Canadian Red Cross Wants Its Logo Out Of Video Games - 9.2.06

The Canadian Red Cross is taking action to get video game developers to stop using its logo in simulated combat games, saying such application is not only illegal, it damages the “protective value” of the logo in real war zones.

Just about every video game that involves combat uses the Red Cross symbol in some form or fashion. From medical kits and first-aid stations to ambulances, the familiar red cross is a universal symbol in real life and games for aid. Even MMORPGs like EverQuest use a red cross-type emblem to symbolize healing spells.

According to The Vancouver Sun, the move to get the symbol out of games is starting as voluntary request from David Pratt, the former federal defense minister who now works as the international issues director for the Canadian Red Cross.

The fact that the Red Cross is also used in videos which contain strong language and violence is also of concern to us in that they directly conflict with the basic humanitarian principles espoused by the Red Cross movement,'' Pratt said in a Jan. 31 letter to a Vancouver law firm that represents several Canadian game developers. "The crux of the problem is that the misuse of the Red Cross in video games is not only in contravention of the law, it also encourages others to believe that the emblem of the Red Cross is `public property' and can be freely used by any organization or indeed for commercial purposes."

So far, there hasn’t been much of a response from the gaming industry, but Jason Della Rocca, the Montreal-based director of the International Game Developers Association, said the issue is so "fresh" that game designers and companies are still formulating their response.

I don't think anyone knowingly or willingly infringed on the rights of the Red Cross,'' he said, adding that it's not surprising someone "creating a game world that includes disaster and war'' would incorporate the universally recognized battlefield emblem.
The Vancouver Sun

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