The children of a real-life soldier have sued Call of Duty publisher Activision for the Black Ops II portrayal of their father as a ‘barbarian.’
Jonas Savimbi, who led rebel forces in the Angolan civil war and founded the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola organisation, features in the first campaign mission of the hit 2012 game.
The sequence sees Savimbi lead a US-backed counter offensive against government troops yelling “Fight my brothers!” and “Death to the MPLA!” At one point the character says: “My friend from above! You killed many men today eh? Yes! We all did!”
He returns later in the game to rescue a stricken US soldier.
Now, more than three years after the game went on sale, the family have filed a defamation lawsuit against Activision France, seeking 1 million euros in damages (via Guardian).
See also: Call of Duty: Black Ops III review
Family lawyer Carole Enfert claims the late Savimbi is showcased as “big halfwit who wants to kill everybody” rather than a “political leader and strategist.”
In response to the suit, Activision’s counsel have claimed the character is a “good guy,” portrayed in a positive light.
Etienne Kowalski said the sequence showed Savimbi “for who he was … a character of Angolan history, a guerrilla chief who fought the MPLA”.
Do you think Savimbi was a portrayed as a good guy? Check out the video below and share your thoughts in the comments below
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
