January 17, 2008 -
What a week gamers shared with conservative talk show host and author Kevin McCullough (left).On Monday GamePolitics reported that McCullough had wrong-headedly trashed Mass Effect, treating the popular and well-regarded 360 title with the kind of disgust usually reserved for snuff films.
On Wednesday we were outraged by McCullough's Thompson-esque bashing of "gamer nerds."
But now McCullough has backed off a good bit, even issuing an apology of sorts:
Based on the multitude of response by gamers who share my concern for decency in the entertainment of our children, it is obvious that I had been misinformed on at least two points of substance in my original column.
For this I DO apologize to the gaming universe!
...I still do concur with my original position that the objectionable content in Mass Effect is still offensive, and should be kept out of the hands of those under age.
GP: Well... To be honest, Kevin, your original position wasn't that Mass Effect was merely "offensive," but rather that it constituted digital sodomy and "virtual orgasmic rape." But we're glad you're willing to learn from other viewpoints (unlike some critics we know). McCullough continues:
Mass Effect fans have demonstrated that the three minute cuts on YouTube are only arrived at after hours of play. So in their argument the "percentage" of objectionable content is heavily outweighed by the overwhelming amount of content leading up to it. Point well made...
GP: While we respect and appreciate McCullough's about-face, the real take-away from this episode is the persuasive power of gamers when they unite against a common threat.
McCullough spent most of this week's radio program discussing the Mass Effect affair with some very level-headed gamers. It's worth a listen...
Comments
He also seemed to have misunderstood somewhat or completely what the ESRB ratings mean. They are not mandatory or legally binding neither on the state nor on the federal level in the US. Stores like Wal-Mart etc. can decide to card anyone that will be a game rated M(ature). But it is up to the stores to make such a policy - if they so choose. Also, the sexual content in the game is entirely optional and can only be seen if you get involved in a relationship with an NPC you can romance. He seems to have missed this, too. So did Fox News apparently....
Anywho, I'm glad that the gamers seems to circle the wagons, thus defending our hobby - pointing out to the critics of the hobby that this hobby is just as valid as reading books, watching tv, or playing soccer outside. (although, you should do these things, too - of course...)
If mr. Cullough etc. have watched a certain guys blog on IGN they would have seen that Shepard can dance in this game :) So you could as well claim that Mass Effect is a dance simulator.
On the Bioware forums, people have posted about both mr. McCulloughs attack and the attack from Fox News. Sadly :( , though, these threads get locked, since it is viewed as 'political'. I don't see it as such and even on the Bethesda forums we can discuss this - if it is in relations to games.
/Karsten