Video Game Pulled Globally From Military Stores Over Taliban Inclusion

shane · September 2, 2010

As of noon today all GameStop stores located on military bases will no longer be advertising or selling copies of Electronic Arts’ upcoming military shooter Medal of Honor because an aspect of the game includes playable Taliban characters, sources tell Kotaku.

Confirmed by calls to several GameStops located on military bases, the decision was made “out of respect for our past and present men and women in uniform,” according to the letter sent to all GameStop employees this morning and obtained by Kotaku.

The Army and Air Force Exchange Services has confirmed to Kotaku that they requested the game pulled from the 49 GameStop’s located on bases in the continent U.S. The ban, an AAFES representative told Kotaku, also extends to all military PXs worldwide.

“GameStop has agreed out of respect for our past and present men and women in uniform we will not carry Medal of Honor in any of our AAFES based stores…,” the email reads. “As such, GameStop agreed to have all marketing material pulled by noon today and to stop taking reservations. Customers who enter our AAFES stores and wish to reserve Medal of Honor can and should be directed to the nearest GameStop location off base.

“GameStop fully supports AAFES in this endeavor and is sensitive to the fact that in multiplayer mode one side will assume the role of Taliban fighter.”

The stores on bases contacted by Kotaku all confirmed that they no longer will be selling the game and referred us to GameStops in town to pick up the title when it comes out.

Electronic Arts declined to comment further for this story.

The commanding general of the Army and Air Force Exchange Services confirmed today that his decision was based on the inclusion of Taliban in the game.