Whacko Jacko Thompson protests against GTA 4

[SirFozzie]

Despite it not being released, sending mail to Bill Gates (and quite coincidentally, half the rest of the world got a copy too), saying that unless Bill Gates stops Rockstar from releasing the game....

http://news.spong.com/article/11416?cb=963

that unless such prohibitions are in place, then millions of units of the new Grand Theft Auto game will be sold directly to minors. 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.

Please have your lawyers contact me in order that such sales will be prevented.

PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.

Regards for a Happy New Year, Jack Thompson

[flere-imsaho]

Microsoft owns Rockstar?

[SirFozzie]

No, but they make the XBox 360, and therefore they are culpable...bleh..

Damn. I can't even think like that whackaloon.. it hurts too much

[wade moore]

One thing I've never really figured out with Thompson...

Does he really have much support from any large group, or is he flying solo on most of this?

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by wade moore

One thing I've never really figured out with Thompson...

Does he really have much support from any large group, or is he flying solo on most of this?

No support from any group that I know of. He's represented some parents, but other than that he's been solo as far as I know.

[Mustang]

Can't disagree too much with him on the basic principle that places shouldn't be selling M rated games to minors but, other than that he is pretty much out there. Not sure what he expects Microsoft to do...

[SirFozzie]

the one thing he could conceivably ask Microsoft to do is already IN the Xbox360.. the Parental Controls feature, which can lock out M titles

[Mota]

He should sue the utilities companies next, for providing power to the 360's which let kids play M rated games.

We have to make sure that EVERYONE is held responsible for these disgusting games.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Originally Posted by Mota

He should sue the utilities companies next, for providing power to the 360's which let kids play M rated games.

We have to make sure that EVERYONE is held responsible for these disgusting games.

I never understood these games either.

[Galaril]

Maybe I am getting old but how can agame like GTA be marketed to kids at all? I enjoy gaming and just find that game in bad taste and going way over the top as far as violence. I am not saying we should censor stuff but.................this country's laws based on free will and choice to market something that in many country's I have lived or traveled to would be banned.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Maybe I am getting old but how can agame like GTA be marketed to kids at all? I enjoy gaming and just find that game in bad taste and going way over the top as far as violence. I am not saying we should censor stuff but.................this country's laws based on free will and choice to market something that in many country's I have lived or traveled to would be banned.

Is it marketed at kids? The target demographic is young adults, so there's naturally going to be a bleed-over for kids under the age of 17 in terms of the marketing reach. And really, any controversial kind of product like GTA, especially one that is particularly well-done and very fun to play, is going to have major appeal to younger kids just for the 'cool' and 'danger' factors. But I don't see the ad campaigns and think "Hey, that's aimed at teens and pre-teens" - not like the Joe Camel and Spuds McKenzie campaigns.

Besides, the game is clearly marked as a "mature" title - it's up to retailers to enforce age-related sales restrictions, and to parents to exercise informed judgement about whether to buy this game for their kids.

[jeff061]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=12259

That about explains how much support Jack gets from other groups.