Gearbox Talks Supreme Court Videogame Trial, Says Gaming's “Bullies” Need to Step Aside
Gearbox Talks Supreme Court Videogame Trial, Says Gaming's “Bullies” Need to Step Aside
Posted 10/25/2010 at 8:48pm
| by Nathan Grayson
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For those who've been out of the loop for the past few months, videogames have come under fire again. Shocking, we know. This 4858272052nd verse, however, isn't quite the same as the first. See, the stakes are a fair deal higher. It's the gaming industry versus Arnold Schwarzenegger round two, and this time, we'll be trading blows and ogling ring girls in the hallowed halls of the Supreme Court. Positive precedents or not, the worst case scenario here could result in mature games essentially being labeled as pornography – in all likelihood a one-way ticket off retail shelves, permanently.
Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, of course, knows a thing or two about mature games. As a result, he's of the opinion that we need to send these gaming industry “bullies” packing once and for all.
“Seriously, things like Duke really aren't offending anyone. But some people need to act like they do, for some reason,” he told CVG. “Sometimes people will say: 'You know what, that offends me.' And that's fine. If something offends you, you have to decide how to deal with the the best way you can.”
“But it's when people decide: 'Well that offends me, so now it should offend everyone else. And, in fact, because I think it should offend everyone else, I believe that we should make a rule about such things.' Those people just need to get the f*ck off the bus. That attitude is not helpful to any of us - for anyone to think that they should impose their own morality on anyone else in this world. Those guys just need to go away, and just stop,” he explained.
“Unfortunately, those are the bullies, and we tend to let bullies bully. We need to stop them. We need to get away from those people - certainly take the keys away from them. Do not let them play with the sharp objects.”
Among other things, the ECA's hosting a rally in Washington DC on the day of the hearing. If you're in the area on November 2, it'd be well worth your time to attend. Whether or not it ends up having any effect, you'd still be doing something. Sad to say, this is one battle we can't win by sitting at our computers and clicking on our enemies until they die.
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PCLinuxguy
October 27, 2010 at 12:18am
The real problem is that games have a rating, yet kids and parents' ignore the ratings and then complain when something bad happens as a result. Like the whole "duke offending people' part. If it offends you then don't play it/buy it for your 3 year old. In a way game ratings are useless since no one follows them. I say just make the games and include a legal atatement both on the box and in the game (that you can't skip) making sure it's plain and clearly seen that by playing the game you take full responsibility for it and the developers and such cannot in any way shape or form be held accountable for any wrongdoings or misuse of their product. that'll keep these watchdog parent groups quiet since they don't do anything but complain after letting little timmy the 6 year old play grand theft auto san andreas and kill hookers and cops.
Blues22475
October 27, 2010 at 2:45pm
Dude, that's the best opinion I ever heard on this topic, period.
That's the biggest problem with arguments against games such as that. I remember the whole issue with Mortal Kombat and people wanted something done with games like that. The ESRB (even though it wasn't called that to begin with) came out to remedy this problem. What do people go and do? Ignore the ratings that were MEANT to tell parents "Hey, your kid shouldn't be playing this game." The biggest damn problem is that parents are so oblivious to the fact that we have a mechanism to help keep the younger generation away from games they should be playing.
I really don't know why games are so much more under fire as opposed to the things we see on t.v. today that WORSE than what games are putting out. Games are no different than TV, Movies, Books, and etc. They need moderation just like everything else, and yet people IGNORE the mechanism for that moderation.
Phantom-e
October 26, 2010 at 4:32pm
Arnold? This is comming from a guy whose success in the movie business is based on mostly violence? How is this different than video games? Anyone else see this as hypocracy? Also, the statistics are pretty clear that crime among teens has gone down since video games have become more mainstream. ID's have to be shown to get alcohol, and so the same should be for M rated games, and leave it at that. The government should keep out of it otherwise.
Nickompoop
October 26, 2010 at 12:04pm
"Positive precedents or not, the worst case scenario here could result in mature games essentially being labeled as pornography – in all likelihood a one-way ticket off retail shelves, permanently."
Besides violating the first amendment, all the best games are rated M (with the notable exceptions of Zelda and Metroid). This would seriously piss off, well, pretty much everyone. Arnold Schwarzenegger had better have the decency to lose.
alexc
October 26, 2010 at 11:20am
The ESRB rating right now is a voluntary self regulation just like the MPAA. As far as I know, it is still up to the retailer to enforce the rating system and there are no legal penalties for non-compliance. Major retailers tend to abide by the ESRB ratings to avoid public backlash.
snapple00
October 26, 2010 at 8:06am
If only games would include tons and tons of pornography in them. I rarely want to stop playing Starcraft 2 to watch porn, but sometimes you just have to. You know? And then I come back to playing SC2, and low and behold, I have dropped a few ranks. This is getting rediculous! Give us our in game porno!!
LatiosXT
October 26, 2010 at 7:16am
Call me crazy, but I live in California, and I really don't mind the law that requires ID to be shown while buying M rated games. If we leave it at that, I'm satisfied because I don't see how it restricts one's creative freedom. Anything beyond that, then I will get my pitchfork.
stradric
October 26, 2010 at 5:41am
Randy Pitchford pretty much hit the nail right on the head. These people that try to impose their morality on others need to go away. Steve Jobs and your "freedom from porn", I'm looking at you. All you bible thumpers that base your morality on the bible, go the hell away.
Here's one case where the corporatists on the supreme court might actually be a good thing. I don't see them ruling in favor of morality claims over business profits. This whole thing seems little more than political grandstanding in an election year.
Paladin25
October 26, 2010 at 11:10am
Hey these aren't bible thumpers, these are nut cases from Cali who want to control people's lives. Get it right.
stradric
October 27, 2010 at 8:39am
I was speaking generically. I didn't say "all these bible thumpers...". Pitchford's statement was casting a large net over anyone who wants to impose their own moral code on everyone else. Bible thumpers clearly fit into this category. They want to tell people what sexual acts they can or cannot perform in their bedrooms. They want to tell women that they must give birth regardless of circumstances. They want to tell you who can and cannot get married. It's pretty clear.
vanseters1991
October 26, 2010 at 11:05am
Get your head outta your ass. It isn't "bible thumpers" arguing M rated games. It's dumb, politically correct, liberal, butt fuckers who are so concerned about filling their own pockets and being "everyone's friend" when they're really are nobody's friend although people are far too blind to see it.
stradric
October 27, 2010 at 8:49am
Yes because clearly anyone that disagrees with you has their head up their ass. And clearly conservative Republican Arnold Swarzennegger is a "liberal, butt fucker" too. And clearly you thought about what you were going to say before you spewed it out into your browser in one giant, incoherent, run-on sentence. /sarcasm
Also, as addressed above, I never said bible thumpers were behind this. I was merely commenting generically on people that want to impose their moral code on everyone else -- of which bible thumpers and religious fundamentalists are certainly guilty of. But if you would actually apply some thinking skills instead of your hatred of liberals, you would understand that this is clearly a political move trying to appeal to the "moral majority" asses. And these types of actions are not limited to one side of the fence either.
pseizure2000
October 26, 2010 at 1:17pm
Before you spout off anymore ignorant ranting, please realize that California is a very politically diverse state and very many "bible thumpers" in the context it was used in do exist in California. Why do you think prop 8 was able to pass? My point: there are a lot of conservative republicans in California, you damn moron.
Eoraptor
October 26, 2010 at 4:28am
I look at this and I ask myself <em>(and more importantly everyone who's screaming about it)</em> where was all this activism when this was still confined to california? waiting till the day it goes before the highest court in the land is a little f***ing late to be trying to get the word out and raising awareness. Pardon my farmboy'ishness here but, you're closing the barn door after the horse has got out and the barn has burned down.
more importantly though, is that it has the possible implications of redefining the first amendment as it applies to ALL mass media, not just videogames. could you imagine of someone decided they didn't like the 10pm news because of all of ITS implied and actual violence,sex, and scandal? this law would give them legal backing to have the news taken off the air as obscene. yes it's a panicky worst-case scenario, but if the court upholds this, censored news NOT outside the realm of the legally possible.
pentastar
October 26, 2010 at 3:41am
Funny how the a-holes that are driving this state and the rest of the country broke are gonna try to decide whats in my best enterest? WTF??? I am 46 f@%king years old!!! Hey dickheads!!! If I am buying and playing these games then obviously I am not offended, right? I find them embezzling our tax dollars far more offensive! Any way to keep them away from the general public?? These stupid for -your-own-gooders need to stop!
Blaze589
October 26, 2010 at 12:16am
Schwarzenegger couldn't stop Skynet and he sure as hell isn't going to get anywhere with this.
http://www.animated-gifs.eu/leisure-cinema-arnold-schwartzenegger/0001.gif
I Jedi
October 25, 2010 at 10:13pm
I did not know, until I read this article, that the freedom of speech was under fire from a few idealistic assholes. I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion/idea, but no one should ever be allowed to impose their own will upon everyone else. Based solely because they think that whatever it may be, need it video games, porn, or what have you, is distasteful.
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