Susan Linn of Campaign For a Commercial-Free Childhood Rips Game Biz Over Manhunt 2

... um, what?

No, they're not pulling it from shelves, Jack. All you've done is opened yourself up for more lawsuits... and caused a few retailers to put it out a day early. Plus, you advertised the game, so now it'll sell more copies. You lose. Again.

And stop with the disrespectful Hooah.

Kendra Kirai: Society has turned into a bunch of pussies because of all the advanced technology that has helped us live safer lives. We have more types of vaccines, anti-lock brakes, even that damn seal that won't pop until you untwist the cap from your bottle for the first time. Face it, we have gone soft. I remember watching Mighty Max and in retrospect a lot of parts were pretty dark for a kid's cartoon. Our grandparents were raised to be tough, now you can't fathom lifting a finger at spanking your kid because it is too harsh. We have blown our chance at finding a middle ground at everything. We have developed an obsession for a perfect society and are unaware at the diminishing returns that come from placing "just one more" safety net. Choices in life are involved multivariable deduction. You cannot go either all the way in one direction nor in the other.

Okay, now that's out of the way check this sample quote from a GameFAQs forum troll:

"Whoopsie, another FFFlop of a game hyped by the drones.'

That's Jack Thompson's writing style when he claims a victory. Tongue-in-cheek and rubbing it at the opposition.

Because of the change in Manhunt 2’s rating, it’s a given that this ultra-violent game will be sold to children.

As much as I agree that children don't need to play Manhunt 2, I think Mrs. Linn overestimates the popularity of the game among children. Also, the problem isn't Rockstar producing violent video games, the problem is stores not enforcing the ESRB ratings.

*Yawn* And the pundits come out to play. I still think I ought to go out and buy 25 to Life out of spite.

@EZK

I don't know, I want this controversy to end already.

@ GP

Why don't you have a video clip of this?

Not going to. Thank Rockstar for all this nonsense, they're the shock jocks of the video game biz, they're not doing it out of horror, or art, or any of that other nonsense, they're doing what they know how to do, and that's stir up controversy. I actually wouldn't cry about it one damn bit if they shut their doors permanently. With that said I'm ambivalent about MH2 as well, it doesn't even look that good for crying out loud. Seems to me like it doesn't bring enough to the table to justify the bad press it's costing the industry. Maybe we'd have been better off if the ESRB had stuck to the MO rating.

It's official, no one at Rockstar can even take a crap without the media talking about it.

Here, I'll fix this:

Tomorrow's release of the 'Saw Trilogy' epitomizes much of what’s wrong with the movie industry’s current system of self-regulation.

Research clearly demonstrates that watching violent movies can increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior in children and youth. Yet even as the industry claims it wants to keep its most violent films out of the hands of children, it virulently opposes any legislation that would give teeth to its often unenforced guidelines for sales and marketing of R-rated movies.

Jabrwock, the bandwagon leaves tomorrow, IIRC. I was thinking of Mel Blanc from a Looney Tunes cartoon saying "ALL ABOARD" when you wrote that.

LOL

@ DoggySpew

Because then they will be ignored.

"Tomorrow’s release of Manhunt 2 epitomizes much of what’s wrong with the videogame industry’s current system of self-regulation."

Before you start throwing stones at one industry miss Linn perhaps you should consider putting some regs on your own industry? Just a thought.

"There is no transparency in the ESRB’s ratings process; no explanation was given why the rating for Manhunt 2 was downgraded from Adults Only to Mature."

No explaination was given. Question... Did you even ASK Rockstar for the stuff that was cut? Not to mention if you do start down that path I highly suggest that you do the same with Saw IV and the rest of the horror movies that are being released at this time. However, I'm sure that you're ignorant or simply omitting that you're aware many films change their contect to get a desired rating as well.

Am I the only one who thinks this group is beating a dead horse? These seem to be the same ones who we have on our "news" channels that have the same lines everyday: "News at 11, people died."

*content not contect.

Stupid rented fingers ^_^

Yeah..
Except for that whole thing where research HASN'T clearly shown that violent games promote violent behavior, and if children get their hands on M rated games it's the fault of stores and lousy parents, not the creators...

"Tomorrow’s release of Manhunt 2 epitomizes much of what’s wrong with the videogame industry’s current system of self-regulation."

Indeed. What kind of sick industry would label a game only meant for mature audiences as 'Mature' rated? It makes me sick.

Listen here 'Doctor', you're not the first hack to come along and think you're an expert and you won't be the last. You'll be joining a queue of hundreds like you who are wrong and have failed and will fail time and time again because they spout the lies they've been fed ad nauseam and just plain fail to learn the rules of the game, or from their mistakes. You, and everyone else like you (Leland Yee, JT, 'Common Sense' Media and the rest of the fascists), are missing the point entirely. I am about to summarise your entire argument in a sentence:

'The ESRB, which is owned by and paid for by the entire video game industry (so here we are assuming the industry exists as a single entity and not a vast system of thousands of publishers and developers), is failing to keep mature-rated games out of the hands of children and is thus failing parents.'

Firstly, the ESRB is an independent board that regulates itself and is not owned by or paid for the video game industry. You assert that the industry pays for the ESRB. Are you seriously saying every week, each reviewer gets a payslip signed by 'The Video Game Industry', and some guy goes around to EA, R*, Activision, THQ etc. with a whip-round to pay for the ESRB? I guess 'doctors' aren't always as clever as they think.

Secondly, the ESRB is a rating board, not a police force. You might be surprised, but a quick look on their website or on Wikipedia and you'll be astonished to find that ESRB isn't just a fancy name but an acronym, which, when decoded, actually reveals this fact! Therefore, as a rating board, and not a police force, it is somewhat far-fetched to expect that they go around following children to make sure they aren't buying games unsuitable for them. Strike 2, 'doctor'.

Thirdly, lets compare an example of a child buying an M-rated game and a child buying a pornographic film, since you and your ilk consistently say that Manhunt 2 and games like it are as bad as or worse than porn.

A child buys a porn film, sits down in his front room and watches porn film. Parent walks in, confiscates the film and punishes the child for watching porn.

A child buys a game intended for mature audiences and plays it in his front room. Parent walks in. TV screen shows a man brutally murdering a woman with a chainsaw. Parent asks, "What are you playing?"
Child replies, "GTA."
Parent walks on, takes no notice.

If there is anyone to blame for failing the parents, my guess would be the parents.

QED.

"Tomorrow’s release of Manhunt 2 epitomizes much of what’s wrong with the videogame industry’s current system of self-regulation."

The only thing "wrong" with the self regulation of video games is that it is not being heeded by parents. The ratings are there but are not being heeded. The parental controls are available on all consoles but are not being used. The authority to stop your children playing/watching/listening to things that are inappropriate is there, but is not being put into action.

"Research clearly demonstrates that playing violent videogames can increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior in children and youth." Debatable, and depends on your deinition of aggression. Aggressive does not mean violent.

"Yet even as the industry claims it wants to keep its most violent games out of the hands of children"
The industry cannot keep games out of the hands of YOUR children. That is YOUR job. They provide you with ample tools and guidelines with which to do this job but they are ignored.
"it virulently opposes any legislation that would give teeth to its often unenforced guidelines for sales and marketing of M-rated games. "

Unenforceable and impractical laws will not give any teeth to enforcing of video game ratings. Parents being educated and informed and having a spine would. Also, the industry is not the only thing opposed to these laws, the Constitution is as well, as has been proven many times already.

"There is no transparency in the ESRB’s ratings process; no explanation was given why the rating for Manhunt 2 was downgraded from Adults Only to Mature. A recent review in the New York Times says the resubmitted version “seems to retain at least 99 percent of the original content”."

I write a novel in which 3 people are murdered. One is killed by an acid bath, one by stabbing, one by mauling from a rabid dog. Originally the descriptions of the deaths are incredibly gory. I decide to tone down the descriptions. I still have a novel where three people are murdered in these ways. That is what the New York Times is referring to. The story elements are still there, but the depictions of the violence are toned down or faded out/blurred.

"Because of the change in Manhunt 2’s rating, it’s a given that this ultra-violent game will be sold to children."

Take it up with the retailers and the parents buying it for their kids.

"Forty-two percent of underage shoppers in a recent study by the Federal Trade Commission were able to purchase M-rated games."

Which we have noted before is much better performance than the study on movies, where 60+% of kids were able to buy inappropriate movies, which I would argue are worse for kids.

"The ESRB has confirmed that its allegiance is to the industry paying its bills, not to the children it’s supposed to be protecting."

Christ, how many times do people have to be told before the message sinks into their thick skulls? The ESRB IS NOT SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN! It is supposed to give parents the tools and information they need to protect THEIR OWN children. It has no allegiance to the industry.

The ESA pays the bills for the ESRB, but that is because they are putting money into providing these tools and information for parents.

2 more days till November, hope you will get the boot, Jack.

"I have been working with Susan Linn on this. Great job by her. Oh, and we’re winning this one, if you couldn’t tell. Hooah!"

The game is out tomorrow, what have you won again? Or is this another victory like your one against Halo 3? *snigger*

Is your victory the riling of soccer Moms into thinking this game will be the downfall of society? If it stops some dumbass parents from buying the game for their kid, then I suppose it's a victory of sorts, maybe...

"Oh, and we’re winning this one, if you couldn’t tell. Hooah!"

LAAAWWWL! Winning? What kind of idiot are you?

1. TakeTwo/Rockstar Released the game. YOU LOSE

2. Our right to choose our own entertainment is still intact. YOU LOSE

3. You can't even attempt to declare it a public nusiance. YOU LOSE

4. The media attention is increasing parent's awareness of game ratings. YOU LOSE


Go and have a few drinks tonight- you have a rough couple of weeks coming up.

do these people even know what responsible parenting is?

"Its a given that this game will be sold to children"
I hope you never EVER work in a retail shop.