this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2023
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Rock Paper Shotgun also reported on this WSJ piece if you'd rather read about this topic there.

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[–] otter@lemmy.ca 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A top U.S. gun maker signed a previously undisclosed deal to put one of its rifles in the popular videogame franchise Call of Duty as part of a marketing plan to reach young customers, according to internal emails and company records.

Well that's not good.

[–] LoamImprovement@beehaw.org 38 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, it's bad, but it's not nearly the worst of the firearms industry's sins. Look up the Bushmaster 'Man Card' ads - Really outlines how the confluence of toxic masculinity and gun culture is a key factor in the prevalence of school shootings in the states.

[–] sohnemann@beehaw.org 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] LoamImprovement@beehaw.org 7 points 1 year ago

Yeah, pretty much. But of course, they deny culpability because "It's not like we pulled the trigger" or some other limp-wrist bullshit excuse.

If gun lobbyists hadn't pushed for a ban on the CDC studying gun violence under the pretense that the data would be construed as advocating for gun control, maybe some of those kids at Uvalde, or Sandy Hook, or any of the other hundreds if not thousands of school shootings over the last 20+ years might still be alive today.

[–] vinceman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I mean, COD is already straight up propaganda, I don't think this fundamentally changes much.

[–] Ashtear@lemm.ee 17 points 1 year ago

It is, and it doesn't, but one of the important functions of journalism is a public accounting of details such as these and engendering conversation thereof.

[–] Computerchairgeneral@kbin.social 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Kind of funny, given how desperately gun manufacturers try to blame video games for gun violence. Honestly, I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. I mean if the oil industry is using Fortnight to reach younger audiences, it makes sense that gun companies would target people who play shooters.

[–] SpathiFwiffo@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

Agree that that is the only notable thing about it. But Corp legal departments will say anything to shift blame.

As to the whole story. "Legal product was advertised legally" could just have well have been the title.

No different than Ford paying a movie or game to include a Mustang

[–] cambriakilgannon@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

I was hoping someone would just say it was Remmington. Remmington firearms are featured in CoD.