Killer 7 - Thompson! Down boy!
Attorney Jack Thompson; can anybody take him seriously?
It seems that every week, games hating Florida lawyer Jack Thompson sets himself a new target to get his knickers in a twist over. An vocal figure in the re-rating of GTA: San Andreas, last week he targeted another Rockstar game in the works, titled, somewhat provocatively you must admit, Bully. He even lashed out at whiter-than-white publishers Electronic Arts over allegedly paedophilic content.
This week, no doubt after drawing a blank trawling the Rockstar release schedule for his next victim, he’s turning his attention to something a little closer to the SPOnG collective heart: Capcom’s Killer 7.
As you’ll know, the super-stylised shooter sees players take control of a hitman with seven split personalities, and let’s make no bones about this, there’s a fair bit of blood and violence. Bizarrely though, Jack doesn’t care about the murdering, it’s the game’s graphic love scenes that have him furious, demanding that the ESRB change the games rating to ‘AO’, which would effectively see it pulled from most shelves in America.
You’ll recall that it was the hidden ‘Hot Coffee’ sex minigame in GTA that recently invoked his wrath upon Rockstar's cash cow, though he didn’t bat an eyelid at the vast, unhidden tracts of the game glorifying carjacking and random violence. American anti-videogame gobshites; funny creatures, aren't they? Of course, none of this will affect European gamers, with Killer 7 sitting pretty in shops wearing an BBFC 18 certificate in the UK, and PEGI 18 across the continent.
If it weren’t for our primeval fear of lawyers we’d make a joke tracing Mr. Thompson’s hatred back to a humiliating boyhood Ms. Pac-Man experience. We’d better not, but don’t let that stop you from doing so, in the forum below.
This week, no doubt after drawing a blank trawling the Rockstar release schedule for his next victim, he’s turning his attention to something a little closer to the SPOnG collective heart: Capcom’s Killer 7.
As you’ll know, the super-stylised shooter sees players take control of a hitman with seven split personalities, and let’s make no bones about this, there’s a fair bit of blood and violence. Bizarrely though, Jack doesn’t care about the murdering, it’s the game’s graphic love scenes that have him furious, demanding that the ESRB change the games rating to ‘AO’, which would effectively see it pulled from most shelves in America.
You’ll recall that it was the hidden ‘Hot Coffee’ sex minigame in GTA that recently invoked his wrath upon Rockstar's cash cow, though he didn’t bat an eyelid at the vast, unhidden tracts of the game glorifying carjacking and random violence. American anti-videogame gobshites; funny creatures, aren't they? Of course, none of this will affect European gamers, with Killer 7 sitting pretty in shops wearing an BBFC 18 certificate in the UK, and PEGI 18 across the continent.
If it weren’t for our primeval fear of lawyers we’d make a joke tracing Mr. Thompson’s hatred back to a humiliating boyhood Ms. Pac-Man experience. We’d better not, but don’t let that stop you from doing so, in the forum below.
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Comments
miacid 8 Aug 2005 14:48
1/8
I really think you should try and interview this guy 8~)
Joji 8 Aug 2005 15:19
2/8
Well I think this guys is just a do gooder christian who is out of line. He's making his comments based upon the opinions of an IGN review. I think judging K7 on just that one persons words is tantamount to having a jury trial with only one juror instead of twelve.
An interview with him would be cool so we can ask him some interesting questions. I'd like to ask him if he's actually played the game himself and if he hasn't then how on earth can he judge a game on what a court could decide is hear say and not the gospel he thinks.
Perhaps we the average gamer in the street as well as those in the industry could ask him a few questions to see how good he really is and what solution he has to towards games that have a market outside of kids games.
Now I know why I stopped going to sunday school ages ago.......lol?
The americans need an 18 rating (Much like us)? for such games instead of AO letters.
An interview with him would be cool so we can ask him some interesting questions. I'd like to ask him if he's actually played the game himself and if he hasn't then how on earth can he judge a game on what a court could decide is hear say and not the gospel he thinks.
Perhaps we the average gamer in the street as well as those in the industry could ask him a few questions to see how good he really is and what solution he has to towards games that have a market outside of kids games.
Now I know why I stopped going to sunday school ages ago.......lol?
The americans need an 18 rating (Much like us)? for such games instead of AO letters.
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sunkai 9 Aug 2005 10:10
3/8
Have you seen the front cover of the latest "The Economist"? An evil little boy grasping a joypad, uplit by a sickly green light emanating from the glowing CRT that is taking over his soul.
This tongue in cheek image is followed by a well written piece about the current evidence for the impact of videogames. The conclusion is that what we are seeing from Mr.Thompson et al is a long standing behavioural trait of the middle-aged, driven by generational change.
"Eventually, objections to new media resolve themselves, as the young grow up and the old die out" - The Economist
People have been exploiting the ignorant for money, power, and influence since time began. Perhaps out of all of this, the real question that should be addressed is why we allow prehistoric beasts like Hillary Clinton, stuck in their generational rut, to dictate popular belief and inflict their outmoded doctrines.
This tongue in cheek image is followed by a well written piece about the current evidence for the impact of videogames. The conclusion is that what we are seeing from Mr.Thompson et al is a long standing behavioural trait of the middle-aged, driven by generational change.
"Eventually, objections to new media resolve themselves, as the young grow up and the old die out" - The Economist
People have been exploiting the ignorant for money, power, and influence since time began. Perhaps out of all of this, the real question that should be addressed is why we allow prehistoric beasts like Hillary Clinton, stuck in their generational rut, to dictate popular belief and inflict their outmoded doctrines.
tyrion 9 Aug 2005 12:07
4/8
sunkai wrote:
Perhaps out of all of this, the real question that should be addressed is why we allow prehistoric beasts like Hillary Clinton, stuck in their generational rut, to dictate popular belief and inflict their outmoded doctrines.
"Carousel!"
"Carousel!"
sunkai 9 Aug 2005 12:17
5/8
I favour Joni Mitchell, "Circle Game".
TwoADay 9 Aug 2005 14:39
6/8
Joji wrote:
snip!
An interview with him would be cool so we can ask him some interesting questions. I'd like to ask him if he's actually played the game himself and if he hasn't then how on earth can he judge a game on what a court could decide is hear say and not the gospel he thinks.
Perhaps we the average gamer in the street as well as those in the industry could ask him a few questions to see how good he really is and what solution he has to towards games that have a market outside of kids games.
The americans need an 18 rating (Much like us)? for such games instead of AO letters.
While I agree that having an informal interview by "gamers" would be enlightening, I feel that only Spong would be capable of doing it -- as most can probably imagine, if it were anywhere else, the forum denizens would ask questions such as
"OMFG WHy are you such a LOOSER?!?! videogames roxorz! i should kill you gay!"
Spong's members are more refined and capable of insight and perspective-taking, so it might work here.
I agree with you Joji, the American system is too muddled to be of any use, much like TV ratings here. AO is supposed to be 18+ but how many people that don't play games KNOW that? Having the age on the game clarifies the issue.
config 9 Aug 2005 16:53
7/8
TwoADay wrote:
I agree with you Joji, the American system is too muddled to be of any use, much like TV ratings here. AO is supposed to be 18+ but how many people that don't play games KNOW that? Having the age on the game clarifies the issue.
Indeed. I'm sure it's the reason the UK film certification (BBFC) moved away from U, A, AA, X to the less vague U (Universal), PG (Parental Guidance), 12, 15, 18.
Of course, now they've fscked things up with Uc (Universal, pre-school children), 12A (under 12s must be accompanied by an adult) and R18 (over 18, restricted sale through licenses outlets, i.e. Porn). Furthermore, BBFC have "clarified" things with those ridiculous content descriptors. I mean; what the fsck is "mild language and peril"? (given to Charlie & the Chocolate Factory). It offers no no more insight for parents than knowing it's a PG rated film!
ELSPA had a reasonable system for games in the UK; 3+, 11+, 15+ & 18+. I just think the labeling needed to be stronger.
Of course, now we (Europe) have the PEGI system, which is no more informative than the old ELSPA system though has clearer age rating labels. It's even got those spastic content descriptors that the BBFC and ESRB so love, this time expressed as meaningless (to the lay person) icons
miacid 10 Aug 2005 09:13
8/8
Joji wrote:
An interview with him would be cool so we can ask him some interesting questions. I'd like to ask him if he's actually played the game himself
It would be very interesting indeed to find out how this guy thinks, why is he targeting just sex in games and not violence. I would put this down to something in his past but hard to say without finding out more about him.
I very much doubt he's played any of the games he's lashed out at, and I very much doubt he will, as he seems very self righteous. I very much doubt getting him to play any of these games would make a difference at the moment.
We (gamers/industry) really need to find out why he feels the way he does so that he can be educated. Maybe we can get him to see the situation from our side of the fence. Not that I can see him on Rockstars payroll or anything, although he'd be a better person to have as an Allie. As they say keep your enemies closer and all that!
As for games ratings, like everyone has been saying, the USA do need something more in-line with ELSPA, only I don't see parents taking anymore notice of it than they do of their current system. Even n the UK, how many times have you been in a games shop and seen some kid hanging of a parents arm with a copy of GTA (or other 18 game) in their hands.
I even know of a copper who bough GTA:VC for their 12 year old but drew the line at SA as it had too much swearing in it. I mean we still have to fight this kind of attitude in this country.
sunkai wrote:
why we allow prehistoric beasts like Hillary Clinton, stuck in their generational rut, to dictate popular belief and inflict their outmoded doctrines.
This is it, we don't have a say and that is half the problem. No-one wants to stick their neck out and defend games, so people like Hillary, Thompson, etc... get away with it as the general public don't have anyone else to listen too. Plus there is a whole generation that grew up believing games are for kids and still think this way.
Perhaps we need to organise some sort of games awareness programme 8~)