Video Game Characters to Get Out the Vote

Thanks to Gamasutra for the heads up about a political music video starring video game characters that is to start airing on MTV today. The newest "Choose or Lose" video will feature characters from popular video games such as The Sims and BloodRayne and is intended to encourage youth voters to show up at the polls. The video will air for the first time on MTV today on TRL, and afterwards can be seen on the MTV Choose or Lose site. This follows closely on the heels of MTV2's Video Mods series, which uses video game footage for the visuals in music videos.

Comments

Not much to mirror

[smaug195]

MTV has announced the release of "Stand and Choose," a non-partisan, animated music video created in co-operation with 12 major video game publishers, and featuring more than 50 video game characters encouraging young people to vote in the upcoming Presidential election. According to the press release, "Stand and Choose" features what are described as "some of the most popular video game characters", including the stars of The Sims, BloodRayne, Mortal Kombat, SSX3, Leisure Suit Larry, Sonic Heroes, SpongeBob SquarePants, Outlaw Golf 2, Crash Bandicoot, Tomb Raider, Unreal Tournament 2004, DRIV3R, Splinter Cell, Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy, and many more. "Stand and Choose" will start airing as a music video on Wednesday, October 6th, debuting on MTV's TRL, and will also be viewable online on the Choose or Lose section of mtv.com. The video was produced and directed by the producer of the previously mentioned, game related 'Video Mods' show on MTV2.

Re:Here's the thing I don't get about MTV.

[AvantLegion]

I'm 23, which I don't think is TOO old for the target demographic. But I am old enough to remember the early '90s MTV of grunge, late-night electronica, Beavis & Butt-Head, and quirky off-beat videos of music you wouldn't necessarily hear on mainstream radio.

I'm also old enough to vaguely remember '80s MTV, which was an interesting beast that confused my child brain. I think it's funny that Martha Quinn was a sex symbol to some. Now, you have to be an over-polished "model" with 8 pounds of makeup.

Re:By all means vote if you have an opinion

[Anonymous Coward]

I agree that disenfranchisement is a more serious issue.

Also, am I the only one who finds it disturbing that MTV, a station that makes its money on being unintelligent, is encouraging people to vote? What Britney Spears or whoever the flavor of the month is did over the weekend is not news, and I'm not sure that I want a station that would call it news getting people out to the polls.

I wouldn't throw all their viewers into the same group (that wouldn't be fair), but I think it's safe to say that most are uninformed, and have little desire of changing that. Isn't that why people watch MTV, because it's light on the brainwork?

I'm telling you, if these PSAs are successful, then on November 2nd, all the stations will be talking about the landslide victory of our new president, Ja Rule. Except for Fox News.....they'll still be saying that Bush won.

Re:If it takes video game characters

[jacobcaz]

Also explain to me how a picture ID shouldn't be required for first time voters... we are all concerned about voting machine fraud, what about rampant voter fraud?

In Indiana first-time voters in each precinct are required to provide proof of identity before they can vote. We moved a year and a half ago, now both my wife and I have to take proof of ID with us to vote this time around. Driver's license, State ID, utility bill with correct name and address are all acceptible (and maybe a few others). Next general election we will NOT have to show this proof as long as we've not moved.