Why Spec Ops: The Line Mattered

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Spec Ops: The Line has been removed from all digital storefronts, due to licensing issues. Why was this game so important? Let’s understand the context surrounding its release.

GMTK Minis are short, scrappy videos designed to let me comment on noteworthy news events. Enjoy!

=== Sources and Resources ===

Sources

[1] Spec Ops: The Line delisted from Steam | Eurogamer
https://www.eurogamer.net/spec-ops-th...

[2] We Are Not Heroes: Contextualizing Violence... | GDC Vault
https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1017980...

[3] Don't Be A Hero - The Full Story Behind Spec Ops: The Line | Polygon
https://www.polygon.com/2012/11/14/35...

[4] Shooters: How Video Games Fund Arms Manufacturers | Eurogamer
https://www.eurogamer.net/shooters-ho...

[5] Playing War: Military Video Games After 9/11 | Matthew Thomas Payne
https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt18j...

[6] Game Designer Dave Theurer on "Missle Command" | YouTube
   • Game Designer Dave Theurer on "Missle...  

[7] Hideo Kojima | Twitter
  / 1492797335256334336  

[8] Spec Ops: The Line‘s lead writer on creating an un-heroic war story | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/0...

[9] Spec Ops: The Line - Learn about the story with lead writer Walt Williams | Games Radar
https://www.gamesradar.com/spec-ops-l...

[10] Dissecting the Horror: The Mysteries of Spec Ops The Line | 1UP (Archived)
https://web.archive.org/web/201606060...

[11] Special Edition Spoilercast: Spec Ops: The Line | GameSpot
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gam...

[12] The touch that transcends violence and death | Chicago Tribune (Archived)
https://www.newspapers.com/article/ch...

[13] 87% Missing: The Disappearance Of Classic Video Games | Video Game History Foundation
https://gamehistory.org/87percent/

Additional resources

Spec Ops The Line... 5 Years Later | Raycevick
   • Spec Ops The Line... 5 Years Later  

Spec Ops: The Line - A Literary Analysis | Games As Literature
   • Spec Ops: The Line - A Literary Analysis  

Errant Signal - Spec Ops: The Line | Errant Signal
   • Errant Signal - Spec Ops: The Line  

How Spec Ops: The Line's Opening Manipulates You | Monty Zander
   • How Spec Ops: The Line's Opening Mani...  

Having Fun is Wrong: An Analysis of Spec Ops: The Line | Professor Bopper
   • Having Fun is Wrong: An Analysis of S...  

=== Credits ===

Music provided by Epidemic Sound - https://www.epidemicsound.com/referra... (Referral Link)

=== Subtitles ===

Contribute translated subtitles - https://amara.org/videos/zq3te4KZz6ym/