UNCLASSIFIED

FROM: Scott Mitchell, futuresoldier@ghostrecon.net

TO: Undisclosed Recipients

MEMORANDUM

SUBJ: Ghost Recon Debate - Introduction

Distinguished Guests, Forum Regulars, Fellow Warriors, Friends and Staff,

I am writing this memo and placing it in my blog, because discussions of length in the forums are often disregarded or misinterpreted. If you want to read it, great. If not, that's fine too. There are a number of points I would like to make, but I don't know that I will have the time or ability to keep your attention to cover them all. I will try.

While I can't speak for the other staff members and their personal contributions and sacrifices at www.ghostrecon.net, I know I have poured more time, energy and effort into supporting the Ghost Recon series and all it's variants than I have of all the other games I've ever played in my years of gaming - combined. For someone who has been gaming for over 25 years, that is a pretty significant investment. The irony of the matter is, the Ghost Recon games in and of themselves aren't my favorites (although they are among my favorites). So why do I support them with the tenacity and zeal that I do? Good question. The answer is...loyalty. Loyalty to the brand and loyalty to those who support it, like I have.

Fan sites come and go based on the popularity of the game. Operating and maintaining a website with any degree of success is an expensive endeavor, and not just financially. Time is often a much more valuable commodity. Few if any have weathered the storm and period of inactivity as graciously as www.ghostrecon.net has. In a series that spans nearly 10 years, it's completely understandable and expected that there would be periods of inactivity with regards to news, information and interest. Yet this site has soldiered on; it's never sat stagnant.

The men and women who regularly visit www.ghostrecon.net have forged a unique coalition, much like the squads we pretend to play in our virtual worlds. Bonds have been forged, friendships have developed, and the community has always stuck together through the good times and bad. The website has attracted some extremely talented and creative modders, who, through their own ingenuity and perseverance, learned to mod the game before proper tools were even provided. There are some who continue to pursue these endeavors even today. This effort has sustained a game that is nearly a decade old. That is truly impressive. The site has been recognized and frequently visited by the actual developers and representatives from Ubisoft. Having direct access to members of Ubisoft is quite an accomplishment that we should all be thankful for, especially since there are official sites and official forums that we compete for attention with.

On to the heart of the matter...

Some of you may have noticed the ongoing debate in a few of the forums regarding the progression of the Ghost Recon franchise from it's original inception to Future Soldier, the version currently underdevelopment. While there are various concerns with the way the series has evolved, the chief complaint stems from the inclusion of futuristic technology deemed unrealistic.

I certainly am not trying to persuade readers in either direction and firmly believe that everyone is entitled to their own feelings and opinions on the matter. I do think it’s our duty to keep the debates civil and just as important, accurate. As Future Soldier becomes more popular, the site will very likely receive more and more visitors, some who have never heard of or played any of the previous versions of the game. If their opinions are influenced with inaccurate information, then we are only hurting our community, the very community that makes us so unique from other gaming communities.

In the next series of blogs (my goal is five) I plan to publish, I will discuss a few of the arguments and breakdown their validity to the debate.

Please note my blog is locked for comment in order to promote discussion in the forums. Feel free to provide comments and feedback in the appropriate forum thread located here.

Also please note that the opinions and comments made in this blog are not necessarily shared by the staff here at www.ghostrecon.net or any of the representatives from the official website and/or Ubisoft.

Happy Hunting.

//SIGNED//

Scott Mitchell, futuresoldier@ghostrecon.net