One of the major networks should start a new reality show on video games. They only need to look at one small portion of the industry, which would make the budget small, because that's the only one most of the nation knows about. So, in the past few weeks, Bully, Sims 2, and Killer 7 along with a few flash games have made the news.
Most of this debate is from Miami attorney Jack Thompson. He's the one that has some sort of vendetta against the industry. That, or he wants the financial gain that could come from manipulating people into believing he actually has a point.
To keep things in chronological order, Thompson started with the Sims 2, one of PC gamings most popular franchises ever. It's one of the few to crack the women demographic, with 50% of the players being women. With a T rating, Thompson decided to attack mere days after everyone thought the Grand Theft Auto coverage was winding down, even going as far to state The Sims was worse than GTA due to a code that removed the pixelization from the nude Sims.
It wasn't long before Thompson was shot down because of his own ignorance. There is no nudity when the code is used to remove the TV-like pixels. Just flat Barbie-doll like bodies, with no discernable features. He claimed this gave pedophiles some sort of stage to rehearse their perverted acts. He may be ignorant, but he knows how to twist an argument and garner press. Since his announcement, nothing has been said on the topic besides a small press release from EA.
Next comes Bully, Rockstar's latest title, and if any of these debates continue, it's going to be against this one. Player's control a school kid who has been bullied relentlessly and finally decides to stand up for himself. The rating is not yet determined, though a T or an M is possible. The games sometimes playful, sometimes violent nature was enough to draw protest from the Peaceaholics, who unsurprisingly, were followed by Thompson. He managed to get his face on TV again.
Peaceaholics compared Rockstar to felons, and it seems to have fallen deaf ears. Rockstar has made no statement, and the game is still scheduled for release. An ABC News story put the game in the same category as internet flash games; not even making the distinction these games weren't playable on any major game console.
Article comments
1 - Jack Thompson
John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law
August 6, 2005
Patricia Vance
President
Entertainment Software Rating Board
Re: Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude and God of War
Dear Ms. Vance:
Thanks to some honorable people in the video game industry and also in the gaming community, it appears to me, and to them, and I am rather certain it will appear to Members of Congress, that the above two video games should be re-rated ?AO? rather than their present ?M.?
Of course, you know why.
Please put on the fast track a reassessment of these two games, along with Killer 7, as I believe a failure to do so will make things even more difficult for the ESRB and the video game industry with the coming governmental inquiries into whether the ratings system is broken, as Senator Clinton has indicated.
Sincerely, Jack Thompson
Copies: Senator Clinton, Senator Lieberman, Senator Brownback, Senator Santorum
Assemblyman Yee
Federal Trade Commission
Congressman Upton
Class action counsel
Media
Others
+++Here's a heads-up for you kids:
I'll be in Ohio Tuesday for a hugely significant news story that affects the entire video game industry. The significance of it eclipses the "Hot Coffee" story, for example, by a very wide margin indeed. Keep checking your google news links on Tuesday.
2 - Aaman
On any other thread, that would be spam, here, I'm not sure
3 - Matt Paprocki
You probably should have noted that Leisure Suit Larry on the PC is already rated AO. The console versions were signifigantly watered down anc censored for the M rating.
God of War feature hefty violence against mythical creatures suitable for a M rating. The brief sex scene features cheesy nudity and off screen intercourse. It's hardly enough to push it past the closest R rated equivalent.
4 - Tan The Man
Nice post. Well, I guess you could any government debate on video games. It happened with film censorship (still happens sometimes) and it was bound to happen with video games. If you think about it, it should have happened earlier with how big video games sales have gotten - surpassed Hollywood's figures.
5 - Matt Paprocki
I don't think film censorship has occured. If anything, it's more lenient than ever, with "unrated editions" hitting DVD. So while something like AvP may be censored in theaters, they sure as hell aren't when they come home.
6 - RC
Great Blog, very informative. I have heard about this guy and some of the actions he has done. I think he is doing in for publicity.
7 - james
halo 2 and 3 and grand theft auto 4 are the best games ever and will almost imperitively revolutionize the world of 3-d gaming