Defending Games For Adults on National Television

N'Gai Croal, at the Newsweek blog LevelUp, had the chance to talk about the Manhunt 2 ban/re-rating fiasco on the CNN program American Morning. It's an interesting discussion of the issue, and it sounds like for the most part he got a fair shake; this wasn't yet another 'ambush the games journalist'-style cable program. The one thing N'Gai tried to make clear - and may have gotten lost in the shuffle - was that this title categorically is not for kids. "We bring this up not because there's anything sinister at work, but rather because [co-anchor Kiran Chetry] isn't alone in her bedrock assumption that all videogames are primarily aimed at 'kids.' After all, had we gone on the show to discuss Ang Lee's NC-17-rated erotic thriller 'Lust, Caution,' or the upcoming horror movie '30 Days of Night,' we doubt that we'd have been asked 'Would you let your kids watch it?' It would have been assumed that those movies, like certain TV shows, books or plays, are not intended for children. Yet videogames often don't get the same recognition."

Comments

Re:It's a generational thing.

[Black Art]

I was thinking of underground comics. Titles like "Zap" or "Bizzare Sex" have been around for about 30 years now. Billy may not blow $4 on a copy of Transmopolitan, but he might blow it on "Cherry Poptart".

Re:It's a generational thing.

[Anonymous Coward]

Pushing the buttons on a gamepad to perform a kill isn't all that different from turning the page of a book to read about the grizzly murder,

I was not aware there were books about killing bears.

Re:relax

[fractoid]

Our grandchildren are going to be the first generation to grow up with their parents constantly telling them "you don't understand me!" and "you don't know what it's like!" :P