EA craves some of Modern Warfare’s pie, new Medal of Honor set in Afghanistan

Videogames set in World War II? They’re so 2000 – 2008 (well, roughly speaking).

All the cool kids are currently setting their first-person shooter games in the now. It’s not hard to see why. The roaring success of the two Modern Warfare games has made it clear that consumers are quite up for a bit of, well, modern warfare.

Because of that, EA has revealed that the next Medal of Honor game will be the first title in the series that isn’t set in the Second World War – instead, you’ll be fighting in present-day Afghanistan. Exploiting ongoing conflicts of questionable worth and legality? Yep, that’ll be videogames!

It’s out in 2010 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, and will focus on Tier 1 Operators – or “the most disciplined, deliberate and prepared warrior on the battlefield. He is a living, breathing, precision instrument of war” as EA’s press release puts it. And according to the box (above), they have some kickass beardage going on.

So is this the end of the “World War II videogame” craze that has run for longer than the war itself? God, I hope so. Is this the beginning of a new, decade-long obsession with modern wars? I’m rather afraid it is.

[Via press release]