Culture Dept distances itself from MPs MOH outcry

The Department for Culture Media and Sport has declined to endorse fresh calls to ban Medal Of Honor at retail.

On Sunday, Defence Secretary Liam Fox urged retailers to ban the selling of EA’s upcoming game, having expressed anger and disgust” by its content.

Electronic Arts is under fire from both MPs and the wider media for allowing players to assume the role of the Islamist political group the Taliban in the Medal Of Honor title, set for UK release October 15.

Yet a spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport refused to endorse the comments made by its cabinet associate.

Dr Fox was expressing a personal view and we understand why some people might find the subject matter of the game offensive,” the spokesperson said.

There is a ratings system in place which exists to categorise games appropriately, in this case the game in question is rated 18 so should only be sold to, and played by, adults.”

Liam Fox has not called on his Government to ban Medal Of Honor, but instead has called on the UK’s retail industry to make a judgement call.

But the Culture Department said the choice should not lie with retailers, but the consumers themselves:

"There is a clear choice for consumers which they can exercise when making decisions about purchasing video games.”