MPs speak out over 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'

FACEBOOK and Twitter have both been ablaze this week with updates galore about hot new games release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

If you've been able to sift through the X-Factor tweets (please, make it stop) then you'll probably be aware that great reviews are coming in thick and fast.

Price War

The hype has sparked a price war on the high street, with it

If you want in on the action without having to shell out a small fortune to buy the game, you can rent it now from Swapgame, Game Tart [Ed: closed], Blockbuster or Lovefilm.

The hype and the price war together have prompted the inevitable outcry from a Labour MP.

Inevitable Outcry

In a move that screams 'Won't somebody please think of the children?', Keith Vaz, the chairman of the home affairs select committee, has spoken out about the level of violence in the sixth Call of Duty instalment, declaring himself "absolutely shocked".

He stated in the House of Commons: "It's not about censorship, it's about protecting our children."

In response, Tom Watson, the former digital engagement minister, and fellow Labour MP said: "It carries a content warning, it is an 18 plus game. It would be better for members of this house to support the many thousands of games designers and coders and the many millions of games users, rather than collaborating with the Daily Mail to create moral panic over the use of video games."

Let's just get things a little straighter here. It should be noted that Keith Vaz voted 'very strongly' for the Iraq war. That is, sending real people out into real battles with very real weapons.

It seems strange to publicly speak out against a computer game with fictional plots, characters and violence, but it's nothing new for the politician - he has also spearheaded unsuccessful campaigns to ban games such as Bully and Manhunt.

Mr Watson has since set up a Facebook group called 'Gamers' Voice' which has over 13,000 members. Its description reads: "Are you sick of UK newspapers and (my fellow) politicians beating up on gaming? So am I. The truth is, UK gamers need their own pressure group. I want to help you start one up."

Meanwhile, if you're over 18, not easily suggestible to video game violence and you want to make up your own mind on the Call of Duty debate then we recommend a rental.

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