Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

December 8, 2008 -

Last week, GamePolitics reported that a soon-to-be-released drug dealing game for the iPhone had been renamed in an apparent effort to win App Store approval. Drug Lords, developed by a-steroids, had its name changed to the less offensive Underworld.

Despite new title, the mother of a British heroin user wants the game banned, according to UK tabloid the Daily Star. Thelma Packard's daughter Amy has been in a coma for seven years after dabbling with heroin as a 17-year-old. Mrs. Packard told the newspaper:

My daughter’s life has been ruined by drugs. If this game is allowed to come out, impressionable kids will play it and Amy’s mistake will be repeated over and over again. Youngsters like Amy are exactly the people who download and play games like this on their mobiles.

I just want to help other families avoid the nightmare that’s wrecked mine.

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Comments

Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by Derovius on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 12:55.

Absolutely its the parents fault, especially if the child still lives at home. She should have been locked in said cage as well, atleast a cage without heroin.

Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by NovaBlack on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 11:59.

according to UK tabloid the Daily Star. Thelma Packard's daughter Amy has been in a coma for seven years after dabbling with heroin as a 17-year-old.

Firstly - the daily star - let me just say.. credibility... HAHAHAHAH... This is the paper that features stories on 'sex killer video games degrade women' whilst having naked pictures of women called 'stella' or 'roxy' on page 3 with their clothes off.

secondly - im sorry , why isnt this story headlined 'time travel , its possible!' because this mother seems to think that the girl in the coma somehow obtained a copy of this game with a time machine, played it before it was made, and that made her get addicted to drugs... oh.. no.. wait.. she isnt saying that.. Oh.. in that case it seems that sometimes a drug addict DOES NOT NEED MEDIA TO INFLUENCE THEM to becoming a drug addict. Some people CHOOSE to enter a world of drugs, and as a result of those bad decisions end up addicted. Im sorry but there is nobody to 'blame' for that. Take personal responsibility, and stop looking to find the next scapegoat that alegedly is the 'cause' of things like drug addicts and crime. PEOPLE are the cause. nothing more nothing less. Why do people always have to have been 'caused' by something to commit crime, or 'caused' by something to take drugs. Sometimes peope just do things because they WANT to do it.

Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by zel on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 12:23.

Ya you nailed it i think, she's worried about a game whereas her daughter most likely caved in to peer pressure or curiosity.

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Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by zel on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 11:52.

Ohh ya, thats how the world should work, i'm offended, BAN IT! *sigh*

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Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by DaMirrorLink on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 16:16.

Whats next, we ban mario kart cause drunk drivers playing it? It'll give kids the impression that its ok to throw turtle shells at other cars!

Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by Kajex on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 18:09.

Well hell, I don't want to get a blue turtle shell trashing my trunk just because I'm ahead of everybody. That thing SUCKS. x_x;

Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by Doomsong on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 07:52.

But you have to admit... the Bullet Bill comes in handy when you're late for work.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - Benjamin Franklin

Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by DeepThorn on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 13:00.

This is funny if anything.

1. She was almost an adult, and made a poor adult decision. That is her own fault, and slightly her parents for not raising her to know better.

2. Of course it is going to happen again and again, but the game will have no affect on that at all. Either way it will keep happening. Kids are poorly parented, make poor choices, and pay the price.

3. Protecting the stupid from their stupid actions destroys natural selection. Though that is cruel, it is true. People should not be protected from themselves. This game should have a requirement, if it doesnt already, to limit sales to people over the age of 18, but that is Apple and the developer's problem, not the governments. If the parents don't want them to have this game, then they shouldn't buy an iPhone for their kids, or pay attention and be more of a part of their child's life. Natural selection happens though, and sometimes it is unfair. Sometimes our brightest and kindest minds are taken from us. Then we have Steven Hawkings who may not have done what he has in is life if it wasnt for his illness.

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Re: Heroin Victim's Mom Wants iPhone Drug Dealing Game Banned

Submitted by Derovius on Mon, 12/08/2008 - 12:56.

I'm offended! BAN ZEL!

Shout box

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm

Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm

Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm

Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm

james_fudge: I think Evan killed it. He's a great guy and super smart.10/17/2014 - 6:38pm

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