/images/social_rss_dark.png "Subscribe to the site")
/images/social_twitter_dark.png "Follow us on Twitter")
/images/social_facebook_dark.png "Friend us on FaceBook")
Favela Map Temporarily Removed Due to Offensive Islamic Imagery
Activision is doing some damage control after a YouTube video brought to light something that’s upset many Muslim gamers. A user by the name KhaleDQ84EveR recorded footage of the Favela map to show that within one of the rooms there are two paintings that have frames decorated with quotes attributed to the prophet Muhammad. The user translates the writing to, “Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty.” One of the paintings is hanging above the toilet.
“And in Islam, it is forbidden to say or write anything about the Islamic religion in the bathrooms.”
The user goes on to say that millions of Muslims are mad and disappointed that Infinity Ward would disrespect their faith in this manner. As soon as this video started making rounds on the Call of Duty forums, Activision and Infinity Ward took down the map and released a statement to Kotaku to apologize to the Muslim community for the incident.
“We apologize to anyone who found this image offensive. Please be assured we were unaware of this issue and that there was no intent to offend. We are working as quickly as possible to remove this image and any other similar ones we may find from our various game libraries.
We are urgently working to release a Title Update to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 3. We are also working to remove the texture from Modern Warfare 2 through a separate Title Update. Until the TU is ready, we have removed the Favella multiplayer map from online rotation.
Activision and our development studios are respectful of diverse cultures and religious beliefs, and sensitive to concerns raised by its loyal game players. We thank our fans for bringing this to our attention.”
As the representative explained, the popular Rio de Janiro map will be accessible again once they’re able to remove the offensive imagery. However, as soon as the map was taken down, the video itself garnered some negative attention. KhaleDQ84EveR had to disable the comments and even edited his video to state that he knows everyone is mad, but he never asked the map be taken down. He was simply pointing out that it’s not right to insult a religion, because there’s a difference between Muslims and terrorists. Though, he does end the video with a promise to boycott future Call of Duty products if nothing is done, so there’s that.
/images/blank.gif){kind=spacer}
/images/top.png)
What? No riots?
Was it really necessary to admit having taken offence and then respond with threats (amass a group and boycott the games) and demands (official apology on x, y and z)
-.-
It was simply a promise of boycotting a product that contained offensive imagery, happens all the time, remember six days in fallujah? This is only getting more press because it involves Islam at a time when Muslims have been continuously insulted (directly and indirectly).
Think of it this way, if you got insulted by something, wouldn’t you like an apology?
My only question is, why were you looking at the pictures in the bathroom in the first place?
…Seriously? People are so butthurt now days… This would be like a person of any religion suing Wall-Mart because an employee at a Wall-Mart said “I don’t like ____ religion.” The blank referring to the religion of the person in the previously stated example.
Not the same thing. The employee is a person, not a product of a company. If a person insults you, you’ll think the person is a douche, not the company itself. If a product that the company created has an insulting message, you’ll obviously think that the company must have known and didn’t do anything about it (whether they did know is up for debate, I think they didn’t).
My question is why take your whole day to find something offending yourself, instead of ignoring something like that?
How do you know he didn’t simply find it by accident? That’s a very one sided view that you’re stating.
Would you ignore something that insults your beliefs?
“We are working as quickly as possible to remove this image and any other similar ones we may find from our various game libraries.”
So there’s more?
Why are Muslims playing Battlefield 3 anyway?
Don’t they get the real thing for free (no subscription fees but no respawning either)? And wouldn’t playing video games be against some part of the Koran?
I know they look the other way about paedophilia, honour killings and FGM, but games weren’t around back then
come on, its not like it said “all muslims burn”, or some shit like that. If anything it was semi clever, i wouldn’t give two shits if someone put a Catholic church pedo joke in a game, or anywhere else for that matter.
I think this is pathetic – if a Christian complained (or even mentioned) that they found something offensive, they’d be told to get over it – and there are plenty of things that could be brought up. I respect each religion and it’s beliefs (although I may not fully agree or understand them) but for a map to be taken down for a few players who can’t handle it, pathetic. I don’t particulary like the swearing throughout games (most of the time it’s crude, very rarely is it emotive, but that’s another issue) and there are many others out there that don’t like it, but if you want to play the game you either avoid it (turn the volume down/voice off) or put up with it. I wouldn’t expect every game dev to remove swearing from everything they produce. So if Muslims find it offensive for that to be displayed, when the map comes into rotation, leave.
And tbh, if they had a map which had a image related to Christianity and it was abusing it, I’d either get over it, or if i strongly disagreed I wouldn’t play it, simple as that.
And for those of you who would say that it’s not the same, swearing is a sin. (I’m not here for a theological debate, and if you think that it is stupid, there are laws in the Koran which I see as stupid/illogical)
I know it’s not the best analogy, but my point is there – grow up and take it on the chin.
Try to include muslims, they bitch because you’re doing it wrong, ignore then and they bitch because its racial something or another, seriously, they are becoming worst than manchester fans.
The frame also exists in MW3 in an another map ( i olnly play it on my friends PS3 so i don’t remember it) so, They are going to remove the frames there too.
so new patches will include MW2 and MW3 too
Is anyone really surprised that some CAll of Duty Fans completely ignored everything that had happened and complained about losing 2 maps?
Next thing you know we’ll be going to war because some texture artist didn’t consult every religion ever to check if the texture he made is blasphemous.
Stupid. Immature.
It’s a game, get over it.
Boycott, then go bomb an infinity ward studio because they didn’t remove texture (pixels) from a bathroom (which is also pixels) ?
GJ.
Are you American? If so, there is no wonder people think American’s are stupid if that are the sort of inappropriate comments you are going to make. If you aren’t, you’re still an idiot, grow up and start being more respectful
Why not shut down the entire COD franchise as offensive to Christians, who don’t believe in reincarnation. You die, and are immediately reincarnated! Take it out!
Christian’s don’t believe in reincarnation – that is Buddhism or Hinduism (I can’t remember which one).
they do not lony want do destroy America but COD to jesus im glad im at you side
I am a Muslim and these words on the bored are not from the quran. Yep it is true some COD kid rise this issues which has died few years back.The kid was a youtuber thats why it succeed everyone banwagen it.