10 Most Controversial Video Game Levels Ever

You know a level is going to be controversial when the game gives you the option to skip it entirely. That was the case with the fourth mission of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, No Russian. In this segment, you play as an undercover CIA agent who infiltrated a Russian terrorist agency. To gain their trust, you must take part in a mass shooting in a Moscow airport alongside them.

Even though you don't have to shoot anyone to complete this mission, the fact you had the choice to gun down civilians was too horrifying for major news publications to ignore. The outcry was so intense, the level's violence was toned down in international versions and removed entirely from the Russian version.

The developing team, Infinity Ward, could've avoid all this strife if they stuck to the original plan of having the player battle zombies in this level. But after the fantasy elements were removed, lead writer, Jesse Stern, reworked the mission so the protagonist would be involved in a terrorist attack.

Upon researching the Columbine High School massacre, Stern thought that having the player being directly involved in the attack was a great way "put you as close as possible to atrocity."

Despite the outcry No Russian caused, the level was included in the remastered version.