Mercenaries 2 under fire

Although still in the development stages, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames has already come under fire. Supporters of Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chavez, have accused Pandemic Studios of drumming up support for an eventual American overthrow of Chavez.

“I think the U.S. government knows how to prepare campaigns of psychological terror so they can make things happen later,” Congressman Ismael Garcia said, making reference to Mercenaries 2.

Pandemic publicist Chris Norris says that Mercenaries 2 is not intended to make a political statement about Chavez, although did say that the game’s designers “always want to have a rip from the headlines.” It’s the game’s story which has caused concern, which sees a power-hungry tyrant messing with Venezuela’s oil supply, sparking an invasion and the onset of war.

According to lawmaker Gabriela Ramirez, Mercenaries 2 falsely represents Chavez, portraying him as a tyrant, with the country on the verge of chaos. A proposed law which will protect children from violent video games could see the game banned in Venezuela. Ramirez added that “it sends a message to Americans: You have a danger next door, here in Latin America, and action must be taken… It’s a justification for an imperialist aggression.“