In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare campaigns, you can always expect them to touch on topics that will elicit strong reactions. Infinity Ward’s narrative director, Jeff Negus, broke down that process for us ahead of the game’s release.
Don’t expect Modern Warfare 4’s campaign to shy away from any sensitive material. The game has already sparked plenty of conversation thanks to one moment that forces players to make a very hard choice, but unlike Modern Warfare 2’s very controversial mission “No Russian,” you can’t skip it.
Being Provocative Is Part of Modern Warfare’s DNA
In Modern Warfare 4’s campaign, we see tensions in the Korean peninsula hit a tipping point with North Korea doing the unthinkable by attacking its neighbor, South Korea. While the game doesn’t portray North Korea’s real-life dictator, including the country is still a huge risk; just ask Sony, Seth Rogen, and James Franco how that worked out for them and their film, The Interview.
We asked Negus about how he and his team approached including North Korea in Modern Warfare 4’s campaign without worrying if there would be any pushback from the country.
“Yeah. Look, we approach all that with a lot of care and thought. We make an entertainment product that is ripped from the headlines, and part of the DNA of Modern Warfare is to be provocative,” Negus begins. “So it’s really important to us that we are finding our own line, not to quote the theme of the game, but it’s important that we push it to the right place for the right reasons.”
“For me, I’m fortunate because I get to stick to the narrative. I get to stick to characters. This is so much more about drawing authentic people in a situation you can understand and empathize with. At the end of the day, even those provocative situations that players will definitely find themselves in, and this game is no exception, it’s to put yourself in the shoes of a character in the middle of a story, and the effect of having that experience aligns you with the characters more deeply. It’s what immerses you in the story.”
He continues, “To me, that’s what makes this medium powerful. I don’t think it’s worth it to shy away from those experiences. I think the onus is on us to be tasteful, thoughtful, and try to bring to bear the moments that are really going to immerse you and make you care about what happens to these characters.”
Joseph Lee Reveals What Made Him Enlist In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Modern Warfare 4 isn’t short on star power in bringing characters to life. Barry Sloane returns as John Price, Mads Mikkelsen brings his signature villainous flair as The Archer, and 38-year-old actor Joseph Lee (Beef) plays Captain Kwon Hae-Soo, aka Kal, in the video game, leading a group of young South Korean and American marines trying to stave off a North Korean invasion.
We asked Lee, a Korean American, whether Modern Warfare 4’s campaign lured him into joining the cast. He said it was Call of Duty’s popularity that led him to enlist and be part of the latest chapter in Modern Warfare lore.
“To be honest, I wasn’t familiar with the game, but when it was presented to me, I mean, obviously I know of the game; it’s a household name,” Lee begins. “So I think just the curiosity about how big this franchise is really tickled me. So as an actor, you always want to try something new. This was my first experience delving into the gaming world. Through it, I’ve had an extraordinary education and just a wonderful experience working with people.”
Modern Warfare 4 is also his first video game-related gig. When we brought up that he was being fan-cast for a future Ghost of Tsushima movie, he revealed he had no idea that was a thing.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is out now. Keep it locked on HHW Gaming for our campaign review.