Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction Education Piece?

July 15, 2009

Recent news that the government of Ontario plans to grant $263 million to assist video game publishing giant Ubisoft in the creation of a game development studio in Toronto has generated a good bit of controversy.

Supporters maintain that Ontario is investing in job creation while critics see a government handout to a company that is profitable, foreign and in the business of creating violent games.

But Brad D. of ExGamer.net looks at the deal from the game addiction perspective. In last week's podcast, Brad comments on the new marriage between Ubisoft game makers and Ontario bureaucrats:

The government of Ontario has just made a massive investment in the firm Ubisoft... When we see massive infusion of cash, let's say in... casinos, we always see that matched with public education programs around the potential dangers of excessive gambling...

 

When I see a quarter-billion dollars being invested by the government in the video game industry, it raises a couple of eyebrows. While I'm thrilled to see jobs in any industry that will be high-paid and lasting, I am concerned that the government is not matching that with some kind of investment in education on the risks of excessive [video game] usage.

Comments

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by godmoney on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 19:56.

In Ubi's defence I've never played any of their games more than 20 hours.  Not every game company is publishing WoW.

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by Wormdundee on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 17:39.

Well, as soon as this guy ponies up the cash for educating us on the dangers of sitting on a couch for too long I'll be right with him.

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by GoodRobotUs on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 14:52.

So if a Movie company joined, should it also be accompanied by a huge run about the 'dangers' of movies?

I have no problem with pressing the use of the ESRB system etc, but to treat them like they are a casino or a tobacco manufacturer (again) is totally out of the question.

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by Rodrigo Ybáñez ... on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 13:10.

At the end of the note on EXgamer, you can read: "There are no comments posted yet"...

Nuff´ said. I´m tired of people thinking that if have some problem, then everybody should have the same problem, or even care.

The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by londinio on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 12:28.

I hope this violent videogame crap boils over. Schwarzeneggar you son of a bitch. This is NOT what we need right now.


Freedom of Speech douchebag. Go f* yourself.

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by Bigman-K on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 16:38.

Wrong story buddy.

 "No law means no law" - Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black on the First Amendment

"No law means no law" - Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black on the First Amendment

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by Murdats on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 10:40.

"I am concerned that the government is not matching that with some kind of investment in education on the risks of excessive [video game] usage."

uh, the posibility of bed sores? what risk does gaming pose that tv or lying in bed all day does not? except for phycological trauma at the hands of american children with microphones, but tv already matches that with over sized budgets in the hands of immature moronic producers

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by Neeneko on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 10:02.

I am pondering the massive RLUIPA driven land deals we have had in the US over the last 2 decades and got this warm fuzzy image of churches having to support education on the dangers of exessive religion....

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by jedidethfreak on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 09:23.

Doesn't the ESA have public service announcements on this already?

---

Freedom of speech means the freedom to say ANYTHING, so long as it is the truth. This does not exclude anything that might hurt someone's feelings.

--- With the first link, the chain is forged.

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by MechaTama31 on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 09:04.

So...  Video games are addictive in the same way gambling is, and the government is obligated to educate everybody of the dangers of anything they put money into?  Those are two mighty shaky premises, there...

Re: Should Ontario-Ubi Deal Include Game Addiction ...

Submitted by Charax on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 10:29.

He's a blogger. He has no need to include facts or make truthful statements, he can just spout whatever he likes.

Besides, if he admits that the premise that video games are addictive is a shakey one and the medical and scientific proof is against him, then that rather defeats the whole point of his "I'm an ex-addict, Look at me! My opinions matter!" blog, doesn't it?

 
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