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Monkey Island Creator Slams Corporate Control Over Game Publishing

An anonymous reader writes "Ron Gilbert, co-creator of classic games Maniac Mansion, Monkey Island 1 and 2, and many more, has spoken out against corporate censorship — the way of large companies getting a say on what does or does not get published on the distribution channels they control. Although his insightful rant applies to a number of corporations (Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo and Comcast are mentioned), most of the direct examples single out Apple. Quoting: 'Apple has maintained an almost North Koreanish dictatorial control over the devices, becoming the arbitrator over what is good and bad, what is allowed and not allowed. They don't have this control over the Mac because it is a real computer and an open device, but they can do this with the iPhone because we (as consumers) were convinced by the cell phone carriers that they needed this control to protect their networks (in the same way they wouldn't let us own our own telephones in the '70s) and Apple was happy to jump on that ship because they could finally control everything that went on the device and we bought it into it. Apple apologists say that Apple needs this control to maintain the "specialness" of the device. I say that's a load of crap.'" He also mentions Adidas dropping out of iAds because they couldn't accept Apple's excessive creative control, and a photography app that was rejected because it used the volume buttons as trigger."

3 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Happy and satisfied by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's amazing you can still type while stroking Steve's member like that.

  2. Re:Happy and satisfied by Skuld-Chan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Using his mouth?

  3. Re:Maybe not the best example. by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know what really pisses me off? I have all of these video games on my computer, and when I press the space bar, my on-screen character doesn't type a space at all. In fact, it usually fires a weapon of some kind.

    This is totally unacceptable. A space bar should be a space bar! If not, you're confusing me!

    (In fact, I got so used to the video games that one day when I got an email from my boss that infuriated me, that was the last straw, I tried to respond by using my keyboard to jump onto my desk, dash across the room, blast a hole in his office door and blow his head off. Instead I accidentally ended up typing an email response. When will this madness end? SOMEONE needs to control these things!)

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