Activists Protest Ubisoft for America’s Army

San Francisco, Calif. – Protesters gathered outside the South Park offices of game developer Ubisoft in an effort to call attention to possibly unethical and illegal practices as defined by the United Nations.

Ubisoft, which publishes “America’s Army” console versions, was singled out for protest by the bay area activist group Direct Action to Stop the War.

In a statement posted on their website, the group claims that America’s Army is a recruitment tool for children into military service, a practice forbidden by U.N. protocol.

America’s Army is a game developed by the U.S. military to instruct players in “Army values,” portray the army in a positive light, and increase potential recruits. The “game” is the property and brainchild of the US Army, which admit freely, and with pride, that it is one of their principal recruitment tools.

Below is a portion of the America’s Army website highlighting a “real life hero” profile. The interface below the bio is set up much like something you would expect to see in a videogame, complete with unit awards and skill badges.

Oooh! Real life skill badges! Join the Army today and collect them all.

America’s Army has been available since 2002 as a free download or as a CD available in recruiting stations. It is published and distributed by Ubisoft right here in South Park. Ubisoft is not the only South Park neighbor engaged in the development of the game, Gameloft is working on the cell phone application and Secret Level was a designer on the 2005 Xbox version. The game has been granted a “teen” rating, allowing 13 year olds to play.

In an e-mail response to WIRED’s Chris Kohler, Ubisoft’s public relations team stated:

Ubisoft is a leading publisher that strives to create the best entertainment experiences possible. Ubisoft worked with the U.S. Army to create America’s Army games for the Xbox and Xbox 360 in order to deliver a compelling experience for our customers. As we discussed with the Direct Action to Stop the War (DASW) organization, our games are created to meet a diverse range of interests and not to express or endorse any political view. We respect DASW’s First Amendment rights, and would hope they also respect and recognize ours.

SOURCE: www.wired.com

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  • http://www.ripten.com Chad Lakkis

    I am bothered less by the game and more by the way they try to make the real life aspects of the site like a video game.

    I have a cousin and an uncle that both served in the military. One in the Army and the other in the Marines. Neither of them ever bragged to us about their “skill badges”.

    Sure they may have gotten their share, but airing the information in the manner the site does makes it feel like they are things you “unlock” as you progress further into the game … oh wait, we aren’t talking about the game anymore.

  • John Kershaw

    A game made by the US Army and aimed at kids just seems morally wrong to me, on a whole number of levels.

  • http://www.barackobama.com/ DavidGX

    What he said ^

  • http://yahoo DezzNutz

    Who cares what a minority far-wing bunch of losers think? Whats worse is they think we should kow-tow to the UN? The UN has zero powers to enforce anything, they talk a lot of big game and do very little.

    Terrorism is illegal too according to UN rules of engagment, thus making them illegal combatants, but that didnt stop stupid activists judges from giving terrorist rights that are only afforded to real, American citizens.

    Were in a war so they attack video game developers to get media attention. Isnt everyone sick of fringe groups attacking video game makers?!?

  • Abaddon

    You know,at least you americans have a perverse moral but with style.I have the analogue recruitment technique in Spain to share with you all.

    When I was 19,I wanted to enlist so I picked up an army pamphlet.The last page Ilustration was more than enough for me to Laugh out loud in the face of the drill recruiter (who almost arrested me).

    [THE SOLDIER OF 2021] I read.

    It was an ilustration of a moustached bullfighter with a gigantic crotch and antennae,holding a non-existent red gun probably designed by someone who thought that in the 21th century in Spain we’ll shoot with Laser Dildos.He was looking at me thumbs up.

    God I hate this country…

    /End offtopic rant

  • Abaddon

    PS: I forgot,he wore a GoW like armor showing just abs,biceps,crotch as I mentioned,try and imagine…

    Like…no…
    It was…
    almost as is…

    Nevermind,you Can’t get close to visualize it.I’m Dead Sure.

  • Jonathan Zungre

    making the honors he won look like xbox achievements realllllly cheapens them.

    but honestly, i don’t get why army recruitment tools for teenagers would be a no no. i mean teenagers sit through countless hours of marketers trying to sway their interests one way or another every day, i don’t know why something as honorable as military service shouldn’t be able to do it too.

  • http://www.barackobama.com/ DavidGX

    Because one type of ad involves you buying a snickers, the other involves you being sent off to a battlefield to get shot at.

  • Abaddon

    Only perhaps,Fighting for truth is honorable.

    Modern war has become a well oiled device to hide the truth for the sake of practical objectives.

  • Jonathan Zungre

    haha… the one who buys the snickers bar is in for an even worse fate than the warrior would meet on the battlefield.

  • Marcelo

    Interesting, what about Career day in school? I do agree however that perhaps they should make it rated M instead of T but this game is no different that any other military game that glorifies what soldiers can do. I’m with the Snickers analogy, the person buying snickers is in for a much worse fate than the solider (He knows what he’s in for). What really irks me is how adults think kids are just plain DUMB before the age of 18. I’m 33 and give kids a bit more credit than being loaves of bread..

  • Dan Landis

    Having actually served 4 years in the army, I feel fully justified in saying that the military is retarded. America’s Army (the game) is a horribly broken piece of shit, and if any kids find it so awesome that it convinces them to sign up, then they deserve the reality check that getting shot at would bring them.

    The funny thing is that the game even has descriptions of all of the different MOS’s (jobs) that you can do, and 90% of them don’t involve escorting VIP’s to an extraction zone. A lot of what’s done in the military on a day to day basis is just as boring as the civilian world, with the exception of not being allowed to have an opinion and having to work overtime without getting paid for it.

    I’ll gladly take a Snickers over more service time.