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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Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am
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
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