It doesn’t pay to be one of the most famous soldiers in the United States Armed Forces, apparently. Seven members of the U.S. Navy’s infamous SEAL Team Six are have been punished by the military for revealing classified information to Medal of Honor: Warfighter developer Danger Close and publisher EA while consulting on the game’s development. According to a CBS report, the soldier-cum-consultants revealed confidential military intelligence while helping the team write a more “authentic” military shooter.
Though it’s impossible to know exactly what details from the game were classified, most if not all of the game’s level boast that they’re based on actual events. Having military consultants and a story inspired by tales from real soldier was a selling point for the shooter. Though the game does not include a level based on the mission where Osama Bin Laden was killed, an upcoming downloadable map pack features levels based on the film Zero Dark Thirty, the hollywood spin on the military’s search for the terrorist leader.
All seven of the consulting soldiers, who are still part of the unit and on active duty, will receive a letter of reprimand from their superiors and half-pay for two months. Four more soldiers, former SEAL Team Six members who have since transferred to other units, are also under investigation. According to the report, these reprimands could bar them from future promotions, permanently halting the soldiers’ military careers.
The saddest part about all this is that the game isn’t very good. It’s been almost universally panned by critics as a derivative, boring video game. As it turns out, making something more authentic doesn’t necessarily make it better.
- In the soldiers’ defense, they probably just wanted to make sure EA used the logos.
- Members of the U.S. armed forces take video games very seriously.
- There’s a version of Medal of Honor: Warfighter that’s just for soldiers.
