The Daily Mail has published news of the first - but surely not the last - mainstream attack on Sega's upcoming Madworld for the Wii:
Players in the 'hack and slash' game, which is due for a UK release in early 2009, can impale enemies on road signs, rip out hearts and execute them with weapons including chainsaws and daggers.
The decision to release a violent game on a console which has based its reputation on family fun has shocked anti-violence pressure groups.
John Beyer, head of watchdog group Mediawatch-UK, called for a ban on Madworld:
This game sounds very unsavoury. I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification. Without that it cannot be marketed in Britain. What the rest of world does is up to them. We need to ensure that modern and civilized values take priority rather than killing and maiming people.
It seems a shame that the game's manufacturer have decided to exclusively release this game on the Wii. I believe it will spoil the family fun image of the Wii.
An unnamed Nintendo spokesperson told the Daily Mail:
Wii appeals to a wide range of audiences from children and teenagers to adult and senior citizens, anyone from 5 - 95, as such there is a wide range of content for all ages and tastes available. Mad World will be suitably age rated through the appropriate legal channels and thus only available to an audience above the age rating it is given. The game is not made by Nintendo but by Sega.
Comments
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
And a few random phrases being spewed by the targets, such as "I don't feel so good", childish whimpering, and the ever-lovable "Agh, my spleen!"
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Sad really, seems anyone nowadays will jump on the bandwagon of "Violent Games" to get attention. Bet John Beyer felt all big and important when the mail quoted him, how long before they wheel Keith Vaz out of the Parliament trough long enough to complain about this one.
This game will be rated 18 i am sure, which kind of explains itself - if your not 18 you shouldn't be playing the fuggin game. If parents let kids under 18 play them don't bleat as its your fault!
"Without that it cannot be marketed in Britain. What the rest of world does is up to them. We need to ensure that modern and civilized values take priority rather than killing and maiming people."
oh thats alright then, rest of the world can go swivel as Britain is the Utopia of the future, no knife or gun crime here.
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Well yeah. What the the rest of the world does is up to them. British MPs (and other Britsh based insanity groups) should try to make Britain a "better place" (sometimes, like now they should not even attempt that but hey). While that does not mean we should not look at other counties, we should not try and force our values on other counties. The UK does not have as open gun controls as say Greece, but we have not right to try and tell Greece how they should control guns. Or video games. Or anything else.
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Last I checked some of the regulars here are from the UK.
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
I am simply using the terms used in the article. You are correct, this would cover the UK, but Britain and the UK can be used interchangable (unless your Scotish, Welsh or NIsh. ;) )
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
"This game sounds very unsavoury."
There is my problem with the article... Hearsay... "Well someone told me it was horrible"... yes because thats how we decided what should be banned, or what rating it will be given
I personally don't have a clue whether Mad World deserves a ban from the BBFC, I haven't played! I have to trust that the BBFC will put the game through its paces and give it the rating it deserves...
As to the family fun image of Nintendo? Nintendo are a business tat wants to appeal to a wide range of people (including some of us grown ups)... there have been and will continue to be darker, more mature games available on nintendo's consoles... they may be heavily weighted towards happy colourful childlike games at times, but that doesn't mean they are limited to them.
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Judging by the screen shots and descriptions I have read, the violence may be stylized enough to nab an 18 rating.
E. Zachary Knight
http://www.editorialgames.com
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/okceca
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1325674091
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Personally, I'd have thought the comic-booky, "black, white and red feel" would rescue the game from a higher rating. After all, realism is the aspect of gaming everyone seems to be getting so uptight about.
Gift.
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
The intensity may the be real deciding factor between a 15 and an 18 rating here.
E. Zachary Knight
http://www.editorialgames.com
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/okceca
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1325674091
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Well intensity is always the bottom line I guess, but I think the comic book style of this game may be a mitigating factor in the rating process... which is strangely optimistic for me :D
Gift.
Yes, we must ban this game
Yes, we must ban this game for spoiling the fun family image of the Wii.
Then we must go on to ban the Saw movies and anything by Quentin Tarrantino because they ruin the family friendly image of celluloid!
Furthermore, once that is done we must take action to ban every single Stephen King novel from the shelves. These gory tales of horror and the macarbre are ruining the family friendly image of black text on white paper.
Then we must ban music by bands such as Marylin Manson and Panthera as it is ruining the family friendly image of radio!
Once that is complete we can begin the burning of works such as Saturn Eating his Children by Goya. This disturbing image and others like are completely ruining the family friendly image of paintings.
Finally, we can take action to sandblast any cave paintings that show violence toward the buffallo or mammoth, as these aggressive images are ruining the family friendly image of cave paintings.
</Crippling Sarcasm>
Re: Yes, we must ban this game
I would much prefer it if we banned the daily mail.
Re: Yes, we must ban this game
Hear hear!
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Resident Evil and Conker ruined Big N's family friendly image long before this. Not to mention Manhunt 2.
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Don't forget No More Heroes
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Is Manhunt2 out on the Wii in the UK yet? I've not seen it in Game.
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Re: UK Watchdog Group Calls for Ban on Upcoming Madworld
Dear MediaWatch UK