Video games often portray the horrors of war, but until now no video game has ever been created by somebody who actually started a horrible war.
Donald "Known-Knowns" Rumsfeld may be better "known-known" as the Secretary of Defense to US President George W Bush, and the architect of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, but he's now a video game producer.
His first iOS game, Churchill's Solitaire, is based upon a version of the famous card game, apparently invented by the British wartime Prime Minister, Branston Churchill. Though Rumsfeld may be the most unlikely producer of a video game ever, he's not the only unexpected figure to have done a game. Here are eight more unlikely people what have also done one (a game).
Donald "Known-Knowns" Rumsfeld may be better "known-known" as the Secretary of Defense to US President George W Bush, and the architect of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, but he's now a video game producer.
His first iOS game, Churchill's Solitaire, is based upon a version of the famous card game, apparently invented by the British wartime Prime Minister, Branston Churchill. Though Rumsfeld may be the most unlikely producer of a video game ever, he's not the only unexpected figure to have done a game. Here are eight more unlikely people what have also done one (a game).
MICHAEL JACKSON and SONIC 3
Michael Jackson may be better known these days for being a suspected nonny-noo, having written Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough, and dying, but he was also a big video game fan.
Potentially, his most famous video game appearance was in the Moonwalker arcade game, for which he twirled around like a musical box ballerina, while gathering the souls of innocent children. Though denied by Sega, rumours have also floated around for years that Michael Jackson also secretly composed the score for no less a game than Sonic 3. A new report on Huffington Post would appear to back this up.
Potentially, his most famous video game appearance was in the Moonwalker arcade game, for which he twirled around like a musical box ballerina, while gathering the souls of innocent children. Though denied by Sega, rumours have also floated around for years that Michael Jackson also secretly composed the score for no less a game than Sonic 3. A new report on Huffington Post would appear to back this up.
STEVEN SPIELBERG and MEDAL OF HONOR
Medal of Honor might have been superseded by other, flashier shoot 'em ups, but it's all too easy to forget that the original was essentially a much-lauded game version of Saving Private Ryan. Indeed, the original inspiration came from no less a person than Private Ryan director Steven Spielberg.
Apparently, Spielberg wanted to share his interest in World War 2 with audiences who were too young to go and see his visceral war epic. Inevitably, MoH portrayed a conflict that was virtually bloodless, and far more gung-ho-exciting than the grim depiction of reality seen in Saving Private Ryan.
Apparently, Spielberg wanted to share his interest in World War 2 with audiences who were too young to go and see his visceral war epic. Inevitably, MoH portrayed a conflict that was virtually bloodless, and far more gung-ho-exciting than the grim depiction of reality seen in Saving Private Ryan.
BRUCE WILLIS and APOCALYPSE
Although far from loved today, the 1998 twin-stick shooter Apocalypse was notable for being one of the first - if not the first - game ever to star a bona-fide Hollywood A-lister as its main character.
Admittedly, Willis's involvement required little more than recording a few lines of dialogue, and agreeing - in return for some money - to having his likeness mapped onto the character. Apocalypse received solid, if unspectacular, reviews at the time of its release - though Willis's performance was decried for being somewhat wooden and unengaged. So, business as usual then... But just look at the man's charisma!
Admittedly, Willis's involvement required little more than recording a few lines of dialogue, and agreeing - in return for some money - to having his likeness mapped onto the character. Apocalypse received solid, if unspectacular, reviews at the time of its release - though Willis's performance was decried for being somewhat wooden and unengaged. So, business as usual then... But just look at the man's charisma!
GARY COLEMAN and POSTAL 2
From Bruce Willis to "What you takin' 'bout, Willis?". The Postal franchise is mostly remembered now as a slightly desperate footnote in the history of violent video games.
However, its considerably more tongue-in-cheek sequel stands out for this: an appearance of the late Gary Coleman as a boss character. Players can choose to kill Coleman, or simply ask him to sign a copy of his fictional autobiography. There can be no greater monument to this legend of acting.
However, its considerably more tongue-in-cheek sequel stands out for this: an appearance of the late Gary Coleman as a boss character. Players can choose to kill Coleman, or simply ask him to sign a copy of his fictional autobiography. There can be no greater monument to this legend of acting.
PETER JACKSON and HALO
Peter "Hobbit" Jackson must really love Halo. Aside from trying - and failing, thanks to interference from the series' overprotective creators - to get a Halo movie off the ground, he also worked with Bungie on a proposed Halo episodic spin-off series, that was to be entitled Halo Chronicles.
Like the movie, Chronicles failed to appear. Apparently, the series would've explored the backstory of Master Chief, with a "focus on the intimate, personal aspect of real war". Albeit starring a faceless grunt who fancied his smartphone's operating system.
Like the movie, Chronicles failed to appear. Apparently, the series would've explored the backstory of Master Chief, with a "focus on the intimate, personal aspect of real war". Albeit starring a faceless grunt who fancied his smartphone's operating system.
ANDY SERKIS and ENSLAVED: ODYSSEY TO THE WEST
Mo-cap buffoon Andy Serkis - a man who is rarely to be found wearing anything which doesn't have ping pong balls stuck to it - played Monkey, the main character in Enslaved. The game was also scripted by a certain Alex Garland, writer and director of last year's sci-fi hit Ex Machina.
JOHN CARPENTER and FEAR 3
Cult director John Carpenter's star may no longer be in the ascendant, but he was responsible for enough sci-fi horror classics - The Thing, Escape From New York, They Live - that he was apparently asked to be involved with the cut-scenes for the third instalment of the FEAR franchise. Though there is no solid proof of this actually happening; officially, Carpenter was the game's "spokesman".
He told Gamespot at the time: "I got involved with F.E.A.R. the easiest of possible ways. I was invited down to see the game being played. I had a presentation done for me, then I got to take it and play it myself. And I was immediately hooked. I said, 'I want to be your spokesman'"
John! You left out the part where you talked money!
He told Gamespot at the time: "I got involved with F.E.A.R. the easiest of possible ways. I was invited down to see the game being played. I had a presentation done for me, then I got to take it and play it myself. And I was immediately hooked. I said, 'I want to be your spokesman'"
John! You left out the part where you talked money!
50 CENT and 50 CENT BULLETPROOF
Pouting street-tough 50 Cent may be better known for his uncompromising rap songs about feeling victimised, but in the Bulletproof series he was reimagined as a sort of urban Indian Jones. Mr Cent claims that it was he who came up with the idea of a Crystal Skull MacGuffin for the Bulletproof sequel, Blood in the Sand - a year or two after the movie Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skull. Oh, Mr Cent!
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