Plainsborough, New Hampshire - Psychologists are reporting the first case of post traumatic stress disorder tied to video gaming. A patient referred to as "Don" is suffering after beta testing the game Operation Liberty Strike, a first person shooter with multiplayer capabilities. Developed by Our Freedom to Game Ltd., the game is designed to give a more realistic experience to the player.
"Operation Liberty Strike has players spend time training in teams in a boot camp setting, giving players a more realistic feel of troop camaraderie in battle. They go on missions where death is final," reads confidential literature leaked to me from a seriously dubious looking man.
According to psychologists familiar with the case the extended training and mission, while considered arduous by beta testers, bonded "Don" to his fellow players. In one part of the game, "Mission to Mosul", the unit was attack by RPG wielding insurgents. Several players were killed, and the gruesome details of the graphics shook the gamer.
"He has nightmares of seeing his military buddies' avatars blown to smithereens, limbs lost, faces so unrecognizable only their dog tags and the pop-up info screen can identify them," said Dr. Harold Pierce, the lead psychologist on the case.
The game has attracted condemnation from political leaders who claim that it is the natural end to the downward spiral of video games.
"I can't think of any reason such behavior shouldn't been banned to the waste bin of history. We risk a whole generation being ruined by the carnage of video game violence and the degradation of morals it brings," said Senator Joe Lieberman, speaking in Afghanistan on a fact finding mission in support of the military surge.
Meanwhile "Don" has been transferred to experts at Bethesda Medical Center for treatment of his condition. Ironically the cure to his PTSD may be more video games. A "Virtual Iraq" video game has been shown as a way to reduce PTSD in combat soldiers.
