Politics and the Game Industry

Yeah politicians are evil..but... what in the hell was R* thinking by leaving in a sex game? It's like dropping a hardcore sex scene into Mr.&Mrs Smith.

Between the super scary GAY AGENDA! and violence in games they really have their work cut out for them. I don't know about you but I can't wait till we start pushing that GAY AGENDA! in games with violence and sex. Wonder how they would react to that, haha.

Hopefully the next GTA will have a mission where you kill a video-game bashing politician.

Same day, same story - will end up being the same results. Gaming press and gamers should stop giving much attention to stories like these.

"The bottom line is that games that are aimed and marketed at kids shouldn't desensitize them to death and destruction."

Er, wtf?

If you're going to invade other nations like a common barbarian, kill tens of thousands of innocent civilians, and torture people whom you later let free ("Er, sorry!"), then you bloody well do want to desensitize little Johnny to death and destruction.

You want to make sure Little Johnny is a blank, stupid consumer of violence who thinks killing's swell.

Because when Little Johnny's old enough to hold a gun?

He's going to be one of your imperial henchmen.

Chuck Schumer is a commie prick, just ignore him, unless he gets a bill up for vote.

He's Anti gun:
http://www.urbin.net/EWW/images/pics/Chuckie_with_tec9.jpg

Except when it's the government who is shooting/burning people to death
http://www.comicscommunity.com/boards/hudnall/?noframes;read=399

And no, I'm not a republican.

For those of you against censorship/regulation of videogames and other media:

It's tragic how easily it is forgotten that liberals and democrats (like Tipper Gore, remember her?) are often at the forefront (and essentially are the originators) of the whole "omg what abouts teh childrens" mentality of censorship and regulation. Avoid responsible parenting and rely on government to somehow make the world safe for 'teh childrens'.

The real shock for you in Schumer's case should be actually having to accept that those behind such legislation are just as likely to be people you voted for thinking they'd provide you some sort of anything-goes society... the realization that it isn't the "Christian right" or the Republicans doing this - both so quickly hated on by many around here under the assumption that they are always the ones doing this sort of thing.

It's truly an amazing thing to see how politicians from both sides are equally willing to stab their constituents (voters) in the back and play a different tune for some money or favors (which we all know are what really determines their view on any given issue). Keep this in mind in the future when you are tempted to think (and vote) in a party line mentality - that this sort of legislation is only going to come from one side of the table. You are seeing vivid proof that this sort of rhetoric is readily launched from either side of the political aisle.

Welcome to our lovely two party political system where you can get screwed from both ends at once. =)

The "what about the children" crap started with liberals a couple decades or more ago, but in the mid-to-late 90s it seemed like the conservative republicans, bouyed by their majority in Congress, adopted the notion for their own use. Now we're seeing the beginning of a swing back to the liberal democrat side in the popularity of this concept, though the concept hasn't been completely divorced from conservative rhetoric.

I wonder how far it will go this time. With this type of legislation being recently pushed (and in some ways still is) by conservatives and republicans, a fresh campaign of support by liberals and democrats provides a bi-partisan base of support and much greater potential for related legislation to be passed.

Welcome to the tragedy of "bi-partisan support". Basically anytime both sides get together and agree on something there's a good chance something might actually change in policy or legislation. The bad news is it's rarely anything that really needs changing.

This two-party system can't survive much longer if they keep this stuff up.

I don't like the gangsta trend in video games. Rate it whatever you want, the fact is that a lot of children (under 10) are playing these mature games. Parents need to step up but it doesn't seem to be happening.

I don't think you have to worry about too many people buying this game and shooting cops. I mean #1 it's Eidos (they can't sell a million Tomb Raider games anymore) and #2 it's a multiplayer centric gangsta game.

Total Possible sales - Eidos - Multiplayer Console - Gangsta (without direct music tie-in) = 1-200k copies at most.

Well politicians have to stand against some perceived evil, or they won't look like good community minded politicians and lose warm fuzzy points.

Looks like the next Home-front Crusade to ban something has officially begun. Man, my copy of Postal 2 will be worth some major cash once they make it contraband...

Shouldn't they ban every toy gun and plastic toy soldiers? I mean the fantasy of playing "guns" and "war" with those toys is in the same vein as the fantasy of video games.

Back to reality.

Many have said this before that the average person from a kid to a 35 year old man understands that games, movies, and books are all for enjoyment.

Those that don't didn't really need the particular type of media to encourage them to do anything.

Kids doing shit from Jackass? Probably not safe. Jackass banned? No. Why? We live in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA... freedoms... maybe?

Video games deserve the same respect.

As much as I hate these talks of legislation, the industry really really isn't helping itself either. Yes, R* and others are making games with adult content in them, and labeling them as such.

But these games are still being marketed, advertised, and sold in the stores to anyone who will buy them without a single word. The problem is the industry is being self enforced by people who are only concerned with the bottom line.

Yes, 100% absolutely it is the parents responsibility to make sure kids don't get their hands on this stuff. But, the industry really isn't going out of their way either.

Unlike every other form of entertainment here in the US, games have gotten a free pass until now because they said "No, no, we'll manage it ourselves and be good about it." And, because until recent years the industry was still relatively small.

Games are getting too big, the industry too large, and the content too extreme for this to go on much longer as it has been. I hate legislation, I don't want to see it. But, you'd be a fool not to recognize that the game industry is asking for it if they don't put out a little effort on their end too. They're going to kill their own golden goose at this rate.

And as for R*, they need to get a grip and try making something good that doesn't rely on shock value. Sooner or later the shock becomes the norm and people get bored with it, or the shock goes too far and people get turned off or take action the other way. Either way, R* needs to grow up a bit and change how they are approaching things if they want long term continued success.

Want a good example? Remember all the hooplah over Beavis and Butthead years and years ago. Looking back I can't believe I even watched it, that stuff was so brain dead stupid. But we were all watching because we, as an american culture, had never really seen that sort of stuff in animation. It shocked us. Thats what R* is trying to bank on right now, and it will kill them in the end when shock stops being so shocking.

These type of stories on the Shack also result in a hundred "those FUCKING politicians better shutup and they should spend their time on real problems like jobs and healthcare!" I almost feel they are borderline trolling stories.

Look - historically if there is a demand for something and people are paying a lot of money, there is nothing to worry about. This is a capitolist country. Money drives our society. Just look at porn - it keeps getting stronger and stronger. It's not going away because people demand it.

Games aren't going to vanish because some guy demands it.

This story isn't meant for people reading the shack, it's meant for yokels.

I think a particular group of games would have this affect. I mean okay, playing Far Cry and killing mercenaries is one thing...its a fictional universe. It can be tolerated.
But games that fall under the whole "ghetto/thug" theme, propose reality because it's a realistic deal. In reality, you can grab a gun and kill a cop if you so desired. (Hoping nobody here would lol), but I hope you get my drift. Then you have the GTA series, where you can for instance grab a car and kill someone by shooting them or running them over or whatever other method you can think of. These are the things that politics look for. Beh, im not making any sense right now because I'm tired. Forgive me shackers.

I've read far more disturbing and cruel things in books than I've seen in a game. I think any person with a brain can see what I'm getting at.

Book bonfire at my place, 4AM. BYOB.

also I refer to this post: http://www.shacknews.com/ja.zz?id=10194295

wow...i didn't realize you needed a 200 IQ and the power of omnipresence to pop out babies.

Little Johnny's parents should be shot.

Just create a REAL legal resgtriction making it illegal to sell anyone under 17 M rated games. I could care less, I already have to show my id to buy booze and pr0n.

The MPAA regulates its own rating system and you have to show id to get into 17+ movies. Why not do the same for video games and punish? parents who give these games to the kids anyways. Punish them the same as giving them Barely Legal 19 dvds.

These fucking politicians need something better to waste their time on. Not all games are for children and that is why the ESRB rates them. If parents can't be responsible with their children and prevent them from playing inappropriate games then that is a problem in parenting and not the system. If a parent wants their child to read instead of playing video games it is up to the parent to set up boundaries and rules. Certain allotted times for gaming, otherwise do something more productive/educational.

We need the government to stop trying to be our parents and let the parents do the job. Leave the politicians to do the things that are required of government.

If kids are getting games that aren't appropriate for their age group by working around the system and breaking the rules. it is up to the parents to spend some freaking time with their children during game-time and make sure what they are playing is appropriate.

Where are these kids who are young enough to not be allowed to play Mature games getting the money to buy these things? Parents need to keep check on what their kids are using the money they give them for. See your kid playing a game you didn't buy for them? Ask them where the box is. What's the rating on it? If it isn't right for your child, and you should be able to make that decision on your own, take it away from them.

Now these morons want to ban mature games so that adults who happen to enjoy gaming can't enjoy a game with somewhat mature material? Bullshit.

Little Chuck Schumer should die of stomach cancer, not hold political office.

Senator Chuck's a member of my temple's congregation. I see him every year on the high holidays.

I feel betrayed.

Come Yom Kippur, he's going to get a shofar up his yarmulke.

For fucks sakes just have every state ban the sale to the underraged. Please have everyone card.

This way next time some deadbeat parent points at a videogame, we can all point back at them for buying it for them.

every time i play CS:S i want to break my mouse and choke Gabe so it must be true

I saw this on Headline News earlier. The funny thing is, now a lot more people are going to hear about this game, and it's going to fly off the shelves.

I have to wait until my beta pack arrives before deciding whether it's any good - any other shackers in on it?

oh son of a bitch, I voted for Chuck Schumer in '04. It's letter writing time.

Any other New Yorkers want a go at it, here's his address and numbers:

757 Third Avenue
Suite 17-02
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-486-4430
Fax: 212-486-7693
TDD: 212-486-7803

Actually if you play the game backwards you can hear Satanic messages!

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

It's funny that the news focus on children (well under the age of 18) in these articles of clearly 18+ rated games.

I mean tragic, not funny.