The next Call of Duty is set in a fictional conflict with North Korea. And Whitehall is not amused. Sources tell me the Foreign Office has been in touch with Activision, the game's publisher, expressing 'concern' about the game's narrative. The worry? A blockbuster depiction of a war on the Korean Peninsula could inflame tensions, or worse, give Kim Jong-un ideas.
Let's be clear. This is not a ban. The government knows it can't stop a video game from being released. But the message is clear: tread carefully. One Whitehall official described the call as a 'quiet word'. Translation: a polite warning wrapped in a threat of future scrutiny.
The game, rumoured to be called 'Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War II' (working title), reportedly features a scenario where North Korea invades South Korea. The US and its allies push back. Classic Call of Duty fare. But the timing is awkward. Real-world talks with Pyongyang are fragile. The last thing the Foreign Office needs is a viral image of a digital Seoul in flames.
Labour MP John Healey, shadow defence secretary, has also weighed in. 'We must be vigilant against any media that normalises conflict with a nuclear-armed state,' he said. A bit rich, given Labour's own history with video game moral panics. But he has a point. The line between entertainment and agitprop is blurry.
Activision is keeping schtum. PRs are offering only bland statements about creative freedom and fictional settings. But behind the scenes, I hear the company is fuming. They believe they've been victims of a leak. A source close to the developer told me: 'We're being used as a political football.'
On the backbenches, some Tory MPs are privately mocking the fuss. 'It's just a game,' one told me. 'We've got real wars to worry about.' But the security establishment doesn't see it that way. They remember the 2014 film 'The Interview', which prompted North Korea to hack Sony. They are not taking chances.
The question now is whether this will blow over or escalate. If Activision caves, expect a backlash from gamers. If they double down, expect a political storm. Either way, the PM will want to avoid a front-page row over a video game. This could be swept under the rug. Or it could become a rallying cry for those who think the government is too soft on digital threats.
I'll be tracking this closely. The usual rule applies: follow the phone records. Who called whom? Who leaked the Foreign Office's concerns to the press? That is the real game here.
