Summary
ThePC has enduredas one of the best platforms for players to check out their favorite video games. Players love the idea of playing both new and old games on a malleable platform that has stuck with them through thick and thin.
Some games on this platform have attracted their fair share of controversy for everything from the level of violence to the disturbing content that was present in these titles. The sheer amount of negative buzz generated by these titles was puzzling, barring a few instances where the outrage was justified.
Games will be ranked based on the degree of controversy generated by their release.
On the face of it,Soldier of Fortunelooks like a run-of-the-mill FPSwhere players can enjoy some classic shooting action. It wasn’t until players experienced the gameplay for themselves that they realized just how detailed the character models were, for better or for worse.
Individual parts could be blown off with fatal shots and players could riddle a body with bullets to turn it into an unrecognizable ball of flesh. While this damage model was impressive, it also caused its fair share of controversy around a time when people found this level of extreme violence in games disturbing.
A legendary vehicular combat game that players remember fondly to this day, it’s easy to see whyCarmageddonwas the source of much controversy. The idea of running over pedestrians and animals in the most brutal manner possible didn’t sit right with many.
As a result, the game was censored for certain markets, replacing real people with aliens who had green blood. It’s an interesting way to censor a violent title that is pretty tame by modern standards.
Duke Nukem 3Dlooked like aDoomclonebut boasted enough character for fans to fall in love with the game’s crass action. The protagonist himself was a foul-mouthed bastion of masculinity who could become a parody of himself at times.
However, some people felt that the level of violence coupled with the game’s obscene content made it an inappropriate title. Parents objected to their kids being exposed to this low-brow content, but his controversial nature is what turned Duke Nukem into one of the most iconic video game heroes of all time.
After the hit success ofDoom, John Romero became one of the most popular video game developers of all time. After splitting with id Software, Romero spearheaded the development ofDaikatana, which was accompanied by one of the most controversial video game marketing campaigns of all time.
There’s no denying thatGrand Theft Auto 3is one of the most important video gamesever made, catapulting Rockstar Games to the heights of superstardom. However, this success came with its fair share of controversy.
The many adult activities that players could partake in coupled with a healthy dose of violence turnedGrand Theft Auto 3into the gaming industry’s punching bag for the media. Rockstar reveled in this controversy and didn’t shy away from antagonizing the media with future titles in the series, cementing their reputation as one of the most iconic video game developers of all time.
Manhuntis one of the most interesting stealth-horror video gamesplayers can check out. The title features some scintillating and nail-biting gameplay where players will genuinely be on the edge of their seats as they control James Earl Cash in a twisted killing game.
The game’s executions could be quite disturbing, with players unlocking more gratuitous killing moves based on the player’s input. This, coupled with the title’s unnerving atmosphere, turnedManhuntinto Rockstar’s most controversial video game. It was banned in numerous countries for its graphic content.
The uproar thatPostal 2caused at launch is well-known to many gaming fans. The controversial parodies of real-life issues coupled with a focus on gratuitous violence turned this title into one of the most controversial video games ever made.
Players were encouraged to goPostaland kill everything in sight, with the use of drugs and cats as silencers being encouraged. This, coupled with a heinous act that players could enact at will, madePostal 2a horrifying product for players unfamiliar with video games.
Not only isDoomone of the most important video games ever made, but it’s also incredibly controversial. People were appalled by the depiction of hellish monsters and a gameplay loop where players used guns to eviscerate their opponents.
The biggest controversyDoomwas pulled into was the Columbine High School massacre by a country mile. The fact that the shooters were huge fans of this game and made custom levels became widespread news, with players scouring the internet to find these levels that have become sought-after for all the wrong reasons.
