GamePolitics.com, the gaming news supersite that deals with the delicate relationship between the videogame community and the political world, has been in a flurry of GTA mania lately. It’s not surprising, of course – the Hot Coffee controversy has brought both sides out swinging. If (for some reason) you don’t have these guys bookmarked, here’s a rundown of today’s top stories:
Wacko Jacko sets sights on Vice City… again.
Seems our old friend from the south is on a roll. His latest attack on the GTA franchise comes in response to the interview illspirit had with GamePolitics.com earlier, and in typical Thompson form, it’s a mangled mishmash of twisted words and statements taken out of context.
“The video game enthusiasts’ web site, www.gamepolitics.com is now reporting, today, that hidden sex scenes are also contained on Take-Two/Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. This is the same news site that broke the “Hot Coffee mod” story re San Andreas, so it has proven itself reliable. Read all about it at the above-noted site right this minute…The significance of this is huge…”
Read my lips, Jack. GamePolitics is not reporting any such thing.
While it’s nice that Thompson has gone on record with his view that we are reliable, it is unfortunate that he misinterpreted and disseminated a single sentence from yesterday’s lengthy interview with GTA modder illspirit.
– GamePolitics.com
GTA blamed, in part, for triple-homicide.
Devin Moore went on a rampage through a police department in Florida back in ’03, and is now in court for the murder of two police officers and a police dispatcher. His grounds for defense? Insanity – Moore’s compulsive playing of GTA drove him to kill.
…The defendant has entered an insanity plea based in part on compulsive playing of Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City.
From what I can see so far, it’s a textbook “the *insert popular culture item here* made me do it” defense, something that has been used time and time again throughout the years.
Protestors rise up against T2 & Rockstar
Washington-based activist group Peaceoholics raged against Take Two Interactive on Tuesday in protest of the upcoming Rockstar Games title “Bully“. Bully is set in the fictional boys-only school of Bullworth Academy, and looks like it’ll feature a free-roaming, melee-combat atmosphere similar to Grand Theft Auto. The game is the first major title from Rockstar Vancouver, and stays in line with the “bad boy” image Rockstar Games has given itself. Up until now, however, all of the controversial titles have come from Rockstar North (based in Scotland).
Protestors picketed outside of T2’s Manhattan offices to voice their opposition, waving signs that read “Prosecute Rockstar Games – they are Felons!”, “Stop Bully Now!”, and so on. The group was led by activist Ronald Moten who had this to say to WABC TV news:
“It (video game violence) desensitizes them and makes them think that these acts are alright – it’s alright to whup a woman, it’s alright to steal a car, it’s alright to mess with a prostitute, it’s alright to curse and to use drugs.”
Oh shit, they’re onto us – stash the hash, man, it’s the fuzz!
Along with their march outside of Take Two’s corporate offices (it seems that Jack Thompson was also on hand for the event), the Peaceoholics issued the following list of demands:
– Not to release Bully under any circumstances
– Volunteer to sell its violent and sexually explicit games in adult video stores only.
– Let parents return Grand Theft Auto for a full refund until they do a national awareness campaign to educate parents of content and possible effects.
– Create a fund for victims of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and car-jackings, etc.
– Make a national apology for misleading and lying to children, parents, and legislators about their intentions and causing insurance premiums to sky rocket.
– Give a written response within five business days of receipt of these demands.
Fun stuff.
Source: GamePolitics.com
