Write what you are looking for and press enter to begin your search!

Logo
live-news-icon

Live News

Tekken 8 Eddy Gordo Trailer Reveals The Capoeira Fighter Arriving Next Week: In an intense match, the Lone Wolves came out victorious. Read all about the big night here // LEGOLAND Malaysia Brings Raya Theme To The Park & The World’s First LEGO Friends 4D Movie Premiere: In an intense match, the Lone Wolves came out victorious. Read all about the big night here // New Visions Of Mana Trailer Showcases Elemental Combat & Characters: In an intense match, the Lone Wolves came out victorious. Read all about the big night here
post-16 post-13

This Kiwi War Hero Is Now An Aussie In Call Of Duty Vanguard

When Call Of Duty Vanguard was initially announced last month, Activision and Sledgehammer Games revealed that the game’s narrative will cover “the untold stories of multinational heroes that formed Task Force One, changing the face of history and setting the stage for special forces as we know it.”

Experience combat through a story of the multinational soldiers who came together to form Task Force One and set the stage for Special Forces as we know it. These are the heroes of Call Of Duty Vanguard:

  • Sergeant Arthur Kingsley, 9th Parachute Battalion, British Army
  • Lieutenant Polina Petrova of the 138th Rifle Division, Red Army
  • Lieutenant Wade Jackson, Scouting Squadron Six, United States Navy
  • Private Lucas Riggs, 20th Battalion, Australian 9th Infantry Division, British Eighth Army

All four are based on real historical figures. Petrova is modelled on Lyudmila Pavlichenko AKA Lady Death, while Kingsley is Sidney Cornell, who was the first black man to land on D-Day.

Meanwhile, Jackson is Vernon Micheel, a hero of the famous Battle Of Midway, and Riggs is based on Charles Upham, a war hero from New Zealand who remains the only man in history to be awarded two Victoria Crosses.

However, as first pointed out by Kotaku, something is not right in the representation of these characters in Call Of Duty Vanguard. What’s the problem? Well, in the game, Private Lucas Riggs is depicted as being Australian, and not a New Zealander like his historical inspiration.

As aptly described by New Zealand publication Newshub:

“Charles Upham’s significance cannot be overstated.

No other combat soldier has ever been awarded two Victoria Crosses in all of history.

That incredible achievement belongs to our country alone, Aotearoa New Zealand.

It’s like turning Sir Edmund Hillary into an Australian, or Lorde, or Jonah Lomu.

It’s an insult.

At best, it’s ignorance; at worst, it’s a giant middle finger to us all.”

What was the developer’s response? Sledgehammer Games Creative Director David Swenson said in a statement:

“As with all the main characters in the campaign, we drew a lot of inspiration from real life soldiers.

With Lucas Riggs, we drew a lot of that inspiration from Charles Upham, whose exploits embodied the spirit of all the Commonwealth forces serving in North Africa.”

It seems like he’s completely missing the point, but this is still a prickly issue, especially for proud New Zealanders who want nothing more but to be properly represented and respected just like everyone else.

Call Of Duty Vanguard will launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 5 November 2021. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:

Related News

post-07
Marvel's What If Season 2 Episode 9 Breakdown & Easter Eggs

The ninth and final episode of Marvel's What If Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia. I’ll be discussing heavy spoilers so if you h...

post-07
NetEase Launches Tank Company, A 15v15 Tank Battle Mobile Game

NetEase Games has announced the soft launch of Tank Company, the new 15v15 tank battle game that is available now on Android devices. Tank Company inv...

post-07
Philippines Team Liyab Esports Wins LoL SEA Invitational 2019 At Conquerors Manila

After a two-day League of Legends tournament bout in The Philippines' annual  LoL fiesta Conquerors Manila, Philippines team Liyab emerges victorio...

Write a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tournament Tool Kit

Kakuchopurei Community