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Video Game Scandals Are Boring
The Guardian Gamesblog has an editorial up registering the author's frustration with VG-related scandals. From the article: "No matter who weighs into the arguments, however, be it Hilary Clinton or the latest pious whining superstar of the American Religious Right, one fact remains: the videogames industry just can't do scandal. Let's face it, a few laughable scenes of polygonal coupling does not a Watergate make. Even the troubled relationship between Jude 'mind-blowing in bed' Law and Sienna 'pictured without engagement ring' Miller is more interesting than this limp tale of adolescent sex fantasy, Christian self-righteousness and coding."
The last thing anyone wants is another stupid "scandal" that doesn't matter for anything.
The Parents Television Council, one of several media watchdogs that have criticized Rockstar and the ESRB, called on the game publisher to recall the game and offer refunds.
"I tip my cap to that first step of showing responsibility," said Tim Winter, the council's executive director. "Phase two needs to be absolutely getting to the bottom of this coding issue. How did it get into that game? How did it get past the ratings board?"
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I just have to ask:
How did this game get into the hands of someone Younger than 17 to cause all this?????
How is it, that it is now an ADULTS only game when it consisted of Shooting, Pimping, Drug Trafficking, Carjacking....etc....???????????
Why do we refuse to ask these questions...rather than "How did the code get there anyways?"
These statements from persons who obviously never coded anything show pure ignorance. However, this ignorance is going to cost Game Companies, Publishers, Distributors a LOT of time and Money. All because rather than ask the Parents of children to do their Jobs, our government feels they have enact laws to "prevent" this stuff.
BORING?!? I don't consider watching the basic 'freedoms' being taken away 'Boring'. I consider it a very scary situation as I wonder what else they are going to be taking away. Maybe thats the whole problem....people cannot be bothered with anything NOT involving instant drama....in the Immortal words of one H. Simpson...."SHINY!"Have we become a Nation of Homers?
You keep going until you die..."Me".
Stories about blog entries about video game scandals that appear on Slashdot are even more boring.
Seriously though, the outrage over GTA's sex game (or should I say 'Crude Polygon Stacking Game') is purely politcal, not moral. A sex scene in an adult video game is to be expected. From TFA: "...sex in a GTA game - should we really be shocked by that? Frankly, I'd be more shocked to discover that Rock Star hadn't considered such a feature."
This whole 'scandal' reminds me of the scene in The People vs. Larry Flint where Flint is before a crowd asking which is more obscene: scenes of people being tortured and beaten, or scenes of people having sex? Sure, there was a brief uproar when GTA came out, but people eventually accepted the violent content and went on with their lives. But sex? Oh dear Lord, whatever will we do? Grow up.
-William Brendel
for the "Christian self-righteousness" comment. This fiasco has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with a few vocal minorities who think parenting is a job best left to regulations and rules.
If anything, the conservative "Christian" circles I used to run in advocated taking personal responsibility for the activities of their children, including the content of the videogames they played.
It's a game called Grand Theft Auto, and they're surprized when it's not a pure, nice, and clean game? It's a game about doing illegal things anyway. If you can pick up the cart and read on it that it's about Theft, don't be surprized when you steal cars and do less-than-righteous stuff. man.
Luke
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If you also have a website that's geared for computer newbies, get a hold of me. Maybe we can partner up or something.
But let's put the blame where it belongs: 1. Rockstar for putting something stupid like that in the game, and 2) self-seeking politicians who want to leave a "legacy" of "protecting the people from themselves". This isn't a "right/left" issue... this is a "freeedom/government regulation" issue.
I think the entirety of this scandal is that Rockstar circumvented the ESRB rating system. For that, I do personally believe they are in the wrong. I am not going to get into a debate about what is good or bad for society in terms of games. That is a totally separate issue.
Here is what Rockstar did:
1) Submit game with secret hack to be rated, knowing the secret content would bump up their rating and prevent certain stores from selling their game.
2) Get rating based on non-sexual game
3) Publish hack after game is on shelves
4) Effectively bypass the rating system since game is already released
This should be a finable offense. Polititians don't need to go ape shit about this, but in terms of legality, I feel they violated the rating system.
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