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Desert Shooters

By
Editors

Some of the top-selling video games of the post-9/11 world have taken real events as their inspiration.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

11/05/2007

  • Good guys: US Marine Corp, British SAS

  • Bad guys: Saudi Arabian opposition force, Russian ultranationalists

  • Inspired by: Operation Anaconda, including the seizure of the Bagram Airfield, the Battle of Shah-i-Kot, and the Battle of Takur Ghar

Medal of Honor

10/12/2010

  • Good guys: US Navy SEALs, US Army Rangers

  • Bad guys: Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Chechen jihadists

  • Inspired by: Operation Anaconda, especially the Battle of Takur Ghar

Battlefield 3

10/25/2011

  • Good guys: US Marine Corp, Russian GRU

  • Bad guys: Iranian insurgent group People’s Liberation and Resistance (PLR), rogue CIA asset

  • Inspired by: Iraq’s supposed possession of WMDs

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