Jack Thompson Decides He's In GTA IV

gzerphey writes "Outspoken anti-games lawyer Jack Thompson has decided that a representation of a 2nd amendment lawyer in GTA IV is a mocking version of him. He has declared that if the representation is not removed he will attempt to block the release of the game. Excerpt from GamePolitics: 'The showcasing play of the game to Game Informer revealed that the first killing mission of the hero of the game, Niko, is to kill a certain lawyer. When Niko comes into this lawyer's office, having used subterfuge to do so, Niko pulls a gun on the lawyer who says, that the firm supports the second amendment and that 'Guns don't kill people. Video games do.'"

Comments

what's next...

[downix]

The irony of this of course being that by making the claim, he just verified it....

Parody is still a right, yes?

[GinRummy33]

Did somebody make parody a crime, or something? This sounds perfectly legal, unless maybe they actually use his name. If what they do on Robot Chicken (or for the older among us Mad Magazine) is legal, then this certainly is also. What a wanker.

Enough already.

[Ecuador]

It is pointless articles like this that give that ridiculous man publicity (which he seems to thrive on). I don't want to read any more about it, stop posting on /. and he will be forgotten. Nobody is taking him seriously anyway (not anyone that counts at least - e.g. courts).

I must admit that the in game parody sound good though. But still, not newsworthy.

Re:Enough already.

[samkass]

At any rate, one of his goals is to draw attention to the violent content in video games. He is succeeding.

This is one area where Mr. Thompson and the game publishers have the same motive. Since fake violence can be very fun, advertising its presence is like advertising the game. And hey, everyone wins.

If Take Two complies...

[riskeetee]

...then Jack is going to wholeheartedly endorse the game? Naw, he'll come up with another reason to file his frivolous lawsuits.

I'm starting to think Jack Thompson was created by the industry to help sales. Every game this guy rails against becomes a top seller.

Re:What the...

[NoobHunter]

Hypocrite? Jack? Nawwwww....surely you Jest! I mean...minors can get into R rated movies all the time or obtain pR0n from the internet or go to school where bullying is a rampant problem. But them damn video games...that's what's driving today's youth to crime.

It's obviously not a reference to Thompson.

[Samurai Cat!]

After all, he lives in Florida, not New York (even a fictional New York), correct? :D

Precedents

[Wordplay]

Even if it is a bald-faced parody, sounds like a certain crazy lawyer needs to read up on Hustler Magazine v. Falwell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hustler_Magazine_v._Falwell

Re:Parody is protected speech

[TibbonZero]

He's only in favor of the 2nd amendment, not the first one. Duh!

Re:Why fight it, this is the best form of advertis

[garett_spencley]

Look at people like Hitler and Stalin -- they are STILL talked about, even though their legacy is horrific and detested by most people. To me, that's proof that polarization is a key factor in building fame or infamy for those who want it.

Did you just imply that you would be perfectly happy to be remembered in the same vain as Hitler or Stalin ? :\

A Modest Video Game Proposal anyone?

[Jabrwock]

Take Two makes a game where a New York lawyer who works for a firm that believes that "guns don't kill people, video games do" gets killed. Jack Thompson doesn't live in New York, doesn't work for a legal firm, and has never uttered that quote, and I'll bet the lawyer in the game doesn't even look like or sound like him.

Jack Thompson proposes a video game where a CEO of New York-based "Take This" called Paula Eibel gets murdered for creating violent videogames. Lawyers who work at "Blank Stare" are also massacred. Paul Eibel was the CEO of Take Two at the time, and their headquarters is in New York, as is Blank Rome, the legal firm that they employ.

Jack's stuff is parody (his claim), but GTAIV is a death threat?

Please.

I think it would be even funnier...

[rancher dan 3]

I think it would be far funnier if your first job in the game was to meet with the lawyer and make him take his meds.

Does Take Two employ Jack Thompson?

[jinxidoru]

I can't help but wonder, with all of the free publicity he has kindly given to GTA, if he isn't on Take Two's bank-roll. Seriously, this is great advertising. I'm sure they intentionally released this information about the game simply to get JT to put up a stink. What brilliance on their part!

Re:Does Take Two employ Jack Thompson?

[totally bogus dude]

the preacher was paid to boycott and protest the comic in order to get him free publicity

Strange definition of free you've got there. ;)

Proof

[purplepolecat]

Proof that video games do not make people violent:

Jack Thompson is still alive.

Re:I thought parody was OK?

[McFadden]

Can you even parody something that's already a joke?

Actually far from being a parody, I'd say this is a small victory for reality. The fact that Jack has recognized a nasty lawyer videogame character as himself, obviously indicates that he's finally realized that he's an asshole who everyone would like to kill.

Re:Easy

[lightversusdark]

I think NewYorkCountryLawyer should do it.
The guy deserves a little slice of immortality.