5punk

Jack Thompson Gearing Up For GTA IV Fight
Next Generation reports on Jack Thompson's next big fight: Grand Theft Auto IV. A mass email was sent to news organizations entitled 'Bill Gates in the Crosshairs'. He vows to 'rally the troops' against the release of the next chapter in Rockstar's sandbox-style crime series. The game is due out sometime this year, on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. From the article: "Thompson said that he would 'undertake various means to prohibit' the sale of GTA IV to minors, and added, 'Please have your lawyers [Microsoft chairman Bill Gates', that is] contact me in order that such sales will be prevented.' He also said that the ICCR report 'makes it abundantly clear that unless such prohibitions are in place, then millions of units of the new Grand Theft Auto game will be sold directly to minors.' He continued, 'I am quite intent upon making sure that that does not happen. I and others will endeavor to stop Microsoft from participating in any fashion, directly or indirectly, in such sales to minors.'"




Author: Zonk
Category: games
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Source: Slashdot: Games
Description: News for nerds, stuff that matters

The crafty bugger. He is demanding that a game has an 18+ sticker, which obviously would do anyway. Win by default.

Well he has to claw back some credibility somehow.

Im bemused as to why he is insting that microsoft do something about it. They dont make the game, and although they could maybe do something about the 360 version, they dont have any sway over the ps3.

Thats the bit I really dont get about the guy. If I really wanted to take some industry to bits, like he clearly does, I would get at least a vague working knowledge of what I was talking about. How can he not see that getting things fundamentally wrong all the time totally undermines any argument he puts forward?

If he took some time to do some research he'd be breaking the first rule of being morally outraged

Joose wrote:Thats the bit I really dont get about the guy. If I really wanted to take some industry to bits, like he clearly does, I would get at least a vague working knowledge of what I was talking about. How can he not see that getting things fundamentally wrong all the time totally undermines any argument he puts forward?

You mean like that US senator and his series of tubes?

cashy wrote:The crafty bugger. He is demanding that a game has an 18+ sticker, which obviously would do anyway. Win by default.

Not in the US, it wouldn't. There's a world of difference between ESRB ratings (like games in the US have) and BBFC ratings. Even MPAA ratings are voluntary in the US - for example, The Aristocrats was released without an MPAA rating. The First Amendment, or what's left of it, is a wonderful thing.

Anyway, I'm surprised that Jack Thompson hasn't been disbarred yet. We can hope, I guess.

Surely most games have a rating though, and if they do how is it anything to do with the company who make the game (or release it on their console) if shops decide to ignore the rating and sell it to kids?

And didn't he very nearly get disbarred last year for being a fucking nutbar?

Joose wrote:oh lordy

I started typing out a rant then decided it's just not worth the pixels

people also commited suicide after reading 'catcher in the the rye', better ban that aswell eh?

jenniferj845 (1 day ago)
I have seen the film and it is well balanced on all sides. For those that are commenting on this trailer they should wait to comment negatively. When you finish watching you are left to make your own opinion and it spurs much debate.

I might have to sweep this.

Also: Stop playing city of heroes! Good god you insane bastards, you will kill us all!

I couldn't see the vid at work, but the comments were enough in themselves. I particularly like the guy who said something like 'How can you expect to be taken seriously if you can't even spell?', who got a serious reply along the lines of 'stfu noob!!!!!one!'. Oh and 'If this was made in England they'd be non-biased and show both sides of the argument'. That almost provoked a reply of my own

I liked this comment:

"Violence has always been with us. It's been with us since a fictional event happened in a fictional book (Bible)." Fix'D

I noticed that while watching. What a surprise. Evidently one of the Christian Right, like Jack Thompson.

They really are picking on the wrong game

Eve back story says that all ships have a crew of 4 guys up to hundreds of thousands, and they all die when a ship explodes

ban games! ban films! ban books! ban entertainment! ban emotions! We could all take emotion inhibiting drugs! that'd work!

Joose wrote:ban games! ban films! ban books! ban entertainment! ban emotions! We could all take emotion inhibiting drugs! that'd work!

The only thing left should be RO-BO[/b]

Woo Elephant Yeah wrote: The only thing left should be RO-BO[/b]

WERD - There will be no violence once everyone has been eliminated

On a less serious note... this book is fantastic, I suggest everyone reads it, that gives me an idea, 5punk book club!, swap books, increase knowledge!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-Bad- ... F8&s=books

Oh teh noes, a (relatively) new form of entertainment is just as violent as already existing forms (books, movies, etc), better ban it and control it because it's really bad!

pffft: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/01/05