then they can blow up whoever they want. In the meantime, it's us or the Japanese. Deal with it.

 

[krazykidd]

I have an idea , hoe about a FFA between continents ? That would be a interesting idea no? A kind of vantage point , 5 continents going at it . 5 campagnes each attacking a different continent and coming out on top?

OR
Some thing wit north korea , no one cares if we piss of kim. Like:

Canada vs north korean , no nukes, final destination

 

[Ryotknife]

If I recall, a bunch of moosemen kicked the arses of a certain super power in a little thing called "The War of 1812"*

unless I missed the part where Canada beat up either England or France in that war, then no Canada did not beat up a certain superpower. it was only a few decades after American barely managed to rebel by the skin of their teeth against the superpower England and that was with the advantage of an ocean in the way between the two. It would take another century or so before US becomes a superpower.

It would be nice to see Canada vs some country up their alley. Liechtenstein perhaps?

I kid, I am from Upstate NY and we love you guys for the most part. Even though you guys trash our stores.

 

[Gunjester]

None of them are any more outlandish than a land war in Paris against the Russians. Plus, it would be pretty entertaining watching us Northern Folk fight on our own turf against the gung ho 'Muricans that modern FPS shooters love so much.

Settle down I'm not choosing a side here. Just thought that line up sounded funny.
As for the actual subject matter, I don't really care, mainly because I have Spanish family and am not in the least angered by Spanish stereotypes or the portrayal of the "cruel Spainish country" portrayal in video games, like Antiva in Dragon Age or the crazy cult in Resident Evil 4.
Look I'm not arguing against you, just not my fight.

 

[Dr.Panties]

the Chinese market is apparently too lucrative to risk having your game banned because the country doesn't like it too much.

Incorrect. Every single piece of software is available in pirated form. Everything. Every game or program that you can think of (and that has already been released) is already available as a pirated copy, on any platform, for sale in public. There is no Chinese market for genuine games or software...or films for that matter.

No offense, but a great deal of the "don't make china the bad guys" thing has to deal with them being too afraid of losing the chinese market, pirating or not, there are still a lot of people in china, and a lot of them can still pay for games. This whole "Don't piss off the chinese" thing is a major reason North Korea is suddenly the bad guy of a lot of games (Like Crysis 2, where they somehow have access to power armor and modern day military equipment despite nearly falling on the verge of poverty)

Well, if you think so. I would maintain that it has more to do with international/political relations than any notion of a games market. Deus Ex:HR featured a Chinese villain/evil Chinese megacorp. Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising? China as the bad guys. The sequel, Red River...People's Liberation Army.

After 12 years here, I would confidently state that the market for authentic copies of software is laughably low. The originals come in, are pirated, then relegated to the shelves for display purposes. This happens in practically every single game/console store. Also, a lot of consumers CAN'T pay for original copies, and most simply won't when a copy can be purchased for around $2.00USD.

Consoles are sold pre-modded/cracked in game stores here. Computers are sold with pirated operating systems. If I want to purchase an original copy of any game from my local game store, the owner has to order it through Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the opened display/pirate master copy is on the shelf behind him, and on the counter are folders full of the photocopied cover sleeves of available pirated games. Every single game, on any platform ever released.

 

[Altorin]

the cold war never ended in Eve Online.

 

[Owen Robertson]

I've said it before and I'll say it again-we need a WW2 game from the Axis point of view. Games can go on and on and on about how poor Private Powalski joined the US Army and despite being just a Alabama farmboy he had the courage to be a heroic brother in the band of heroes of his unit etc etc, but for some real emotional punch for the story give us Gefreiter Paulus, conscripted and serving on the hell of the Eastern Front.

CoD: WaW had the most realistic Russian campaign (that's not saying too much). Reznov is a fanatical soviet, devoted to his country and revenge on Germany, you are just another conscript solider with no say forced to face brutal war (no face & no name like it should be, fuckin' Black Ops), and unfortunate ol' Chernov, the merciful and conscientious writer, giving us a fair(-ish) view of the people.

 

[Owen Robertson]

It would be nice to see Canada vs some country up their alley. Liechtenstein perhaps?

I kid, I am from Upstate NY and we love you guys for the most part. Even though you guys trash our stores.

First of all, while we may not have the numbers, we do have the training. So a "Deadliest Warrior"-esque confrontation with any modern power would be close, be it victory or defeat.. Second of all, I'll apologize for the trashing on behalf of the country. That'd be a bunch of drunken wastrels (probably dickheaded OHL/AHL fans), who don't paint a good picture of the people as a whole. I have some less than kind words about Rochester, but that was based on three experiences about 8 years ago so... we good?

 

[SidingWithTheEnemy]

South Park did USA vs Canada already, and in a way no game can top.

That said I wouldnt mind seeing a game where USA was the bad guy. Change of pace, yes please.

That said I really dont care. Wargames have little interest to me, and individual stories are usually more compelling than national ones anyway.

From a foreigner's point of view I have to agree here. Playing those games it seems America must be (in has not any other choice but to be) the good guy. It feels wrong. It implies and strengthen those sterotypes of an megalomanic arrogant superpower full of bigheaded gun wielding sexualy prude religious fanatics.
(For the record: don't misunderstand me here, it's a sterotype, a cliche not my personal opinion my smart american Escapists)

America vs. Arabs => America wins, being the benevolent religiously correct good guy
America vs. Nazis => America wins, being the awesome supercool good guy
America vs. Russians => America wins, being the liberty loving rich good guy
America vs. Asians => America wins, being the good looking good guy
America vs. Aliens => America wins, being the one and only nation capable enough to save the galaxy.

You can't even virtually blow up some american landmark or monument before someone starts crying and giving a hate driven speech. It seems pretty self-centered.

I for one am always happy when a famous landmark in my country gets blown to pieces.
1) My country is in that game => Awesome!
2) That monument I know off just got blown to shreds => Sweet! Now let's see that again.
Remember Command&Conquer I Final NOD Mission?
In the End you could pick your final monument to get destroyed? I didn't take the White House wasn't fun. There was a much better (and much closer) choice!

Some self-criticism and awarness would give America way more credit. America has a lot of good humorous criticism going on, but very strangely this doesn't seem to happen in videogames all that often. Just a lesson in basic humilty once or twice would really make all the difference.

Like Shattered Union for example...
You can nuke Texas as an European Peacekeeper and destroy the Golden Gate Bridge with a squadron of Eurofighters (which is in real life the most f*cked up EU-Military project ever developed)