Red Cross wants shooter gamers to play "by the rules".

Shooters have become an integral part of our lives, millions spend their free time with them. And that’s also good that they’ve arrived in the middle of society. But that doesn’t mean that you should use them without thinking and without rules, says the Red Cross.

There is again a violent discussion about shooters. However, this is fundamentally different from the time when politicians and tabloids in Germany were outraged about so-called “killer games”. Because the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has teamed up with a number of well-known Twitch streamers to raise awareness that such games have or can have a real background.

Nothing against shooters, but wars have rules

The Red Cross wants to remind gamers that real wars have their rules, and breaking them can amount to a war crime (via kotaku). You can do that without wagging your index finger. The ICRC has even created its own Fortnite mode for this purpose in order to playfully refer to the rules of war.

on the associated website writes the Red Cross: “Every day people play games from the sofa that are set in conflict zones. But right now, armed conflicts are more common than ever. And for the people suffering from their effects, this conflict is not a game. It is devastating Live and leave devastated communities in their wake. That’s why we challenge you to play FPS by the true rules of war, to show everyone that wars have rules too – rules that protect humanity on the real-world battlefields.” These rules are also explained on the website, and the background or the associated rule in international law of war is also provided.

No “Thirsting”: If an opponent is down and unable to react, you cannot continue shooting at them. The rule: “Prisoners of war must be protected from violence, intimidation and bad treatment.”
No targeting of non-violent NPCs: Bots that do not shoot unprovoked are considered civilians and cannot be attacked or harmed. Reason: “Civilians must not be attacked and must be protected.”
No attacks on civilian buildings: On each game map, houses, schools or hospitals are safe zones that you cannot damage. When fighting in these areas, you must do everything possible to avoid damage. Rule of War: “Civilian infrastructures are protected areas.”
Use medkits for everyone: If you have an unused medkit that works on others, you must give it to those who need it, whether they be friendly or hostile. Rule of War: The sick and wounded must be cared for on both sides.

Summary