Is... is it over?

[HazelrahFiver]

I know what the OP is saying, but his view is lacking somewhat. It's true that less and less controversy is being created by the news media about video games. It was a popular topic to complain about, in order to fill time and fill out political agendas, but the reality is that the vast majority truly did not care. Therefore, the trend of complaints are dying away. The longer the desire to whip of a controversial story about something exists, the greater the apparent danger to society that thing must represent. In other words, it's going to take a game that is ridiculously offensive AND truly marketed toward children to get the wheels spinning again. Dora the Explorer's Rape Adventure would be an example.

I need a cleansing shower now.

P.S. In half a year when no one cares about that game, just imagine what it will take the next go 'round.

 

[Richardplex]

Duke Nukem Forever (a children's video game that encourages misogyny, swearing, violence, casual sex, substance abuse and gambling.)

Catherine (a children's cartoon video game in which the main character encourages children to sleep around and get drunk.)

I head some shit when Duke's multiplayer was announced, woman activists were appalled that he would slap them.

And Catherine got a little attention right after its box art was revealed.

In both of those cases the games haven't sold a huge number of copies so I don't think FOX really cares enough to make shit up. Besides they completely missed out on the Norway guy saying he played Modern Warfare as part of his training regiment.

As for LA I think they believe it is just a movie exclusive for consoles.

From what I heard DNF sold well, but wasn't well received.

OT: I don't know about America, but in England it's still here. Some terrible-yet-popular newspaper was trying to appeal to get MW3 banned based on the train crash in the trailer, because of the bombings I-don't-know-when ago. Ignoring the fact that there was no research done into '3ngland' with the size of the train tunnels - no way a truck could drive side by side with a train here.

 

[Starp]

It's true that less and less controversy is being created by the news media about video games. It was a popular topic to complain about, in order to fill time and fill out political agendas, but the reality is that the vast majority truly did not care. Therefore, the trend of complaints are dying away. The longer the desire to whip of a controversial story about something exists, the greater the apparent danger to society that thing must represent. In other words, it's going to take a game that is ridiculously offensive AND truly marketed toward children to get the wheels spinning again. Dora the Explorer's Rape Adventure would be an example.

I appreciate that at least some people who aren't interested in games don't see them as devil machinations, but as long as at least 1 person does (and I'm sure they'll never completely go away), then it's still too many for my liking. I just hope the current number will go down.

Maybe it's just my world view, as I've spoken to three people recently who don't care about games and they all have the 'toys' mentality, so it just seems like the default opinion to me.

Just to clear things up, I don't need everyone to appreciate games, just to not condemn them based on second-hand opinions.

 

[Not-here-anymore]

Much like raunchy [footnote]I hereby promise to never use the word 'raunchy' ever again[/footnote]novels, rock music, rap, and violent films beforehand, video games are becoming sufficiently mainstream that claiming they're damaging moral standards etc... is meaningless.

Promise me something, escapists - when the next big thing that's guaranteed to corrupt the youths of the era comes about, remember all the times it's happened before, and make an informed decision before decrying it

 

[Deadlock Radium]

The usual fearmongerers (Fox, Daily Mail et al.) have been inordinately quiet these few months.

It's because they're probably too busy filling up the FOX NEWS HATE CANNON with Anders Behring Breivik[footnote]The guy who bombed Oslo and then shot over one hundred youths in a youth camp, killing 70 or so people, and wounding more.[/footnote] related stuffies, like him saying that Modern Warfare 2 was an excellent war simulator that trained him to kill better, or that he avidly played World of Warcraft for several years, talking to like minded people there.

Don't be surprised if Fox suddenly jumps out like a stripper in a cake, pinning everything on games.

 

[Gigano]

I very much doubt this unwholesome American obsession with games and their wholesomeness is over, but those things seem to ebb and flow, and after a lot of coverage of that supreme court thing the media have probably turned its eyes elsewhere for a while.

People who vilify video games generally get their news from the mainstream media, so when it doesn't report on a title, then it doesn't gather any particular controversy.

 

[mexicola]

I think it's just that they had something else to rant about. Once they run out of bullshit and the opportunity arises they will turn to games once again.

 

[l3o2828]

Catherine (a children's cartoon video game in which the main character encourages children to sleep around and get drunk.)

Please, for the love of god, DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE POSTING SHIT LIKE THIS.
Catherine doesn't encourage children to get drunk and have sex with random women, it actually encourages the opposite considering all the shit that happens to the main character for doing exactly that.
and all this games are rather Mature or more. So your argument is totally invalid and silly.

 

[liquidsolid]

Calling these games "children's video games" is like calling Apocalypse Now a "children's movie". These games have ratings very similar to movie ratings which bar children from R rated movies. A parent has the power to buy an R rated movie the same as an M rated game for children.

Fox News has been busy lately what with all the dead children sensationalism and the debt ceiling debate but when things slow down, I'm sure they'll return to 'moral panic' mode.

 

[IronicBeet]

Ehh? - you know these games are usually rated 18 right? - on what planet is LA Noire a kids videogame, and you play as a detective, not a necrophaeliac.

Uh, this. I have no idea where you're getting your facts, OP. None of those games are marketed towards or intended to be played by children, and while I haven't played it, I seriously doubt that L.A. Noire's protagonist molests corpses.

Guys, he's saying this stuff sarcastically. He's mocking news networks like FOX by describing them like that.

 

[Starp]

Ehh? - you know these games are usually rated 18 right? - on what planet is LA Noire a kids videogame, and you play as a detective, not a necrophaeliac.

Uh, this. I have no idea where you're getting your facts, OP. None of those games are marketed towards or intended to be played by children, and while I haven't played it, I seriously doubt that L.A. Noire's protagonist molests corpses.

I will say, I'm quite honoured- seems I'm a better actor than I thought.

 

[Jacob Haggarty]

Kids games? No offence, but how in the name of christ did you draw the conclusion that duke nukem was a kids game?

 

[The Stonker]

Ehh? - you know these games are usually rated 18 right? - on what planet is LA Noire a kids videogame, and you play as a detective, not a necrophaeliac.

I know, I was trying to write it from the perspective of Fox and the like. They seem to think games are exclusively designed to be children's toys, sorry if I didn't make that clear.

Also the 'investigating naked dead body' sections seem like perfect ammo for controversy, maybe I took the hyperbole too far.

And I'd call Limbo at least a bit gory, there is blood, however obscured. And it's rated 18 here in the UK.

Let me do it for you.

"Blah,blah,blah, America is Christian. Blah,blah,blah, VIDEO GAMES ARE THE INFIGUREMENT OF STANLEY! Blah,blah".
See!? Much better.

But you'll get alot of hate and maybe over 90% of video games today are not for kids, but I would let my kid play Duke nukem forever or any of todays games, because I'm a great dad.
I would also give him ice cream and go to the park and then give him a good allowence so he can enjoy being with his friends without feeling poor.
Then I would make him do loads of chores.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

*EDIT*
Since it's clearly not clear enough, the descriptions of the games are satire. I know full well none of those games are intended for children.

I for one was really shocked you had to state that. I thought it was obvious, but thats just me

 

[imnot]

WHat did Fox say about Portal 2?
hyper realistic Robot potato sex sim? or something?

 

[Starp]

WHat did Fox say about Portal 2?
hyper realistic Robot potato sex sim? or something?

Nope- it alienates adopted people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUQYrdgIJuI&feature=player_embedded
*EDIT*
Sorry, that's not Fox, that's just my (hopefully understandable) prejudice. It was actually WBTV. Sorry about that.

 

[Herr Schatz]

When I entered this thread, and saw that people actually thought the OP was calling these children's games... I got a headache, kinda like brain freeze, only much, much worse.