Jack Thompson Weighs In on Mass Effect
Jack Thompson Weighs In on Mass Effect
January 30, 2008
Kotaku reports that frequent video game critic Jack Thompson has weighed in on the Mass Effect situation - with, perhaps, a surprising view.Editor Brian Crecente quotes from Thompson from a recent e-mail exchange:
I don't see any problem with [Mass Effect]. The guy who shot his mouth off about it [on Fox News] had no idea what the Hell he was talking about... This contrived controversy is absolutely ridiculous. Report that, why don't you?
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Posted 03/21/10 at 12:12pm
JDKJ: DarkSaber: Keefer says he's sorry he put that merciless ass-whupping on you and hopes you'll return to assume your responsibilities as Resident GamePolitics Troll.
JDKJ: DarkSaber: Keefer says he's sorry he put that merciless ass-whupping on you and hopes you'll return to assume your responsibilities as Resident GamePolitics Troll.
Posted 03/21/10 at 09:10am
JDKJ: BREAKING: Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo, to meet with House Democrat Caucus in effort to win over undecided votes for health care reform bill.
JDKJ: BREAKING: Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo, to meet with House Democrat Caucus in effort to win over undecided votes for health care reform bill.
Posted 03/21/10 at 09:02am
JDKJ: BREAKING: Angry mobs of duckbill platypus march on Sydney in opposition to appointment of Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
JDKJ: BREAKING: Angry mobs of duckbill platypus march on Sydney in opposition to appointment of Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
Posted 03/21/10 at 08:56am
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 preferred women with big tits.
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 preferred women with big tits.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:32pm
Aliasalpha: Ding dong the witch is dead eh? Maybe we'll finally be treated as adults here and women can have small tits again!
Aliasalpha: Ding dong the witch is dead eh? Maybe we'll finally be treated as adults here and women can have small tits again!
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:28pm
JDKJ: Survey says no opinion either way. But approval is high among wombats.
JDKJ: Survey says no opinion either way. But approval is high among wombats.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:25pm
BearDogg-X: JDKJ: What does the wallabies and crocodiles think of Skippy?
BearDogg-X: JDKJ: What does the wallabies and crocodiles think of Skippy?
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:24pm
Andrew Eisen: Beardogg-X - Not staunchly, no. However, only one AG has gone on record as supporting an R18+ rating. The rest either stated no position or declined to comment.
Andrew Eisen: Beardogg-X - Not staunchly, no. However, only one AG has gone on record as supporting an R18+ rating. The rest either stated no position or declined to comment.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:23pm
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 disagree with choice of Skippy for interim AG.
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 disagree with choice of Skippy for interim AG.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:21pm
BearDogg-X: With Atkinson stepping down, the question now becomes was there any other AG besides him that was against R18+? His stepping down does make R18+ more likely to be approved.
BearDogg-X: With Atkinson stepping down, the question now becomes was there any other AG besides him that was against R18+? His stepping down does make R18+ more likely to be approved.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:18pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, Adelaide readers seem pleased with Atkinson's decision. 420 out of 437.
Andrew Eisen: Well, Adelaide readers seem pleased with Atkinson's decision. 420 out of 437.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:15pm
JDKJ: BREAKING: Vacant Aussie AG post to be filled by Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
JDKJ: BREAKING: Vacant Aussie AG post to be filled by Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:12pm
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Gamecube and Xbox came out in late 2001 with contollers pretty similar to the Dual Shock. You never know thoug. This Fall may be when the standard controller changes from the Dual Shock to a motion wand. *shudder*
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Gamecube and Xbox came out in late 2001 with contollers pretty similar to the Dual Shock. You never know thoug. This Fall may be when the standard controller changes from the Dual Shock to a motion wand. *shudder*
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:09pm
Flamespeak: at a quicker rate these days.
Flamespeak: at a quicker rate these days.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:09pm
Flamespeak: I believe that was launched in the first part of 1998. 2 years seems kind of fast too, but then again the world seems to move
Flamespeak: I believe that was launched in the first part of 1998. 2 years seems kind of fast too, but then again the world seems to move
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:05pm
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Not when you consider Sony's been using the same controller since the PS1.
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Not when you consider Sony's been using the same controller since the PS1.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:03pm
BearDogg-X: Andrew Eisen: I meant that it won't take as many people to change their votes next election. Besides that, it's become a moot point now that he's stepping down as AG as soon as the election's over.
BearDogg-X: Andrew Eisen: I meant that it won't take as many people to change their votes next election. Besides that, it's become a moot point now that he's stepping down as AG as soon as the election's over.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:02pm
Flamespeak: Seems kind of early considering the PS2 didn't launch until well into 2000.
Flamespeak: Seems kind of early considering the PS2 didn't launch until well into 2000.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:01pm
Andrew Eisen: Fleamespeak - I'd say since around the turn of the century.
Andrew Eisen: Fleamespeak - I'd say since around the turn of the century.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:01pm
BearDogg-X: BREAKING NEWS: Atkinson will step down as South Australia Attorney-General; will remain in Parliament
BearDogg-X: BREAKING NEWS: Atkinson will step down as South Australia Attorney-General; will remain in Parliament
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Comments
Pot...kettle?
we might even have missed a couple of flying pigs.
I guess he's just gotten more particular about what games he goes after now. But that comment someone made about calming down while waiting for his disbarment trial verdict is probably on target too.
Hang on. I know it's easy to call Jack stupid whenever he opens his mouth, but one of the things you have to realize is that he actually does have a brain in his head. And he likes to use that brain to attract attention to himself.
So by saying something that seems totally backwards and unexpected, he's gaining more attention, which is his ultimate goal. He doesn't actually care about morals or saving lives; he's willing to buck sense and consistency for a few more seconds in the spotlight.
So... in a way, it makes perfect sense that Jack would say this.
The Devil's also set up an ice hockey game on the frozen lake of fire between the '76 Philadelphia Flyers and the 9/11 hijackers.
And I agree with whoever said that this can be used against Jacky Boy whenever he complains about GTAIV or any other game.
I believe that we should give credit where credit is due. Jack's issue is not so much against game content as it is with minor's getting their hands on it. Targeting the games themselves were misguided. He should have targeted the retailers that would sell these games to minors, as somebody here pointed out.
Calling him names, insulting his intelligence and being completely closed-minded only lowers you. The irony is that that sort of behavior is precisely what got Jack the ire of the gaming community. Don't make the mistake of acting the same.
Actually scratch that - he's part of the religious right "moral majority", isn't he? So backwards, so reactionary.
To JB, sure enough it froze!
http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/weatherInfo.php?locIndex=55275
And I have to say, I agree with JT... but doing so makes me feel dirty.
But it also shows that a thaw is coming on Sunday. Does that mean that he will change his mind by then?
I'm surprised Jack Thompson dind't bash on the game, and strangely enough, my opinion of him hasn't really changed, except if he can learn... maybe we all can!
In fact, I'd feel much better disposed towards him if he was this level headed more often. Unfortunately though Jack's MO isn't too far from Fox's. I'd respect his (difference of) opinions more if they weren't followed by so much hyperbole and questionable public behaviour.
But anyway, I don't want to talk him down when he's being sensible; he's right and good for him.
Gift.
They did.
Ok, Jack. What's next? You've been keeping a semi-low profile since the trial. Afraid you're going to tick off the judge who's going to decide your career fate?
Samrt. Very smart.
Uh, but yeah, the irony of JT knows no bounds.
The man is focused in his crusade and Mass Effect doesn't fall within his purview. If it did, though, he would be on it like a rabid dog.
I've actually been to Hell, Michigan..... The name is quite fitting. Not because of intense heat or cold but because actually living in that "town" would most likely be complete torture. Then again, all the place is, is a bar and a gift shop it's one of those "blink and you miss it" when in a car type places hell you could probably run past it in ten seconds or less, maybe there's more now but I kind of doubt it.
Of course it is, and he's right about it. The stopped clock is right twice a day after all.
The thing of it is, all of his controversies are equally contrived.
Pointing it out here, there are a few possible motivations:
1. To make himself appear more sane in the light of his ongoing possible disbarment.
2. As others have said, because his vendetta is with Rockstar.
3. Kind of related to #2, Bioware is owned by EA now, and the fact that EA is striking back at the media over this might be intimidating Jack away from the issue. EA's a much bigger fish than Take Two in the big scheme of things.
Wow, three of your games became legal in such a short period of time!
But I fail to see your point. There is no country in the world that has that many illegal games.
Let me see:
USA: None. Games are protected speech.
UK: One. Manhunt 2
Germany: Give the people green blood and turn them to robots and it is okay.
Austrailia: ...Well maybe you are from Australia. (sorry had too. Australia is the only country that has banned enough games to warrant using a second hand to count them.)
So where are you from? So far I know of no place that has made anything close to 243 games illegal for anyone to purchase. If you mean that you are under 17 and have 243 M rated games, then they are not illegal.
If he still keeps his license to practice law after it he's going to be on top of this as soon as he can, claiming whatever he can as reasons for this report, such as.
1. The gamers lied about what I said.
2. I didn't understand the issue at hand, I thought that mass effect was being defended on Fox.
His planning process probably will look something like this.
1. Claim whatever I can for my 180 on the topic.
2. Start lawsuit.
3. ???
4. Win and profit.
Then again we can always hope that he's matured from this experience and won't try to bring up frivolous suits anymore, or just go with the likely assumption that he won't be practicing law for a long time, if at all, after the verdict from his disbarrment trial comes through.
Mass Effect is rated M but Fixed News claims it is sold and marketed to kids. Thompson claims the same things about GTA and Manhunt. He even goes as far as claiming that the selling of GTA constitutes "unfair and deceptive trade practices". Why does Mass Effet get a free pass? It's not a Take-Two game.
Thompson showed outrage at the "pornography" in Bully, boy on boy kissing. Mass Effect has lesbianism, PG-13 explicit of course, but for Thompson a contrevorsy about this is ridiculous. It's not a Take-Two game.
I think Thompson lacks self-definement to the point that he wants to be the only "enemy" gamers have. Like "McCullough and Fox? Ridiculous, I'm the one gamers have to worry about".
Its the end of the world as we know it
Its the end of the world as we know it
And I feel fine
So... Jack is defending Mass Effect? Are we sure? 100% sure? I read the Kotaku story, but still find Jack berating Fox or Cooper over Mass Effect surprising and ironic. While I suppose that even Jack can be sensible when it suits him (though in the Kotaku story, he doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor), I'm having a though time accepting Jack as an ally in this. I'm biased, but sometimes a little bias can be a good thing, and I wouldn't trust Jack as far as I can throw him.
Maybe Jack is changing... Who am I kidding? It's just not made by RockStar. If this same sex scene was in GTAIV, Jack would be having a fit trying to convince people to ban it. He would have said the same things that Cooper said with just as much research and evidence to back it.
I guess JT is more against violence than "customizable sodomy" in a video game.
'Nuff said.
Wait, didn't he say his kid got a copy of Mass Effect in one of his stings? Maybe he was...*gasp* informed on the issue?
Who are you and what the hell have you done with Jack Thompson? Also, did he just call Cooper Lawrence a dude?
His comments to me sounded like typical Thompsonian arrogance. The attitude he conveyed sounded to me like: "Why should I bother to answer your questions? I'm a busy man. I'm out to destroy Take2/Rockstar. Go back to your silly video games."
Like Hackangel said, if it was a Take 2-published game he'd be all over it. And again like I said earlier, that proves this is no moral crusade he's on. It's a personal vendetta. Otherwise he'd be condemning every game that was percieved to be offensive in some way. The only time he takes exception is when a big name game comes out that's been generating a lot of advance publicity and he tries to attatch his name to it in some way to get more exposure. To wit, like when Halo 3 was about to come out and he tried to get it declared a public nuisance.
Jack knows he's in deep shit now too and he's at least smart enough to lay low and not say anything too outrageous except when it comes to his favorite targets. It still won't help him. By now everyone's seen him for the self-righteous prick that he is and that all his threats of lawsuits are all huff and bluster. I'm fairly certain Judge Tunis will tear up his license by spring.
In his mind he believes violent games are murder simulaters and will turn people on too violence.
He feels playing Mass Effect will not make people want to have sex, not a sex or a rape simulater by any stretch.
Makes sense.
either 1) Jack Thompson is only out to get TakeTwo
OR
2) Thompson's issue with Bully and GTA is these are modern settings... Mass Effect gets a pass because it's clearly Sci-Fi.
My money is on option 1.
/popcorn
I completely agree with you. This simply shows that JT has a personal vendetta that is really against Take Two and R*. You could possibly link it in with FPS and human on human violence, but I personally won't make that leap. There just isn't enough information to make it.
All of us know JT is far from an ally to gamers.
Maybe this is Jack backlashing against Fox News because HE wasn't invited or setup as the expert versus Cooper Lawrence? Just a thought.
First off, the commentor was a woman, not a man, and him going off about them being misinformed is appropriately ironic.
Secondly, JT is almost always misinformed about the games he crusades against, also ironic for him to lambast someone else for it.
Thirdly, him being critical about someone going on a new program and not knowing what they are talking about is equally ironic, as he does that all the time. In fact he considers those as ''victories" for him.
Fouthly, after the whole Sims 2 controversy he created, he has no room to say that any unfounded controvery is rediculous.
Jack, Satan called. He needs about a dozen heaters down there.
its not rockstar, gang based, rap or gore based.
"Jack just doesn’t want someone else stealing his limelight. He isnt defending anything at all, he just wants headlines to himself."
*Hooah!*
If that's not Jack, he's done his homework.
Seems alittle akin to the character at the end of the book '1984'.
OK, you're going to have to clarify that. There were alot of characters at the end of '1984'.
Also, it's been a few years since I read it.
Also, it seems like Jack is more concerned about violence then sexuality in the games. Mass Effect really doesn't have THAT much violence in it. At least no more then Star Wars and less then James Bond. After that, he probably saw the video's when the game was first released.
I think that the main difference between the people who try and villianize the game and those who shrug it off as nothing is what they thing the video is of.
The detractors think it is an ad, a sample of what the game has. 'All this and more can be yours' type thing, meant to hint at what you get when you play the game.
The people who realize that it isn't much know that is ALL there is. That movie is ALL the sex in the entire game. The worst sexual content in the game is FREE and AVAILABLE to watch on YouTube. Most of the clips don't even have the objectional content flag, you don't even have to click an "Over 18" button to see it.
*News Flash* Most people saw the Mass Effect sex scene at work without even violating company policy within a day or two of the games release. Shows that ARE marketted to kids for reviewing games, and during prime time, have shown the scene, and only blurred out about 2 seconds of the whole clip just to stay on the safe side of censors.
I notice that he blasts the male panel member but not the host OR Copper Lawrence, no, just the random schmuck the pulled on. I guess he figures if he bashes FOX news folks he won't be invited back on. I have to laugh at him mocking other folks for not knowing what they are talking about when it comes to games. Man....how many times has he been down THAT road eh?
I also find it odd that he blasts the upcoming GTA as a murder simulator yet mentions nothing about Mass Effects FPS play.
He's playing it safe in hope to keep his career...nothing more.
Very true.
@All
Makes one wonder, does he let his son play Mass Effect at all? And if so, then he should also let him play Halo 3 out of all fairness.
Hang on.. What's the US rating on Mass Effect?
I suspect that, as we all (Jack included) await the report of Judge Tunis, Jack's gone into a lower-profile holding pattern. He's been unusually quiet (relatively) since his hearing concluded. Could it have finally dawned on him that he's going to get dinged with at least a 3-year suspension, after which he'll be required to prove "rehabilitation" before the Bar'll reinstate him? He's not the brightest star in the night sky, but I'd like to think that even he can see the writing on the wall. So, he may have concluded that it's one of two roads: (1) continue to be the Jack Thompson we all know and love and kiss any chance of reinstatement good-bye or (2) finally start to act with some semblance of a rational human being sufficient to carry the "proof of rehabilitation" burden.
Can the leopard change it spots? Hmmm.
This rationalism must be new, considering the crap he pulled with "Bully" way back when.
I'd disagree with Jack being more preoccupied with violence than with sex. When the Hot Coffe sotry first broke in GTA:SA, he was one of first peopel to rush to condemn it.
As far as violence goes, Halo 3's violence level probably wasn't that much more than Mass Effect's and was also on par with Star Wars, but that didn't stop him from condemning it and trying to get it listed as a public nuisance days before it was released.
No, Jack's dismissing of Mass Effect is simply because he was not involved with it. He was not asked to appear on FOX to discuss it, and in his mind he's got bigger fish to fry in the form of Take 2 and Rockstar. Also as has been pointed out, he's in deep doo-doo with his law license and he doesn't want to focus any undue attention on himself.
lol, you are probably right. He doesn't like that someone else stole his spotlight.
JT: "There can be only one!" - lops off head of Fox news reporter.
Harmageddon is near peoples!
I think he knows the game is just not an easy target to attack, so he doesn't bother with it. Probably the whole backed by M$ & EA thing.
I bet he's laughing his ass off reading these comments right now.
Complete & utter over-exaggerated nonsense. Australia on average bans about one or two games annually and looking at the number of classifications handed out to games over the last few years (over 1000) it's really an insignificant number. Although I despise censorship and the classification system for games is obviously severely handicapped, Britain bans about the same number of films as Australia does games. Games are routinely banned, censored or simply not submitted for a rating in places such as Singapore or Germany. Comparing Australia to countries such as those is just plain ignorant. Mass Effect was released totally uncut in Australia with a 15+ rating and there has been absolutely no controversy regarding it. You forgot to mention New Zealand which has banned Postal 2, Manhunt and Reservoir Dogs. Censorship exists within every nation on Earth, even the USA, so before you go spouting your mouth off insulting other nations why don't you take a look at your own?
Sure government imposed censorship in regards to media isn't rife, but because of the sheer prudish nature of Americans, self censorship is all over the place. American TV is arguably the most censored in the Western world, you have retailers, publishers and console manufactures preventing developers from creating truly adult games. You have retailers and theatres treating MPAA ratings as though they carry legal restrictions. You also have the government telling you it's OK to own a gun and go to war before your 21, but you can't buy or drink alcohol WTF? Self-censorship is far more lethal because there is nothing to prevent it from stepping over the line and in the end the consequences are far worse. Sorry buddy but the USA isn't any more free than any other Western nation. I'd hate to bring you back into the real world for a second but, in the end it doesn't matter whether it's self-censorship or government censorship, the end result is exactly the same. Your precious Bill of Rights doesn't mean anything when non-government organizations are playing the de-facto censor role.
What you fail to realize is that the majority of games with extreme content do get released in Australia totally uncut. For example, Gears of War, Saints Row, GTA San Andreas, Doom 3, Resident Evil 4, The Suffering (1& 2), God of War (1 & 2), Killer7, The Warriors, Condemned: Criminal Origins, True Crime NYC, Dead Rising, Mortal Kombat (all games to date), SOF 1 & 2, Mass Effect, The Darkness, Fahrenheit, the Hitman games and plenty of others have all been released in Australia with a 15+ rating. Which is lower than what they have been released with in the USA, Britain or New Zealand. Most of these games have been banned or censored in Germany and not even submitted for a rating in places like Singapore.
In all honestly, the whole "Australia bans everything" is a statement often spouted off by ignorant journalists and people like you who DON'T ACTUALLY know what you're talking about.
Mate, take a step into the REAL world please and get off of your computer for a day......Americans are no more "free" than Australians. Hey at least our nation doesn't go into turmoil because someone's boob gets shown on TV.
While I do agree with alot of the things you say, there is such a thing called being nice.You can make your point, but don't make too much of an impact with you 2 cents. Not many people like the feeling of get a speech from somone who sounds like a douch to them.
Anyway, adamJ kind of hit it on the spot. Compared to other coutries, America is kind of a censorholic, one "offencive" thing and the fur flys. Don't even get me started on seperaton of church and state, I personly think that we are doing a BAD job on that.
Note: got to go no time to spell check.
Alanis Morissette was right all along...
there is hope for planet earth yet...
Still, I couldn't help but notice how he said "the *guy* who shot his mouth off on Fox News... what the hell *he* was talking about..."
Either he was talking about Kevin McCullough and not Fox News, it's a jibe at Geoff Keighley, or it's a misprint. It's probably the latter, and I'm probably just looking to closely, but you never know what a lawyer would do.
Or it might be the case that Jack Thompson finally saw some sense to play though the game before bashing it...
Or maybe Jack has gone so insane that he is starting to contradict himself.
I am sure that if Mass Effect was anything like GTA or perhaps made by Rockstar or published by Take Two, perhaps Jack Thompson would have bashed the game without even playing it himself...
But this is really surprising, or just a publicity stunt that old Jack is trying to get some credibility back from those who bailed on him after his loss from Bully case.
Doctor: Nurse, prep the defibrulator, we got a heart attack here!!!
Nurse: *pulls out defibrulator* Ready in 3-2-1...
Doctor: CLEAR! *shocks patient*
*heart monitor beeps twice, then resumes siren*
Doctor: Nurse, push up the power!
Nurse: Power up! Ready in 3-2-1...
Doctor: CLEAR!!! *shocks patient, reviving him* Phew! What happened boy?
Patient: Jack Thompson defended video games!
*Doctor suffers heart attack and the process is repeated...*
-----This is my reaction to the story....
Either Thompson doesn't like Fox News, or this is a sign of the Apocolypse.
Be on the lookout for Bush declaring War on 3 more countries. For Bubonic Plague and/or Aids to wipe out whole cities, for unexplained deaths of billions of dollars worth of crops, and for people to spontaneously kick the bucket.
Either that or look out for more criticism of Fox News from Jack.
After all how could anyone who is not completely blind and deaf mistake Ms. Lawrence for a dude? Moreover the show has a hostess so he cant even skate by with that angle. Food for thought...
BTW: regarding countries that ban video games, Singapore would be my guess for #1.
Sorry that my sarcasm was lost on you.
Possibly attention seeking, who knows?
Well... okay, maybe the man is trying to impress the judge. I don't know. But the man DOES have some sanity after all, and that is cause for a beer (or a Pepsi).
I'll guess for the record that he HAD seen the scene in question, unlike Lawrence.
Or maybe he doesn't like seeing a bigger douche than himself?
Well, either way, the sanity won't last long.
Cookie to whoever gets that reference.
then again maybe he's not as raving as usual
He has more of a personal vendetta against Rockstar and Take Two. Otherwise God of War or possibly 25 to life would get mentioned.
It's more liek he has a problem with a game when it's conveniently for him
Would that reference be Scrooge or the Grinch?
well done Jack :)
Wow.
Aside from irony and hypocrisy, I don't know what's going on here @_@
"Hello, Pot. It's me, Kettle. Sorry to be calling so late. I hope I didn't wake you, but I felt I needed to let you know as soon as possible. You're black."
Just thought I'd toss that in there for flavor =P
Not really, but that move was unexpected.
Gotta be a clone. Or an alternate dimension JT. Or something!
then HELL has really frozen over.
and altair i get it.
News at 11
Maybe that's his strategy, gamers won't play games that he endorses!
I guess I wont see you guys when i get back, probably just a few horse riders, 4 in fact… death, pestilence, war, all buds.
All these signs have convinced me that the end is nigh, the gaming community actually liking EA, Nintendo shares falling b...
lolwut?