Much like the shock videos of the internet’s salad days, gamers on the short-form video app TikTok are getting their yuks by filming friends’ and romantic partners’ unfiltered reactions to an infamous Call of Duty directive.
The mission, titled “No Russian,” is the fourth level of the 2009 smash-hit first-person shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Though the game hit Xbox 360 and other seventh-generation consoles nearly 15 years ago, the content shocks the same today. Gamers are finding clips of the mission on video streaming sites and sharing them with uninitiated loved ones.
The graphic and polarizing content can’t be shown on TikTok — or just about anywhere, really — as it breaks content guidelines. Those behind the camera pan to the start of the mission, then to their unknowing viewer, who is unsurprisingly horrified.
‘Remember, no Russian’
The critical darling’s campaign follows Task Force 141 as they infiltrate the Russian Ultranationalist party and defend D.C. from Russian invasion. However, its “No Russian” mission is among the most heavily criticized stages in gaming history. Players control an undercover Army Ranger PFC, working to earn the loyalty and trust of the game’s antagonist, Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov.
At its start, the player character appears in an elevator alongside Makarov and his henchmen. A chime sounds as the group arrives at their designated floor. Makarov turns his head toward the group, muttering, “Remember, no Russian.” The player then participates in a graphic mass casualty event at a Moscow airport. Before the mission starts, a content warning appears, allowing players to skip the task penalty-free; gamers don’t miss out on achievements or other content imperative to the plot.
The Longevity of ‘Shock’ Content
Video games, as a medium, are no strangers to controversy. First-person shooters like Modern Warfare 2 have long been polarizing, with pearl-clutching from parents and pro-censorship groups. Some games make headlines for graphic, exploitative content that serves no purpose other than to rustle feathers. Others leverage shock and awe the way television or film might — plot progression, immersion, and brutal realism, among other things.
Ultimately, whether or not naysayers admit it, video games are an art form. Like a painter’s brushstrokes or a photographer’s strategic shots, impactful gameplay evokes emotion. These feelings aren’t always comforting; art stimulates critical analyses, fosters social commentary, and broadens perspectives. While not for everyone, shocking content historically has a place in storytelling. But like other narrative devices, creatives must leverage it wisely and empathetically or risk losing the plot — figuratively and literally.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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