 "Photo: Illustration by Sarah Elkeaikati")
The latest news of the war in the Middle East involves, of all things, the Xbox.
This absurd topic is the reigning hot issue in military circles.
The controversy stems from the Microsoft Corporation’s refusal to sell Xbox 360s to the United States Army for training purposes.
The company cites various reasons for the decision, the most critical being that Microsoft does not wish for the Xbox to become associated with war.
This seems like an odd objection coming from the maker of a video game system synonymous with titles such as “Halo” and “Call of Duty”; two of the most prolific war games in recent history.
The word “war” even appears in the title of five of the top ten best selling Xbox 360games.
If the use of an Xbox could theoretically save one soldiers life through more realistic training exercises, then, by any means, they should be instituted as a training device.
How tall is Microsoft’s pedestal, that they can honestly believe Xbox is not already associated with war? It is hard to rationalize Microsoft’s incredibly skewed perspective.
Perhaps the real reason the company does not plan to sell to the army has more to do with profit than principle.
“The military would only buy one game per Xbox, unlike normal consumers who would typically keep coming back for more games,” said Michael Peck an author for a video game critiquing Web site.
Microsoft normally receives royalties on games sold for its systems. This situation of only one game purchased per system would pull money out of the company’s pockets, deep as they are.
It is unfortunate that corporate greed takes precedent over American lives.
Admittedly, this is a stretch; but how far must the quest for profit plunge before its morality is questioned?
The army seems to believe that the Xbox platform offers significant potential to help train enlisted servicemen.
Typically not an organization to waste funds, the army wouldn’t be willing to drop millions of dollars on shipments of Xboxes if they didn’t have research suggesting the use is beneficial.
“Training time for computer-operated weaponry was nearly halved for soldiers who regularly played Xbox,” said Roger Smith, chief technology officer for the army division in charge of purchasing training equipment.
Video games have been ingrained in the last several generations and have rendered users more adept to deal with computerized equipment.
Give our soldiers Xboxes, Microsoft. It is much less damaging to allow members of thearmy to play graphic war games than the 10 year olds who currently do so.
Reach Evan Perkins at: opinions@thepolypost.com
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