The International Red Cross is partnering with Twitch streamers to promote the Rules of War in multiplayer games and FPS games (thanks, Kotaku). The organization’s aim is to raise awareness of these rules and how violating them can cause additional, unnecessary harm during armed conflicts.
“Every day, people play games set in conflict zones right from their couch,” the Red Cross said in a statement. “But right now, armed conflicts are more prevalent than ever. And to the people suffering from their effects, this conflict is not a game. It destroys lives and leaves communities devastated. Therefore, we’re challenging you to play FPS by the real Rules of War, to show everyone that even wars have rules—rules which protect humanity on battlefields IRL.”
During the campaign, the Red Cross’ Twitch channel is posting videos of popular streamers, including Zemie, DanucD, and KingGeorge, playing popular shooters such as Call of Duty Warzone, PUBG, and Fortnite while adhering to the rules. Sometimes. They don’t always follow them, but they at least try.
The rules are:
- Use med kits on everyone
- No shooting downed or unresponsive enemies (known as thirsting)
- No targeting non-violent NPCs
- No targeting civilian buildings
The Red Cross also created an island in Fortnite that’s designed to promote following the rules in a competitive setting. The organization’s website also includes more in-depth information about how adhering to the Rules of War alleviates suffering and can prevent conflicts from escalating.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF