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Manhunt 2 one step closer to British unbanning
In America, it was quite the saga getting Manhunt 2 from AO-rated, system-excluded game an eventual, mediocre M-rated release. In Great Britain, though, the battle to get the game released continues to this day, though it is moving in Rockstar's direction.GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that Rockstar has won its appeal of the BBFC's decision to refuse the game classification by a four to three vote. The game's not out of the woods yet, though -- the BBFC could still continue to defend it decision through further appeal to the High Court. "We won't make a decision until we've seen the full printed judgement," a BBFC spokesperson told GI.biz.
Henry Jenkins sounds off on Spencer Halpin's 'Moral Kombat'
Who is Henry Jenkins, you might ask? You should be ashamed for not knowing. Henry Jenkins is a gentleman and a scholar. He's a professor of Comparative Media Studies at MIT, and is a widely renowned expert on the effects of video games on the people who play them. He's also an interviewee in Spencer Halpin's Moral Kombat, a new documentary about the debates surrounding violent video games, which Jenkins heralds as "perhaps the most important film ever made about video games."Yes, we know there was quite a bit of backlash to the film's trailer which popped up early this year due to it's anti-violent game stance and, you know, its blaming of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on video games. But according to a recent blog entry on Jenkins' personal site, the film is much more balanced than the trailer makes it out to be.The film apparently gave a number of big names on both sides of the debate (Jack Thompson, Jason Della Rocca, Joseph Lieberman, and American McGee, to name a few) ample time to discuss their opinions in a relatively laid-back setting -- a jarringly different environment from the media circus-style debates that we've become rather accustomed to. This is the major strength of the film, according to Jenkins -- "we are all served by getting a taste of the complexity with which these matters get discussed behind closed doors within the gaming world."Read - Why You Should See Spencer Halpin's Moral Kombat (Part One)Read - Why You Should See Spencer Halpin's Moral Kombat (Part Two)
Perfect Shot is perfect fodder for hysterical headlines
If, like the Washington Post, you expect hysteria to reign over the Zapper, just wait until the mainstream press catches a glimpse of Nyko's contribution to the ever-growing pile of third-party alternatives.The "Perfect Shot" is the most gun-like shell we've seen to date, a world away from the Zapper's unoffending curves and thoroughly un-gun-like appearance. And we'd bet our very last cent on it provoking outraged bleating from the press (and perhaps even a certain lawyer), who will no doubt make gossamer-thin links between a plastic toy and real-life violence in the process.So, in a Wii Fanboy world exclusive, we're going to beat them to the punch: if you want to train your child to be a cold-blooded, callous killer, you can pick up the Nyko Perfect Shot for just $13 on Amazon from December 24, and raise a murderer.
Rockstar's British appeal begins for Manhunt 2
Official proceedings began today for Rockstar's appeal to the British Board of Film Classification, regarding their refusal to rate the Wii version of Manhunt 2, effectively barring the game from release in the UK. GamesIndustry.biz provides coverage of the appeal. Geoffrey Robertson, representing Rockstar Games, opened the proceedings with his statement, claiming that the BBFC are "ignorant of the gaming experience," and might as well be called "the British Board of Videogame Censors."Robertston further accused the Video Appeals Committee of having never even played video games, to which one panel member reportedly responded that some of them actually had (to which we say: only some of them?). Robertson argued that the BBFC is more concerned with their own image than anything else.Rockstar has clearly come out with fists flying for the appeal. It remains to be seen if the aggressive strategy will prove effective in allowing the lackluster Manhunt 2 to find its way to British Wii's.
Washington Post expects Wii Zapper backlash, too gun-like
The Wii Zapper/Link's Crossbow Training bundle drops tomorrow -- a relatively surreptitious release considering some of the other holiday giants coming out this week. However, something tells us that the political backlash to Nintendo's kinda-gun-shaped-but-not-really peripheral will be anything but furtive -- and Washington Post writer Monica Hesse agrees.In her article, she gives a brief history of toy guns, and how the Zapper fits into the grand saga of controversial faux weaponry. Some of her sources are firmly opposed to the idea of bringing a gun attachment to the otherwise kid-friendly system, but we feel that 14-year-old Damian Crisafulli's response to paranoid parents is the most insightful soundbite in the whole story: "It's plastic that clips to a video game controller." Well said, Damian.[Via GamePolitics]
Getting enthralled, or getting to bed?
WoW tends to be a night time activity for most people, many of whom find that it's surprisingly easy to move from one objective to another and lose track of time until the wee hours of the morning. Some people I know sometimes stay up most of the night playing WoW, only to get an hour or two of sleep before whatever they have to do the next day. They're young and they say they make up that sleep at other times, but still, no one would argue that this sort of situation is ideal. A recent study reported by CNN says they're not alone. People who play MMORPGs tend to sleep less and spend more time playing than players of other computer games. It may seem obvious, since MMOs are by nature somewhat of a time-sink, but there is undeniably something more to it; any activity can potentially be a time-sink, after all -- so what is it about MMOs that makes people actually sink time? The answer is up for debate, of course, but one important factor is that WoW's community of players gives the accomplishments within the game a context of reality. The game's goals, dangling in front of us like carrots, would be nearly meaningless if we could only appreciate them in a single-player context, but with a whole realm of other players working alongside us to get them too, they can feel very important. If the choice is between a few hours having dreams you won't remember, or getting a little closer to riding an impressive dragon mount, then certainly sleep can seem boring and useless by comparison.
Soldier of Fortune: Payback thinks it's okay to play with dolls
Ragdolls, that is. Brought to you by the creepy kids who tore the arms off their action figures, Soldier of Fortune: Payback declares war on subtlety, good taste and the important bits that keep your limbs connected to the rest of your body. The brief video above is demonstration enough of the game's absurd level of violence, don't you think? Its composition of gory decomposition should give the ESRB a grand old time and players a hearty chuckle -- proof that over-the-top, Verhoeven-esque violence is still funny... or that years of desensitization have turned us into heartless murder machines. We just don't know, Jack.What we do know is that if Soldier of Fortune: Payback is anything like its predecessors, utterly generic gameplay won't stop it from surfing a bloody torso all the way into the spotlight. (Like it just did when we posted this video!)
Wii Zapper creates a ruckus
Some people will complain about anything.We here at Wii Fanboy may have mixed feelings about the Wii Zapper, but there's one thing that we're pretty sure none of us has thought about: its potential in training children to becoming ultimate killing machines. Apparently, however, that's exactly what some people are thinking upon seeing different versions of the lightgun-like setup. The New Jersey Star-Ledger's Parental Guidance blog's most recent Question of the Week centered around the attachment, and it seems to have some folks alarmed. One commenter said, "I think it's irresponsible for Wii to come out with a controller that looks like a gun so kids can play games simulating shooting. What kind of message are we sending as parents when we buy these things for our kids?"What we didn't see was any mention of previous lightguns -- like, say, the one for the NES -- or laser tag, or paintball, or any other item that might involve simulated gunplay. Instead, we see a lot of mention of children and guns, and while we don't know the rating yet on the accessory's pack-in title, Link's Crossbow Training, the other games slated for use with the Wii Zapper are (or probably will be) rated Teen or Mature. Last time we checked, that meant they weren't for children. We know it's hard for some people to separate the idea of video games and children, but considering the vast (and ever-increasing) number of adult gamers, we can only hope that eventually, the outspoken, uneducated nongaming minority will realize that not all video games and accessories are for kids. We might also add the neither the NES zapper nor the existence of paintball have thus far destroyed the world, but we'll keep an eye for signs of the apocalypse.[Thanks, Andrew!]
UK PM calls for violent media review
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a wide-ranging review of media violence, including video games, at his monthly press conference Tuesday. Brown said he hoped the review would lead not to state censorship of violent and pornographic content, but instead to a voluntary agreement between content providers and parents to protect children."This is not the government telling people what they should do ... this is society reaching a conclusion with all those people involved about what are the legitimate boundaries," Brown said. "I think we have got to look at this as a society. I hope this is one of the areas where there can be common ground between all parties."The review comes after a similar call to curb media violence by Conservative leader David Cameron. "We are never going to deal with crime unless we look at the broader context ... and that includes, I think, video games and things like that where we do need to think of the context in which people are growing up," Cameron said last week. With new parliamentary elections possibly coming as early as this fall, media violence is shaping up to be a serious point of contention, with both sides trying to prove they're more serious about the problem.[Via Gamasutra]
Star Jones video game violence segment
GamePolitics gave us the heads-up on Thursday, now they got the video as well. Above you'll find the segment from the Star Jones Show on CourtTV about video game violence. Jones uses a Columbine student, Leland Yee and an attorney for the video game industry to tell the tale. It's still weird to hear that the Columbine shooters were fans of "violent video games," weren't they just fans of violence? Fans of violence with full-blown arsenals at their disposal -- but that's the point of another story.Check out the segment and please try to avoid stating the obvious in the comments -- yes, Jones definitely needs to put on a few more pounds again. Please let's keep in on topic.
Star Jones talks video game violence at 3PM EST on CourtTV
Get your recording device of choice ready and upload it to YouTube as soon as you can! Former View host Star Jones -- who looks like an entirely different person now -- will be discussing video game violence and legislation on her new CourtTV show at 3PM Eastern.Leland Yee will will be on the show, who was one of the architects of the destined-to-fail game legislation supported by Gov. Schwarzenegger. No word yet who else will be on the show as Jones' website hasn't even been updated, but GamePolitics got the scoop.
Crytek threatens to leave Germany over violent game laws
Lines are beginning to be drawn in Germany's developing war on game violence. In a translated interview with Welt Online Far Cry and Crysis developer Crytek said they might leave the country if proposed anti-game-violence laws come into effect.In May, Germany's interior ministers unanimously approved a measure that would ban the production and distribution of violent games in the country. A less drastic version, currently working its way through Germany's Ministry of Family Affairs, would merely limit the advertising of such games and their sale to children.If the full ban was passed, Crytek founder Avni Yerli said the company would probably relocate rather than change their focus to less violent games. Yerli mentioned the company's branch office in Budapest as a possible new location, and said the company has entreaties from economic ministers in England, Scotland, Austria and Singapore.As the only internationally competitive game company in Germany, Crytek's departure would be a major blow to the country's burgeoning game industry. With the Leipzig Games Convention bringing in 200,000 industry luminaries, the German government might want to consider the economic impact of any planned legislation before moving forward.[Via Develop]
Foxy Brown allegedly assaults neighbor with BlackBerry
Joining the growing list of celebrities who can't quit using their cellphones to beat up on others is Foxy Brown, who was recently "charged with assault and possession of a weapon" after allegedly hitting a neighbor with her BlackBerry. Of course, this isn't the first time Foxy's temper has flared up, but when she was confronted over the volume of her stereo system, the handset came out (a few days later, mind you) for purposes other than texting, talking, or capturing the impending battle for future viewing. So, you may be wondering how much damage a flung BlackBerry can do, and if that's the case, here's your answer: the victim was left with a cut lip and a loose tooth.
Bill O'Reilly and guests talk Cali. game ban
The recently-overturned California law banning violent games sales to minors came under the gaze of one of America's most prominent TV personalities last night. The "Is It Legal?" segment on last night's episode of The O'Reilly Factor saw Bill O'Reilly and two guests briefly discussing the decision and the issue of game violence in general.First up was legal analyst Lis Wiehl, who actually defended the decision to overturn the law because, as written, the statute is overly broad. "You can drive a truck through this statute," Wiehl said. "Pac-Man is violent under this statute."Lawyer and politician Jeanine Pirro was having none of it, siding with Governor Schwarzenegger and the California legislature. "[They] can prove a causal relationship between seeing videos of violence and aggressive behavior, especially in the frontal lobe," Pirro said. Funny, we thought that the frontal lobe was usually associated with thoughts, not behavior per se.After a brief shouting match between the panelists, O'Reilly implied through a question that the rating board's decision should be good enough for these games. Despite this, after some more cross talk, O'Reilly comes down on Pirro's side. "If it's OK for the movies it should be OK for the video games," he said. One problem though ... there's no law regulating violent content in movies. So why should there be one for video games, then? Maybe just so O'Reilly will have a chance to call someone a "pinhead judge."
France planning to 'triple' CCTV surveillance capacity
At least those residing in the UK can breathe a momentary sigh of relief, as it's not the only locale where the amount of surveillance drones is quickly approaching the number of citizens. Reportedly, French interior minister Michele Alliot-Marie recently announced that the government is planning to "triple" the existing CCTV surveillance capacities across the country, "with a view to curb the risks of terrorism and acts of violence." Beyond just bumping the amount of eyes scanning for troublemakers, she also suggested that the network of systems be more tightly connected in order to effectively "protect the French people and enable them to move freely without fearing for their lives or property." Of course, we're sure there's quite a few citizens who'd have beef with the whole "moving freely sans fear" tidbit, no?[Via The Raw Feed]
Romney on the evils of game retailers
We must be getting closer to elections if presidential hopefuls are beating the drum about game retailers and stricter laws again. This time it's Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney who's struggling to take the family-friendly line. While his rhetoric on games is empty and uninformed, it will probably strike a chord with parents, as it makes for a tasty soundbite: "It's time to clean up the water in which our kids are swimming," he said. "I've proposed that we enforce our obscenity laws again and that we get serious against those retailers that sell adult video games that are filled with violence, that we go after those retailers," he said.It's unfortunate that the truth doesn't get more votes, because we'd love to see another candidate (any one will do) fire back with some of the statistics on exactly who's buying all these video games. Here's a hint: it's usually not the kids who are wielding the credit cards during game purchases. There are protections in place for children -- parental controls on consoles, rating systems, current laws -- and considering that only 17% of game purchases are performed by children, it seems that more laws, stricter punishments, and whatever else Romney could come up with would be a waste of resources. Until we can convince parents to take a more active role in monitoring the activities of their children, the current system is just fine.That doesn't make much of a clip for the news networks, however.[Via Game|Life]
Manhunt 2 looks a lot more fun since the ESRB incident
It appears that rather than attempting to appeal the ESRB's AO rating, Rockstar has decided to lose some of the violent content from Manhunt 2. In fact, they've gotten it all the way down to E. In our opinion, the changes seem to be for the better. We play games about killing dudes all the time. But when was the last time you played a game where, using the Nintendo Wii's innovative motion controller, you held someone down and forced them to take an adorable puppy? Never, that's when. This is the kind of thing we want to play-- creepily-intense-niceness simulators. Put us down for one copy.... yeah, we know. [Via Level Up]
Friday Video: Passion burns and danger calls
We'll admit it: the video in this week's spotlight is a bit of a stretch, but bear with us and we think you'll agree that it's simply perfect. With this week's controversy over Manhunt 2, our colleagues over at GayGamer decided to delve into the history of controversial games, and they've dubbed this Night Trap week. Night Trap was an FMV-based game starring Dana Plato that is infamous for its overacting and horrible scenes. No, wait ... that's just our opinion now. At the time, Night Trap was considered sexist, ultra-violent, and downright shameful. My, how far we've come. Night Trap seems far less horrific than the slasher films we grew up watching, and these days, this sort of "violence" would be considered laughable in games. Check out this little slice of history after the jump.
Law & Order game pulled from shelves, image of murdered child to blame
The PC game Law & Order II: Double or Nothing has been withdrawn from retail shelves, due to the inclusion of a CCTV image of James Bulger, a two-year-old who was abducted and brutally murdered in England in 1993.Sky News reports that the image appears on a bulletin board in the game's police station, as seen above, and the murder case is directly referred to by one of the detective characters during gameplay. The victim's mother, Denise Fergus, recently became aware of the inclusion of the image, and complained to Legacy Interactive, the California-based developer responsible for the Law & Order games.According to GamesIndustry, Legacy has since issued a formal apology to the Bulger family, and has release a patch to remove the image from the game. They also promise to remove the photo from future printings of the title. Law & Order II: Double or Nothing was originally released in the UK and US in 2003.[Via Evil Avatar]
Manhunt 2 under fire, watchdog demands AO rating for Wii version
When it rains, it pours for Take Two Interactive and Rockstar. Most likely inspired by the UK's rejection of the game, the Center for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) released a press release this morning, calling for the ESRB to give the Wii version of Manhunt 2 an Adults-Only rating.Game Politics reports that the press release was sent at the same time as a letter to ESRB president Patricia Vance. Both the letter and the press release call out the Wii version of the ultra-violent sequel for allowing players to act out forms of brutality using the Wii remote. The AO rating guarantees failure for any video game, as many mainstream retail stores refuse to carry titles bearing the Adults-Only symbol.It's also worth noting that the PS2 and PSP versions of Manhunt 2 were not brought up by the CCFC, so it can be assumed that the standard control methods of these versions do not warrant a similar rating, by the CCFC's logic.
