Activision and its development studios, Treyarch and Raven Software, debuted a new trailer for the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and it happens to have a somewhat outrageous and unexpected new character in the series: actual president Ronald Reagan. The trailer was released during the digital only Gamescom 2020 event, following the official unveiling of the game yesterday.
Recording a historical and political figure from real life – one whose term still has controversial effects on current politics, including the upcoming 2020 election – is absolutely a relocation. It’s even weirder when you consider what the trailer Reagan does: you, the player, and your fellow secret operations command to essentially break the law and commit potential war crimes to save the “free world.”
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The trailer features a discussion of the code name “Perseus”, a supposed KGB spy (based on real life years in the Cold War) that the new character Russell Adler says “the balance of the Cold War will shift” if they do not do something to stop the plot. But when discussion arises about the legality of the mission, we come into dark territory. “Every mission we go on is illegal,” protests fan-favorite Black Ops character Frank Woods, who says that many innocent people will perish if they do not stop Perseus.
Fortunately, this is when the president appears to give the final say. “We are talking about preventing an attack on the free men and women of the world. Give Mr. Adler what he wants, ”Reagan said as he entered the room and commented that it was him that the Black Ops previous missions of crew. Gentleman, you have been given a great task: to protect our whole way of life from a great evil. There is no higher duty, there is no higher honor, and although few people will know of your struggle, you can be sure of it. “I know you will not fall for us.”
It’s a good thing that Reagan is here to assure us, the players, that what we’re doing is actually good, or otherwise Call of Duty fans everywhere can get the wrong impression about America’s role in geopolitical conflicts around the world. Can’t do that!
