New video game lets players shoot civilians in terrorist attack

The first-person shooter game, which comes with an 'M' rating -- meaning it's for mature audiences -- is set for release on Nov. 10. It may actually be one of the most lucrative launches in the history of the entertainment industry, as some believe opening sales could eclipse other video games, movies and music releases. In a statement to the media made yesterday, the game's publisher rebutted that footage was taken illegally and in general is not representative of the game's overall experience. Blizzard Inc., said the scene is to show the atrocities of terrorism and war. The point of the game is to take the player on an armed adventure as you try to take down a terrorist ring. One chapter of the adventure is to go undercover as a member of the terrorist group, leading to the controversial scene. In an interview before the footage was leaked, Vince Zampella, the head of the game's developer, said the studio intended for its game to startle players. "We push the story," he said. "We want the player to be emotionally attached. We want them to be emotionally shocked." The game's makers clearly understand the scene can be disturbing, as they've included an option to skip over the scene without losing any of the intricacy of the story line. Still, it's a safe bet that most gamers will still play the scene in order to enjoy the game as a whole. "As far as the story goes, Makarov is this super villain and you are this task force," Infinity Ward creative strategist Robert Bowling said in a recent interview. "And it's good versus evil. So we really like to be cinematic but also not let that ruin the fun." "It's a very cinematic experience," Bowling said of Modern Warfare 2 in the interview. "You get to play from multiple perspectives and get a broader picture of what this conflict is, and see that it's much more than just winning a war with a bullet."