November 22, 2006
Is the European controversy currently surrounding horror-RPG Rule of Rose
a media creation?That's the suggestion of Matteo Bittanti, writing for the Videoluca website. Bittanti, who documents the Rule of the Rose controversy in admirable detail, believes the situation is a publicity stunt which spiraled out of control. He writes, in part:
Crusades against videogame(s), especially in technophobic Italy, are as common as rain in November. However, this particular case is fascinating because it is the result of a series of media industry abuses, crass incompetence, and moral panics... irrational behavior... erroneous media reports, over-zealous political responses...
Bittanti lays out the backdrop for the controversy:
...It is early November and Rule of Rose is about to be launched in several European countries... (publisher) Digital Bros, however, is disappointed by the fact that most game magazines have basically ignored the game... (the publisher) contacts... an advertising "task force', Media Hook... The philosophy of Media Hook, as described in the company's website, is to create "hooks", stories that media will find interesting.
Coincidentally, On November 10 2006, the cover story of Italian popular newsmagazine Panorama is about Rule of Rose. The headline screams: "He who buries the little girl wins" ..."A journey into the horrors of electronic entertainment" ...The story is immediately picked up by major television news programs.
...the same day... Life in Italy reports that, after reading the article on Panorama, Rome's major Walter Veltroni woved to seek an Italian ban on a Rule of Rose"
Bittanti claims that the Panorama article is factually inaccurate in its account of the game:
It is not uncommon for Italian mass media to attack videogames... However flawed and misdirected, Panorama's cover story prompted the Italian government to launch a parliamentary discussion on videogames... After reading the transcripts of the discussion, one thing is obvious: most of the politicians that took part in the debate are not familiar with videogames at all...
This episode is... a textbook example of moral panic... Moreover, this story illuminates the complex relationship between society and media. Two factions - mass media and politicians on one side and the collective intelligence of the net on the other - are fighting a battle. They have different goals and priorities. The first group demands strict regulations for games. The second wants the truth about Rule of Rose to emerge.
...This kaleidoscope of cumulative mistakes reminds us, sadly, that it really does not take much to create widespread moral panics. The real problem is that in Italy a 12 year old kid can easily buy Grand Theft Auto o Rule of Rose in any store. What the legislators can - and should - do is to enforce sale restrictions on videogames rated 18+...
The only winners... are... Digital Bros, the company that distributes Rule of Rose. They clearly benefit from the enormous and exaggerated publicity generated by this controversy...
Comments
This only proves one thing. The public are suckers when it comes to moral panic... SHEEEEEP!
Yes I must be old to be able to remember that album.
Sheesh, it's only a decade old... ;)
well..they are blood brothers....mmmm
Also, the publisher 505 seem to have canned this game at the last minute, so it's not even being released here now.