Nov. 13, 2012 at 5:13 PM ET
David Petraeus' career as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency may have come to an abrupt and shocking end last week, but America's retired four-star general is destined for big things in the future.
Or at least, he has a very bright future career in the entirely fictional world of "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2."
Petraeus, who resigned his position as director of the CIA on Friday citing an extramarital affair, makes a cameo appearance in the highly anticipated military shooting game, which launched Tuesday. "Black Ops 2" — much of which takes place in the year 2025 — features Petraeus as the Secretary of Defense, serving a woman president.
Game blog Kotaku has compiled some highlights from Petraeus' appearance in the game. You can check them out here. But a warning to gamers planning to play it: there are some spoilers to be found there and ahead.
In the game's cutscenes, you'll see Petraeus overseeing the hand-off of a dangerous prisoner and discussing the state of high alert the nation finds itself in. "The last order to DEFCON 3 was given by Secretary Rumsfeld almost 25 years ago," he says. In a later scene, he's seen aboard the Marine One aircraft with the future Commander in Chief when it comes under attack.
Although Virtual Petraeus and Real Petraeus do look and sound very much alike, it seems the real Petraeus had no involvement in the making of the game. When I contacted Activision and Treyarch to find out more about how the retired general came to have a role in the game, they issued the following statement:
General Petraeus was not paid, was not involved in the creation of the game, and has not been asked to endorse the game. Call of Duty: Black Ops II and its fictional storylines are aimed at providing fun and enjoyment. It is clear to game players that his character and others that are based on real-life figures are fantasy.
Including Gen. Petraeus and other real-life figures was strictly a creative decision made many months ago when the storyline was drafted. We are not commenting further on the latest news or Gen. Petraeus. His service to his country and career accomplishments are a matter of public record.
Indeed, Petraeus is not the only real-world military figure involved with "Black Ops 2." Lt. Col. Oliver North — a man tangled up in a different kind of affair (ahem, Iran-Contra) — was a military adviser to the game. (Check out the video below.) He too makes an appearance in the game and even does his own voice work.
Winda Benedetti writes about video games for NBC News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things on Twitter here @WindaBenedetti and you can follow her on Google+. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the IN-GAME FACEBOOK PAGE to discuss the day's gaming news and reviews.
Video: Many "Call of Duty" fans may be calling in sick today to play the game according to an IGN poll.
