January 21, 2008
As GamePolitics reported yesterday, video game watchdogs in the U.K. have issued harsh criticism of the upcoming Bully: Scholarship Edition.Triggering the outcry is Rockstar's plan to release an updated version of its controversial 2006 PlayStation 2 hit for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.
While some who attack the game are well-intentioned anti-bullying advocates, they don't seem to understand that the central character, Jimmy Hopkins, is not himself a bully, but rather a good guy who protects others.
The most memorable aspect of the controversy surrounding the first game, of course, was Miami attorney Jack Thompson's unsuccessful effort to have the game declared a public nuisance under Florida law. Despite Thompson's legal efforts, Bully hit retail shelves on schedule and sold well. Given that the game was rated as suitable for 13-year-olds by the ESRB, what was Thompson so worried about?
The game industry nemesis explained his fears in a harsh letter to Miami Judge Ronald Friedman, who had just dismissed the public nuisance case. Sixteen months later, GP has decided to circle back and examine whether Thompson's worries came to pass. Here are the concerns he expressed to Judge Friedman in October, 2006:
Now that you have consigned innumerable children to skull fractures, eye injuries from slingshots, and beatings with baseball bats, without a hearing as to the danger, let me tell you a few things...
Finally, Judge, when the reports start coming in from across the country as to the harm that Bully is causing, I want you to think of the parents... the Miami-Dade judicial system can’t even protect children, let alone its own reputation...
Through judicial arrogance, [you] have hung countless kids out to dry in school that will now be meaner and more dangerous.
Next time you promise a “hearing,” I’ll bring a parent with me whose kid is in the ground because of a kid who trained to kill him or her on a violent video game...
Despite Thompson's fears, if there was an uptick of youth crime following the Bully launch, it is not reflected in FBI statistics, which show a 1.8% decline in violent crime during the first six months of 2007 (i.e., the period immediately following the launch of the original Bully).
GP: We note that Bully: Scholarship Edition has not yet received a rating from the ESRB for the North American market. The BBFC has rated it suitable for U.K. gamers 15 and older.
Comments
also, the letter from JT was... typical. there were some points in there, but it was really hard to find them.
The original game Bully like the scholarship edition does not have the character you control act as a bully but if anything you PROTECT other students.
Bullying is an endemic problem in the UK and trying to blame it on a game is ludicrous when the problem has existed for many many years.
People like Jack Thompson have so little understand about human society that it really does make one wonder what they are doing.
Instead of blaming software for problems that have been around since time immemorial try looking at PEOPLE and SOCIAL INTERACTION.
It is deeply pathetic to see so-called lawyers and other 'professionals' attempt to speak out on these issues when it is clear to even a layman they have little to no understanding about endemic human social issues like bullying.
So please guys leave it to people who actually KNOW what they are talking about.
Bullying is an endemic social problem is not a problem created by recent software releases.
Now write that down 100 times on the blackboard until the message sinks in Mr. Thompson or you'll get an F.
The same problems with bullying stem from the same problems with underage gaming... The parent.
This seems to infer that the Judicial System's Reputation is more important than children..
that's because it isn't their job to protect children. I do believe that is a parents job. so get back to work you slacker, and stop trying to make the state your free babysitter
Yes, JT, videogames are just elaborate personality training, MURDER SIMULATORS!!!! Ah, the good old times when Jack Tom made the headlines....
The FBI's statistics tell us our kids are getting better and better, and I think it's actually totally fair to blame that partially on video games; they're finding an outlet to vent their mutual frustrations and compete with one another without having to resort to meatspace confrontations.
But it's an awfully "inconvenient truth" for a Columbine chaser.
Seriously though, how long before we hear about this game having an AK 47 added? And again, for even the first game to have been a Columbine simulator, would it have had to take place in a place called *bonk* Columbine?
Bully represents that bullying in the schooling system has gone out of control, with the authority figures, who are supposed to be the ones discouraging this sort of behavior, won't or can't do anything about it.
So if any teachers are out there complaining about this game, it's because it hits just a little bit too close to home.
/b
Won't. The authority figures can do something about it but won't.
For various reasons, but mostly due to my small size, I was bullied NONSTOP from Kindergarten all the way to Freshman Highschool. Never had a friend until I was 16 and was constantly beat or humiliated by my peers (sent to the emergency room twice). The teachers/administrators simply DID NOT CARE about what I went through- this was a pre-Columbine world. My parents even threatened lawsuits against the school system, but they just didn't care. Most of the physical bullies were the "jocks" who were exhalted by not only their peers, but also the teachers.
Looking back on it all, ALMOST EVERY bully I dealt with in school was from a poor family, usually with a dead/absent/jailed father. In addition, many of said bullies have wound up with drug, alcohol, or jail troubles. Not a SINGLE ONE came from an "ideal" background.
In short, the causes of the bullies was econimic and family (or lack thereof)related and not simply because of music, TV, games, or anything like that. For snakes like JT, Yee, and friends to dismiss bullies as being caused by media is INSULTING and USELESS.
JT IS A bully, so of course he'd have apathy for the bullied.
No?
Oh. I guess movies about schooltime violence don't have the same effect as games.
He predicted a mass epidemic, yet violence has GONE DOWN. Where's your moment of glory, Mr. Thompson? It's been over a year. We're waaaaaitiiiiiing...
Most heavy drinkers had parents who drank heavily....
Most violent marriages can be traced to similar treatment among at least one of the pairs' parents.
A large percentage of smokers have parents who smoke.
Tell me again about how bullying is caused by computer games....?
That being said, it's still nothing to worry about. For JT and these anti-bullying groups, it is going to take a pretty hellacious swirlie to kill someone.
Yeah but there are consequences for your actions in this game. Moreso than in real life in my personal experience.
*cough*Mass Effect Super Sodomy Simulator*cough*
And therein the problem lies. The people taking shots at the game:
-have not played the game.
-unlikely to play something because they don't want to be exposed to the filth/violence etc
-will not take the ESRB at it's word despite the fact they have viewed the game (quite extensively)
-will latch on to anything they can get their hands on
-would prefer the state to nanny the children
Let's look at the biggest furors...
Bully, Manhunt, Grand Theft Auto:SA have names that draw these fruitcakes like flies to shit. Yet there have been hundreds of other games over the past 5 years which have equal or greater amounts of violence/adult themes etc that have slipped past the zealots because (and here's the kicker) they don't actually play the games. They either rely on 3rd parties to feed them the info on what's objectionable as McCulloch did or, the more likely proposition, they keep a look out for game names that are highly evocative and then pursue them.
Or they could just have a big hard on for Rockstar... = )
Either which way, they pander to the villagers who have a stack of torches just waiting for a new witchhunt. Nothings changed since the times of Salem, the ignorant are easily deceived and led by someone smart enough to know that the mob will follow their lead.
Remarkable how we've evolved since then.. /end sarcasm
You know, you make most of the points I make when I call for Lawsuits against this kinda crap. Personally, we got congressman trying to force the ESRB to play games all the way through, yet he wont tell the news to do even the most limited research required before doing a story on games.
I think we should start suing for slander any time a news outlet misreports about games like these idiots often do. Win or lose, the threat alone would be enough to force some change. I think.
Anyway, I just hope rockstar gets hard on these people. This crap needs to stop.
And when was it a county court's job to do any parenting? It should be a parent's job to adapt, and not to have a "parental secretary" pick up the slack. Parenting is like any profession; the fundamentals remain the same but throughout history, the micromanaging keeps evolving because of society and technology.
All the parents whining about not keeping up with their kids' hobbies are seemingly unfit to take a job that involves a fast paced environment where you have to think on your toes.
the trouble is how many media/film companies sue over stuff like this? Not many I would wager since its free publicity.
on another note *pounce clings cuddles* how ya been foo? :P
Can someone just like...
Give Jack his bottle of gunpowder and teen angst so he'll shut the hell up?
I was just playing Bully a few hours ago.
Saved a few nerds from getting the crap beat out of them by a bunch of bullies...
I feel like a virtual hero.
Jack needs to play Bully so he can see what bullying ISN'T.
Who beats teachers with baseball bats anymore??
Bad boy! Go To Your Corner!
/sarcasm
I took up actual flying lessons last year.
While the flight sims did help in understanding what I was trying to do in the air, it took many hours before I could land the airplane. It also took 18 hours of actual flight before I soloed.
Bottom line: These games don't translate into anything in reality.