Still, the company's performing far better than its competition. Sony and Microsoft stand to suffer ridiculous losses as next-generation moves into full swing, whereas Nintendo's likely to continue operating in the black, simply receiving less profit than before, rather than none at all.
I think the article summary above is somewhat misleading.
When I heard that SC3 was going to be a PS2 exclusive, my immediate thought was that Sony put the screws to Namco over the fact that they got the worst of the three extra characters. XBox got Spawn, Gamecube got Link and PS2 got Heihachi Mishima. Now, I like Heihachi fine, but the fact is he just doesn't have the pizzazz of the other two.
Hmm, that got modded "overrated" so it wouldn't be metamodded, I still think it is a valid point though.
When I heard that SC3 was going to be a PS2 exclusive, my immediate thought was that Sony put the screws to Namco over the fact that they got the worst of the three extra characters. XBox got Spawn, Gamecube got Link and PS2 got Heihachi Mishima. Now, I like Heihachi fine, but the fact is he just doesn't have the pizzazz of the other two.
Fry: "Well sure, but not in our dreams! Only on tv and radio...and in magazines...and movies. And at ball games, on buses, and milk cartons, and t-shirts, and bananas, and written on the sky. But not in dreams! No sirree."
Basically, I get the impression that he is irritated not by the content, but by R*'s, "let's incite a moral panic as a publicity stunt" approach to marketing.
It's actually difficult to say how big a moral panic this is, whether it is TV Violence bad (I have to pay for a V-Chip) or Comic Book Bad (unless you were a big fan of Scrooge McDuck, and who isn't really, comics books sucked for years and have never really recovered).
I also contend that if it doesn't hamper your ability as an adult to acquire your games, I still cannot comprehend why it is such a sticky issue to place tighter restrictions on violent games that might adversely affect children, especially when you concede that most children are poorly parented.
That's because it does hamper my ability as an adult to buy games. The minute that there is a risk of fines and/or jailtime for selling a video game to minors, the video games that carry this risk will not be stocked in most stores, period. Oh, maybe a few of the most popular will be, but the rest will be rejected, or more likely not made in the first place.
I also personally think that it is disgusting and immoral that a store clerk would be subject to potential jail time or fines over something like this, particularly given the state of American jails and the fact that we still had a First Amendment last time I checked, but that's beside the point.
I have a prediction as to where things are going if this current legislation is more than hype:
1. The 'M' for Mature rating will be retired and not used anymore.
2. Games will be rated E, E-10, or T.
3. In 20 years, 'T' will be the equivalent of todays 'M.' (Well, provided we are still a free country by then, which I wouldn't give good odds on.)
Heck, the ratings system has already led to censorship in this country, which is why the US version of Sonic Gems won't contain the Streets of Rage trilogy, but other countries will get it:
According to GameSpot, who spoke to Sega regarding this topic, the Streets of Rage games will definitely not be in the US version of Sonic Gems Collection. Ready for the reason? Chances are it's going to piss you off.
It's because Sega would have had to change the game's ESRB rating from an "E" to a "T" to accommodate the inclusion of the somewhat violent titles, and Sega opted to go for the "E" rating instead.
Hmm, someone modded my comment "Troll"
Here it is again:
'Killology' is bogus pseudoscience
Link: Grossman-ism: Media Violence and Mad Social Science [slc.edu]
There is a scene in The Aviator when Howard Hughes is trying to defend his movie, The Outlaw, to the Film Review Board because of the prominence of Jane Russel's cleavage in the film. Well, he brings a scientist with him with some sort of measuring device, and he has pictures of other cleavage from other films up on the wall. The scientist goes to each one and measures saying things like, "Well, as you can see, in this image we see an entire inch more of cleavage than is seen in The Outlaw." and so on.
I suddenly thought of that scene when reading this article.
I'm sorry but I disagree with that. A while ago I had two situations, one where I was working for my cousin's company and one where I was working for a company that was not owned by someone related to me. At each company, management eventually had to come to me and give me a talk about how they were short on funds and see if I would work for free (to be accurate, continue to work on the basis of potential future compensation.)
With my cousin's company? My answer was "No problem" I worked until the end of my contract with them without getting paid. They sent me a nice check later on, but I would've settled for one of their old workstations if they were really struggling (or nothing if they had gone bankrupt or something).
With company B? I did my best to not give them a look like "Are you crazy?" and told them thanks but no thanks.
Now, in neither case would it have been indefinately, and of course I would've had to quit in the first case if I hadn't enough savings to see me through for a month. But I could've worked another month at the second company, too, if I had wanted to.
Family employees are like anything else, hire the ones who are hard working and competent.
Nintendo's hardware is doomed. The Game Boy? Drowning. Gamecube? Buried. Revolution? Dead on arrival. Sony and Microsoft have begun the process of cleaning their clock, and there's just a bit of dust on the minute hand still left to go.
The current attacks on the gaming rating system is having its desired effect, censorship. Not yet of the big titles, Rockstar will still fight for its number one selling franchise. But smaller games? Forget it. Unless it is considered a hot property starring $.50, you can bet it will be pulled!
Because of people like Leland Yee, the American version of Sonic Gems will be significantly different than the Japanese version:
According to GameSpot, who spoke to Sega regarding this topic, the Streets of Rage games will definitely not be in the US version of Sonic Gems Collection. Ready for the reason? Chances are it's going to piss you off.
It's because Sega would have had to change the game's ESRB rating from an "E" to a "T" to accommodate the inclusion of the somewhat violent titles, and Sega opted to go for the "E" rating instead.
So, Leland Yee can sit back and laugh, haw haw.
I know my girlfriend's 10 year old daughter wouldn't be very interested in Streets of Rage, and I seriously don't think it is going to "affect" her if it were in a game. (Oh look, the little cartoon people are beating each other up, heaven forfend!) This particular case affects mostly people like me, older gamers who really want to play old Genesis games that we may have missed the first time around (I never got Streets of Rage III or Bonanza Brothers.) More broadly, it will effect games that aren't guaranteed sellers and cause the whole market to become more homogenized (while still being just as offensive to those of you who hate the ultra-violent games that are a license to print money.)
Slashdot Mirror
They do when it is called "Pokemon collectible card game."
When I heard that SC3 was going to be a PS2 exclusive, my immediate thought was that Sony put the screws to Namco over the fact that they got the worst of the three extra characters. XBox got Spawn, Gamecube got Link and PS2 got Heihachi Mishima. Now, I like Heihachi fine, but the fact is he just doesn't have the pizzazz of the other two.
Fry: "Well sure, but not in our dreams! Only on tv and radio...and in magazines...and movies. And at ball games, on buses, and milk cartons, and t-shirts, and bananas, and written on the sky. But not in dreams! No sirree."
Somebody Bitchslap Rockstar
Basically, I get the impression that he is irritated not by the content, but by R*'s, "let's incite a moral panic as a publicity stunt" approach to marketing.
It's actually difficult to say how big a moral panic this is, whether it is TV Violence bad (I have to pay for a V-Chip) or Comic Book Bad (unless you were a big fan of Scrooge McDuck, and who isn't really, comics books sucked for years and have never really recovered).
The above comment is not a troll, I hope the mods or metamods will fix it.
I also personally think that it is disgusting and immoral that a store clerk would be subject to potential jail time or fines over something like this, particularly given the state of American jails and the fact that we still had a First Amendment last time I checked, but that's beside the point.
I have a prediction as to where things are going if this current legislation is more than hype:
1. The 'M' for Mature rating will be retired and not used anymore.
2. Games will be rated E, E-10, or T.
3. In 20 years, 'T' will be the equivalent of todays 'M.' (Well, provided we are still a free country by then, which I wouldn't give good odds on.)
Heck, the ratings system has already led to censorship in this country, which is why the US version of Sonic Gems won't contain the Streets of Rage trilogy, but other countries will get it:
Sonic Gems Collection US = no Streets of Rage
'Killology' is bogus pseudoscience
Link: Grossman-ism: Media Violence and Mad Social Science
Hmm, someone modded my comment "Troll" Here it is again: 'Killology' is bogus pseudoscience Link: Grossman-ism: Media Violence and Mad Social Science [slc.edu]
Link: Grossman-ism: Media Violence and Mad Social Science
Well, I agree with you except I'd call this a bipartisan issue if only because Jack Thompson is a Republican.
Good job that you Brits go rid of all those nutters when you did then. Call it King George's revenge!
I suddenly thought of that scene when reading this article.
Jack Thompson's Wikipedia Entry
Here's another article about him:
Exhibit 8: Is This Guy Nuts?
You know, I had somehow mangled that story up in my mind that Thompson was the one who bit a stripper, but it is still an interesting article.
I don't know why the gaming media is so quick to give this guy a platform, unless it is because he is good at discrediting his side of the debate.
"IBM Officially Kills SCO."
With my cousin's company? My answer was "No problem" I worked until the end of my contract with them without getting paid. They sent me a nice check later on, but I would've settled for one of their old workstations if they were really struggling (or nothing if they had gone bankrupt or something).
With company B? I did my best to not give them a look like "Are you crazy?" and told them thanks but no thanks.
Now, in neither case would it have been indefinately, and of course I would've had to quit in the first case if I hadn't enough savings to see me through for a month. But I could've worked another month at the second company, too, if I had wanted to.
Family employees are like anything else, hire the ones who are hard working and competent.
Battle Royale
The Contrarian
I don't agree with the article, of course.Sueing anyone who even mentions your games name in a sentence? Check!
Sooo.... how long before Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast buys the miserable company and puts them out of our misery. Do they have to go bankrupt first?
Did Lorraine Williams, aka "the bitch," take them over?
If anyone is looking for an alternative, the founders of Gothic Horror Rolplaying are still kicking! Chaosium, Inc.
Because of people like Leland Yee, the American version of Sonic Gems will be significantly different than the Japanese version:
Sonic Gems Collection US = no Streets of Rage
So, Leland Yee can sit back and laugh, haw haw.I know my girlfriend's 10 year old daughter wouldn't be very interested in Streets of Rage, and I seriously don't think it is going to "affect" her if it were in a game. (Oh look, the little cartoon people are beating each other up, heaven forfend!) This particular case affects mostly people like me, older gamers who really want to play old Genesis games that we may have missed the first time around (I never got Streets of Rage III or Bonanza Brothers.) More broadly, it will effect games that aren't guaranteed sellers and cause the whole market to become more homogenized (while still being just as offensive to those of you who hate the ultra-violent games that are a license to print money.)
Viagra started life as a potential treatment for hypertension, and then angina.