Call of Duty Film Director Once Criticized Video Gaming as ‘Weak’ and ‘Pathetic’

Earlier this month, it was announced that Peter Berg will be directing the upcoming Call of Duty movie. Interestingly, over a decade ago, he had some pretty harsh opinions about military video games, labeling fans of titles like Call of Duty and Battlefield as “pathetic” and “weak.”

In a lengthy interview with an outlet back in 2013, shortly after directing the film Battleship, Berg didn’t hold back when discussing war games, repeatedly calling them “pathetic.”

“Pathetic. Pathetic. Keyboard courage,” he stated. “Can’t stand it. The only people I give a Call of Duty get-out-of-jail-free card to are the military. They’re out there serving and they’re bored and they want to entertain themselves? Okay, maybe. Kids? Uh-uh.”

Berg’s disdain isn’t limited to military shooters; he seems to have a general aversion to video games altogether.

“I think anyone that sits around playing video games for four hours… It’s weak,” he remarked. “Get out, do something.”

While he makes a valid point about the importance of balancing hobbies with real-life experiences, it’s worth noting that enjoying a few hours of gaming isn’t inherently pathetic. Thankfully, Berg isn’t directing a major Hollywood adaptation of a beloved video game franchise. Oh wait, my editor just reminded me to revisit the beginning of this article.

Oh…oh no. Good luck on the press tour, Berg. And remember when there were rumors about Steven Spielberg wanting to make a Call of Duty movie? The film is set to hit theaters in 2028.