Fox News / EA Spar Over Mass Effect 'Controversy'

The whacked out rantings of Kevin McCullogh have been a hot topic on games blogs in recent weeks, as his lurid description of Mass Effect prompted vitriol from actual gamers. That exchange would have been easily left behind if not for the fact that Fox News stepped into the fray, adding a measure of 'fair and balanced' to the discussion. Their 'Sexbox Sexpose' drew in veteran games journalist Geoff Keighley, who optimistically thought he'd be given the chance to set the record straight. Instead they filled the airwaves with plainly false generalizations about the game's sexual content. Kotaku is reporting that EA is fighting back, protecting BioWare's property and demanding a correction. From EA's letter to Fox: "The resulting coverage was insulting to the men and women who spent years creating a game which is acclaimed by critics for its high creative standards. As video games continue to take audiences away from television, we expect to see more TV news stories warning parents about the corrupting influence of interactive entertainment. But this represents a new level of recklessness." I hope the EA folks aren't holding their breath.

Comments

Four words.

[Optio]

Stable door. Horse. Bolted.

Faux News aren't going to back down, as the voice of "fair and balanced" coverage; and for all their vitriol, the gaming community is going to struggle with the mainstream for a fair few years yet.

Re:Four words.

[dryueh]

How about these four: Rated M for Mature

I mean, seriously.

Re:Four words.

[CowboyBob500]

How about these four: Rated M for Mature

Seriously? Here in the UK it's rated 12 (as in suitable for 12 year olds).

Bob

Re:Four words.

[moderatorrater]

You've got to give them credit for trying though. Fox News is obviously making an attempt to distort the facts, and often the threat of a lawsuit is enough to bring them in line.

On that same note, this is one of the perks that Bioware gets from being part of EA, the use of a large legal department.

Re:Four words.

[AKAImBatman]

Bugger that common language crap, here in the UK we're generally far more permissive than folk in the US. /sweeping generalisation.

Except for Nunchuks and Ninjas. Thus the cartoon "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" in which Michaelangelo had a grappling hook rather than a pair of 'chuks.

Yet there are naked women in the newspaper.

It's surprising how much the taboos of cultures can vary. Something perfectly acceptable to one culture is utterly offensive to another culture. Weird, isn't it? =)

Re:Four words.

[brouski]

It just doesn't matter to these people. In the end, all video games have been, are, and always will be, intended for children.

Re:Four words.

[lansirill]

Bugger that common language crap, here in the UK we're generally far more permissive than folk in the US. /sweeping generalisation. Except for Nunchuks and Ninjas. Thus the cartoon "Teenage... There aren't any ninjas in the UK? Hot damn. I know where I'm going to start training my pirate army now!

Re:Four words.

[IamTheRealMike]

I don't know that they're trying to distort the facts. I mean, they brought in a guy who flat out told the "psychologist" that she was talking crap. I mean, he said "have you played the game" and she just laughed and said no. Then he pointed out all the things she'd said that were completely wrong.

If this were some nefarious plot to distort the truth they wouldn't have broadcast that. I think it's more likely that they're just incompetent losers who wouldn't know factual analysis from a hole in the ground. Remember, never attribute to malice what can equally be attributed to stupidity.

Re:Four words.

[droptone]

Not only did the psychologist not play the game, but she seemed to warp actual research to support her claims.

She claimed: Lawrence: (interrupting) Darling, I gotta go with the research. And the research says there's a new study out of the University of Maryland right now that says that boys that play video games cannot tell the difference between what they're seeing in the video game and the real world...

Notice her conclusion: "boys that play video games cannot tell the difference between what they're seeing in the video game and the real world". To those who are not familiar with what this effect may be may conclude the kids are entirely helpless to this false reality that the video games produce. This blog post also reviews this claim, but my main point is that EVEN if that supposed study showed that some people were unable to differentiate reality from video games (which is unlikely to be a widespread trend), that problem would surely dissipate with time.

Think how after playing a game like GTA, when you get in your car you may feel the urge to commit some of the acts you did in the game. I know I am guilty as charged. This is the same sort of feeling I get after watching say Boondock Saints (righteous indignation and the feeling of punishing the wicked) or any racing movie (the urge to get into a high-performance race car and go really fast).

Of course, without reading the actual study I won't make any definitive claims, but I would bet a large sum of money that the study does not have the implication that the guest psychologist is claiming it has. But she gets to come on the show, act as though she's an expert and make unjustified claims. She didn't even us the common ploy of saying "I think the study means...".

These sorts of people are one of the main reasons I do not plan to get close to studying the psychological effects of video games. When I do go into research, I'll stick to something that will be a little less easily misinterpreted.

Re:Four words.

[ecavalli]

And if the game had been rated by the American film or television rating system you would have seen similar results here in the States.

The reality here is that the "sex act" in question is literally a 10 second, non-interactive cutscene 90% of the way into Mass Effect that shows a blue female form from the side, a half-second of rump cleavage and even less than that of the side of the alien woman's breast.

It's easily less offensive than anything you'd see on primetime television and in many cases is much more tame.

Fox News is simply having a slow news cycle so pointing to a popular game and telling parents -- who haven't been paying much attention -- that it's filled with sodomy and penetration is an easy way to jack up the ratings.

I'd like to say that EA is defending the title based on some moral highground, but the reality is that they have to protect their investment -- they own BioWare now, y'know.

Re:Four words.

[twistedsymphony]

So what you're saying is you'd rather companies like EA just roll over and take it as opposed to fighting back to try and break that stigma?

Batshit insane

[Pojut]

In a world where commercials for soda have titties half-popping out of bras, soap commercials sensual show close-ups of women showering, and Brett Michaels slapping women's asses on VH1...they are complaining about a very tame sex scene in a game that has a story better than any movie put out in the last 30 years?

Seriously folks. I don't know who is the cause of all this trouble, but I can assure you it is the guy with the high-and-tight that back in the 60's was saying "damn hippies, with their long hair and their acid rock and their peace signs..."

Re:Batshit insane

[legoman666]

I can't agree with you more. How in the hell can Fox complain when you look at the trash that is on their network? Someone should send them a recording of some of their "reality" shows, commercials and such nad not mention that it's from their own network. Maybe they'll start denouncing themselves.

Re:Batshit insane

[TuxThePenguin2205]

I agree with most of that but "a game that has a story better than any movie put out in the last 30 years" seems like hyperbole to me. "more wordy than any script in the last 30 years" may be closer to the mark.

Re:Batshit insane

[Pojut]

Read the book that came out last year, and read through the codex entries in the game...look at all the side quests, and how different they are from each other. Look at how fleshed out your crew members become...look at the detail inherent just in the Citadel.

I like to compare Mass Effect to The Dark Crystal...sure, (mostly) everyone loves it, but hardly anyone realizes the unfathomable amount of detail and creativity that it took to create the universe and the species/people/stories that inhabit it.

Re:Batshit insane

[Mikey-San]

Fox is full of shit, but so is this:

a game that has a story better than any movie put out in the last 30 years

Any movie? How is the ventilation in the cave you've been living in for the last 30 years?

Sounds like you've watched nothing but the latest Scary Movie sequel(s) and Jerry Bruckheimer movies. Mass Effect might be a peak for gaming, but there are tons of amazing films from the last three decades that make it look pretty average in comparison.

Re:Batshit insane

[Pojut]

I am very well aware of what is out there...I have a 4-out-at-a time netflix plan, and own over 500 DVD's...trust me, I know what has come out in the last long while.

All told, FOR ME, no storyline in a movie captured my attention or made me want to know more about it quite like the story line and universe of Mass Effect. Sorry if my opinion is different from yours, but we wouldn't want to all be the same now would we?

Re:Batshit insane

[sammy baby]

To give Mass Effect its due, its pacing and story was better than plenty of "name" flicks out there (you listening to me, Sunshine? I had such high hopes...). But to suggest that it's better than, say, There Will Be Blood... I mean, c'mon now.

Re:Batshit insane

[Pojut]

That's just it though...the Mass Effect universe as a whole is so large that any part of it could easily become it's own story.

Each of the species alone could have an entire game-length storyline dedicated to their history. Hell, the Krogan and the Rachnii by themselves could have an entire SERIES devoted to their race. Or what about the protheans? Or maybe the discovery of humanity by the rest of the galaxy? Or our discovery of them? Or what about the BUILDING of the citadel, and the origin of the keepers? Then again, you could do an entire story line about the thresher maws...a good place to start would be how the hell they appear on so many different planets that are so far away.

There is of course the shadow broker, they could do an entire story line on that. Or how about the consort, how did she become who she was? Or perhaps Benezia? How did she come under sovereign's power so easily? What caused it to happen? What went on while it was happening? What was she like prior to the indoctrination?

What I'm getting at here is that while a lot of the things I have mentioned were touched on in the game, each of them has enough creativity and life in them to be able to hold a storyline for an entire book (if not an entire series of books) individually. Nearly everything in the Mass Effect universe (much like our own) has a very long and complex history, one which could be fleshed out in countless numbers of books and video games.

Perhaps, when seeing it in that way, you can understand why the Mass Effect universe is appealing to me...it's not just some little world created for a game...it's like an entire alternate reality.

Wow, EA

[Applekid]

I'm generally in the camp that EA executives are full of crap, but...

As video games continue to take audiences away from television, we expect to see more TV news stories warning parents about the corrupting influence of interactive entertainment. ... I find that quote to be rather insightful. The same congressional members that make laws granting more and more power to the MAFIAA at the expense of the people are the ones demanding game companies be held to an unrealistic standard of decency in entertainment.

Recently /. had a story about how some parent's group was "outraged" that game companies are now trying to lobby congress for favor, but, as long as the TV, radio, and film conglomerates have deeper pockets and the numbers keep dropping in favor of interactive entertainment, it's not going to be enough. Faux News is showing their hand without fear since the existing career politicians are already beholden to those guys.

Re:Wow, EA

[jollyreaper]

I generally think the whole convergence thing is a load of hotair but I think that's just because the pundits called it a decade or two early. We really are seeing this now, communications and entertainment all coming down one pipe. And because of this, entertainment will drastically change, too. Are you gaming tonight, are you going to watch something? Video on demand isn't coming to us the way that was anticipated, we're seeing it via PVR (the super-vcr) and bittorrent (a product completely bypassing the cable company middleman!)and whole season DVD's. Behavior patterns and expectations are shifting now, not in the future but now. People are getting used to the fact of moving away from the primetime structure, of watching what they want when they want or doing something else if they feel like it. Back before TV, radio and movies were the kings of pop culture. Before radio, sheet music reigned supreme and families played piano, singing along. For single entertainment, books and newspapers were available.

Newspapers aren't dead and I truly think that the Internet is giving them new life and relevance, they're just not going to be quite the way we knew papers in the past. The written word is the cheapest form of information creation and distribution we have and the computer only gives it more power. We already see amateurs creating works with a worldwide following. It may not be on quite the same scale as Dickens in his day but on a smaller scale, it remains possible. I mean hell, web comics are turning a profit! That's astounding. And when you're independent and not beholden to a big stupid parent company, it doesn't take nearly as much revenue to remain in business.

Anyway, dems my thoughts.

Definitions

[eldavojohn]

I once heard a much older person refer to the language of Goodfellas as "pornographic." I corrected her saying the f-word isn't referring to anything sexual--in fact those men in that movie view it as an interjection or part of speech and nothing more. She ended up winning the argument as there are two definitions for pornographic:

1. Containing an explicit depiction of sexual activity.
2. Depicting something in details, usually unnecessarily. She pointed out that it was an almost gratuitous manner in which they used curses and was probably unnecessary to tell the story. That could probably be arguable but she likened that swearing to people using the bathroom. Everyone does it but we don't see it in movies unless it's got an important plot point (see Pulp Fiction or Unforgiven).

So, to relate this to the story, if Fox News is accusing Mass Effect of 'depicting something in details, unnecessarily' then I guess the game could be described as pornographic in nature. Indeed, some of the games today have such vivid detail that is not necessarily needed for the plot ... but, a very enjoyable side effect, it makes it seem completely and utterly real. Perhaps these details are necessary then?

One thing you must admit, there might be this gradual transition that we need to draw a cut off line at. Where we used to sit and play the original NES and play 8-bit, low detail Guantlet we can now sit and play PS3 high def red warrior needs blood Gauntlet. I went from shooting pixelated nothings to full upright three dimensional beings. Where does the video game become so real that it is a rated R movie in and of itself? If the argument is to make Mass Effect accessible only to 17 & 18 year old people, then I don't see a problem with this argument. Did Fox over sensationalize what was going on and mislead the public? Yes, of course, that's their job! It sells.

I'm just sad that nobody is approaching this from a neutral point of view and actually doing some objective journalism on this topic. Perhaps objectivity is no longer possible in this debate ...

Re:Definitions

[Pojut]

If the argument is to make Mass Effect accessible only to 17 & 18 year old people, then I don't see a problem with this argument.

Mass Effect is rated M, you know...

Re:Definitions

[Yvan256]

If the argument is to make Mass Effect accessible only to 17 & 18 year old people, then I don't see a problem with this argument.

I'm 35, you insensitive clod!

Re:Definitions

[0xdeadbeef]

I'm just sad that nobody is approaching this from a neutral point of view and actually doing some objective journalism on this topic. Perhaps objectivity is no longer possible in this debate ...

Because the objective journalist recognizes this as a manufactured controversy and a boring non-story.

And if gratuitousness is pornography, then Fox News is hard-core pornography.

Before anyone else responds, recognize that the parent post is a troll. An imaginary "middle ground", whining about objectivity, and a non-sequitar about the pixel density of video games... this is called framing, and it's a setup to make you defensive.

Re:Definitions

[Jeng]

The problem is that some people can't wrap their minds around the fact that games are a means of storytelling, not just a series of puzzles.

Re:Definitions

[Kierthos]

I fail to see the problem. The GP said 17 & 18.

17 + 18 = 35.

Re:Definitions

[enderjsv]

Maybe he'd have trouble walking into an R-rated movie in a theater, but according to a recent study...

here

They are able to purchase an R-rated movie far more often then they are able to purchase an M-rated game. What say you now?

Re:Definitions

[zoips]

He said 17 & 18. 17 & 18 == 16. Giggity.

Oblig Boondock Saints Quote

[techpawn]

She pointed out that it was an almost gratuitous manner in which they used curses and was probably unnecessary to tell the story. That could probably be arguable but she likened that swearing to people using the bathroom. Everyone does it but we don't see it in movies unless it's got an important plot point (see Pulp Fiction or Unforgiven).

Rocco: Fucking... What the fuck. Who the fuck fucked this fucking... How did you two fucking fucks...[shouts]
Rocco: fuck!
Connor: Well, that certainly illustrates the diversity of the word.

Reviews

[demon93]

I don't think she'll be selling many books through amazon. The reviews don't look good...

The Cult of Perfection: Making Peace with Your Inner Overachiever

Been There, Done That, Kept the Jewelry: Find True Love--Turn Your Tarnished Dating Past into a Brilliant Romantic Future

The Fixer-upper Man: Turn Mr. Maybe into Mr. Right in 5 Easy Steps

There's probably scope for a few more :-)

hair splitting

[emj]

Did Fox over sensationalize what was going on and mislead the public? Yes, of course, that's their job! It sells.

No! You can't do that, I know all news shows in the US have to compete for profit, but there have to be a limit to what you can say and still call yourself a News show. If all you do is reporting one side of the story you are not a journalist, you are just a propaganda machine. It doesn't matter if you are called Socialist Weekly or Fox News there are still standards you need to uphold.

It's about time

[ObiWanStevobi]

I'm not worried about the video game industry with these stories, But I am very, very sick of this same old mantra that gamers are a group of lazy perverts. It's about damned time the gaming industry stands up for it's customers, and the customers stand up for themselves. Believe it or not, a great many people still believe what they hear on cable news networks (not just Fox, btw, but they do seem to lead the pack). Anything that can be done to expose them for the liars they are is great. Journalism today is in a very sad state of affairs. I'm not sure what can be done to fix something this out of whack, but I have no doubt anyone speaking up and calling them on their bs is a good thing.

Re:Faux News

[Lilith's Heart-shape]

They are of no consequence in this world or the next, like a whole generation of mentally retarded puppies. The souls of Christian fundamentalists belong to Arioch in the next world, but they still cause a lot of unnecessary trouble in this world. As evidence, I offer the Mike Schmuckabee campaign. Frankly, this could have been avoided if the British Navy, or a British privateer, had sunk the Mayflower before it got across the Atlantic.

Re:Faux News

[Anonymous Coward]

Fox News gets called right-wing only because it smatters the usual liberal news pap with some true reporting. There isn't a news organization as right-wing as left-wingers paint Fox as being.

Re:Faux News

[Bloodoflethe]

Well-trolled *cough*, I guess I'll bite: I know plenty of well-informed non-fundies that read/listen/watch content from The News Corporation, including Fox. Why, because they also read/listen/watch liberal stations. There is plenty to take seriously from each side, the effort is spent sifting through the fallacies and weighing out bias to get at the heart of the matter and from there deciding what your stance on the issue will be. Remember, the truth is more easily found when most conflict is filtered out. There are exceptions - i.e. the big issues, in which the points of view of either side perfectly cancel out. These are fundamental differences and will determine your stances on other things. *shrug* Go with what you feel comfortable with, I just try not to have a herd mentality.

Re:Faux News

[jandrese]

You know, most of the complaints about Fox News aren't about their conservative bias, but rather their piss poor investigation and fact checking skills. Is it any wonder that people who get their news from Fox News continuously score at the bottom of polls trying to determine how well informed the average person is? The Internet is a better source for news than Fox News, and that's just scary. I mean it is their job to report on stuff, you think the least they could do is some basic journalism.

O'Reilly Effect

[d3ac0n]

Before I begin, a disclaimer: I am a Conservative. I regularly read conservative news and blog sources, such as Newbusters, Hot Air, TownHall.com, Little Green Footballs, and the Jawa Report. I am also an avid gamer. I currently am playing mostly EVE-Online, and a bit of TA Spring. I have been gaming since before the days of Sierra's Hero Quest, and I still have an original, functional Atari game system.

So now that I've set your expectations and prejudices, I shall continue...

Honestly, I think of this as the O'Reilly effect.

One of the things I have noticed, is that ever since O'Reilly became an ascendant star on Fox News, the tone of the channel has changed a bit in regards to all things Internet. This is especially evident when Bill-O himself is on, even when he talks with fellow conservatives about the issue. Here is a link to him talking with Mary Katherine Ham about whether the Internet is a good or bad thing: http://hotair.com/archives/2008/01/23/video-mary-katharine-ham-talks-smoking-crack-with-oreilly/

As you can see, O'Reilly is as clueless as ever when it comes to all things Internet. Honestly, he makes Internet-Savvy Conservatives look bad. At least when it comes to technology, he comes off as a boorish old geezer. Honestly, I'm not sure how much of it is an act, and how much is him just being completely out of touch.

MKH, on the other hand, clearly "gets it". Of course, she's my generation (Gen-X) so it's not surprising that she would have a better grasp of this. Also, if you read through the comments at Hot Air, you can see that many of the other conservatives there think like I do, and just shake their heads with a mix of disgust and sadness at O'Reilly.

I think that his influence has been seeping into the rest of Fox News for some time. While obviously the PHB's there think that controversy like this makes for good ratings (and it does), it also serves to make the whole network look out of touch to younger viewers. I think it's a short-term gain, long-term loss kind of strategy. I guess time will tell if I'm right or not.

Either way, both myself, and many other conservatives think that the whole Mass Effect "controversy" is a compete non-starter, and entirely fabricated. As others here have said, it's a rated "M" game. The industry has marked it appropriately, and it's up to parents to make use of the tools given to them and make a judgment about whether or not to buy this game.

This is part and parcel of the conservative concept of Freedom. YOU get to control what you and your children are exposed to. It's not the Government's job to decide that. As far as the original article that spawned the controversy, I've read it, and it's utter hogwash. The writer is just a tool looking for some cheap publicity. Ignore him.

Re:O'Reilly Effect

[JebusIsLord]

I think basicall Fox News, and O'Reilly in particular, has made a business out of trolling. They know they're being misleading and inflamatory, and they depend on it for ratings.

Hypocrisy

[Rebelgecko]

I went to http://www.fox.com/ looking for an email address to send a complaint to and saw an ad for the Terminator TV show with, you guessed it, a naked woman (or robot, or whatever) who is showing way more skin than I saw when I played Mass Effect.

How to shut these guys up

[LordZardoz]

The only way to get the idiots wh repeat this kind of crap to shut up is to start going after the advertisers. Angry letters to Fox News its self wont make much difference. All that will do is tell them that you watched it, and disagree. Going after advertisers though can get them to reconsider advertising on programs or websites that spread these views, if they get a large enough and loud enough negative response. That in turn will have a greater effect on Fox.

END COMMUNICATION