The Red Cross wants you to stop committing war crimes in shooters and help your enemies

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An action by the International Red Cross attracted attention. Shooter fans should stick to the rules and act like it should be in real war.

In shooters, there is sneaky killing, blasting and humiliation. There is no mercy for the wounded, and if there’s an advantage in blowing up a building, the rocket launcher will be ready in a split second.

This is everyday life for gamers and is simply part of firefights in games – but it shouldn’t be in the real world. The International Committee of the Red Cross (“ICRC – International Committee of the Red Cross”) therefore wanted the rules of international humanitarian law to also apply in games and set a challenge.

what was done On April 15th, there were several stream events where streamers were specifically asked to abide by the rules of war.

The games that took part in the project included the rather colorful Fortnite, but also the quite realistic Arma III. However, the request went to players of all shooters, so PUBG or CoD streamers also took part.

What are the rules? A total of 4 rules should be observed:

  • Defenseless enemies are not attacked: If an enemy is down, unable to move or has lost consciousness, you must stop firing at him. Prisoners of war must be protected from violence, intimidation and mistreatment.
  • Non-hostile NPCs may not become targets: bots that do not open fire without provocation are considered civilians and may not be attacked. Civilians must never be attacked and must be protected.
  • Civilian buildings must not be destroyed: On maps where there are houses, schools or hospitals, these are considered a safe area and must not be damaged. When fighting in these regions, everything must be done to avoid damage. Civil infrastructure counts as a protected area.
  • Medi-Kits are used on anyone in need: if you have a medi-kit that can be used on others, you must use it when someone needs it, friend or foe. The sick and wounded on both sides must be cared for.

    • What was the purpose of this? The ICRC’s main aim is to draw attention to and increase awareness of international humanitarian law. The website for the event said:

    Every day people play conflict zone games from the comfort of their couch. But right now armed conflicts are more prevalent than ever. And for the people who suffer their effects, these conflicts are not games. They destroy lives and have devastating consequences for communities. That’s why we challenge you to play first-person shooters by the real rules of war, to show everyone that even war has rules – rules to protect humanity on real battlefields.

    How are the reactions to it? The action is welcomed by many and is seen as useful in drawing attention to the rules of war and international humanitarian law. Especially in the current times, it is good to sharpen awareness of these rules and their benefits – and since video games are played everywhere, this is a suitable way.

    However, there is also criticism of the action. Because most video games are structured in such a way that following the rules – such as sparing the wounded enemies – will sooner or later lead to defeat. And the message “Whoever abides by the rules of war loses” is certainly not what the Red Cross wanted to aim for.

    What do you think of this action? A good thing to draw attention to such an important issue in these times? Or do you have a different opinion about it?

    mmod-game