TheTrenchcoat Chronicles

Tag: video games

Violent Video Games 2004

How gory is that game?:

Just in time for the fucking holidays, we get yet another “why won’t someone think about the children?” group who has their panties in a wad over violent video games.

Of course, they’re naming the usual suspects of GTA: San Andreas, Halo 2, Doom 3 and Half-Life 2. All pretty violent games. All games that are Rated M you dumbasses. It’s the video game equivalent of an “R” rating.

You can blame the game companies for making such games. You can even blame the game retailers for being lax in their enforcement of the ratings. But here’s a thought, how about laying blame on THE PARENTS who buy these games for their kids.

The rating is clearly marked on the packaging, and it even states why the games received that rating. The fact that “parents” keep buying these games for their underage kids means one of two things. They’re either oblivious to the ratings or they just don’t care.

November 30, 2004
Hey kids…

It’s The JFK Assassination video game. Remember kids, when you play “JFK Reloaded” it’s best to tilt your joysticks back and to the left.

November 22, 2004
Grand Theft Assclown III

US lawyer links video game to murder plot:

I’ve been telling you lately about the school attack plot that was uncovered in Massachusetts. Well, from out of left field comes Miami ambulance chaser, Jack Thompson. He believes that the video game Grand Theft Auto influenced Tobin Kerns into wanting to shoot up his school.

This isn’t the first time that Jack Thompson has said this. Last year he sued the makers of GTA because of two idiot teenagers that shot at some cars on a Tennessee highway. Never mind that the parents of all kids involved let them play a game that is obviously meant for more mature audiences. That “M” on the box actually means something.

Anyway, this is a ludicrous statement at best. In Tennessee, the parents left their guns unlocked. In Mass. the parents didn’t keep a close enough eye on their kid. A video game is not to blame. Personally, it sounds like to me that Jack Thompson either A. can’t beat the game so he’s decided to sue, or B. much like in real life, he can’t figure out how to get the hookers to get into his car with him.

If any lawsuit against Rockstar Games is ever successful, it’s another deathblow to personal responsibility. And I don’t think it could take anymore.

October 10, 2004
Big Brother Joe is watching you

My bone of contention today is from my favorite Senator from Connecticut, Joe Lieberman. He has co-authored a bill with a $90 Million price tag that will try to figure out whether kids’ favorite TV shows, movies, and video games are actually bad for their health.

There’s a good use of taxpayer money, huh? Even Lieberman’s own censorship squad, the Parents Television Council, say this is a bad idea. How about this Joe? Why not do a study on why people stopped parenting their kids. Joe even admits as much…

Lieberman says parents need to play a more active role in what their kids are watching.

“You can’t put it all off on the entertainment industry,” he said.

Then what is the point of this bill? If it’s so obvious, then why do you need $90 Million? Lieberman has very pro-censorship leanings. I feel like this is his way of trying to disguise a “well-meaning” program that’s actually an Orwellian dream for him.

July 9, 2004
Grand Theft Assclown II

Grand Theft Assclown II:

I said it and someone must have been listening. Let me quote the article…

The family of a slain motorist has filed suit against the maker of a video game that two teens claim inspired them to shoot at passing cars on a Tennessee highway.

So the family of the victim is suing the makers of GTA because of two assclown kids who went on a shooting spree after playing it. If these kids had watched a movie, would they be suing the movie company? If anybody should be sued, it should be the dumbass parents.

According to the article, a September 2000 Federal Trade Commission report says that parents are present at and involved in the purchase or rental of games 83 percent of the time. And where did these kids get the gun? Michael Moore probably thinks that they got it at their local Circle K.

These kids obviously had something wrong with them, to begin with, and the video game is not the root of the problem.

September 7, 2003
GTA: Grand Theft Assclowns

Teens Plead Guilty to Highway Shootings:

Thanks to zombyboy for bringing this one to my attention.

So these two assclowns in Tenn., ages 14 and 16, decide to shoot up I-40 with a .22 because they were bored and decided to shoot at tractor-trailer rigs, just like in the video game, Grand Theft Auto.

At what point did both of them think this was a good idea? What makes this worse is that as juveniles, they can only be held until they’re 19. A man is dead, and they’ll walk free in 3 to 5 years with their records expunged, probably.

Now, let’s get to the point where I ask and what kind of parents allow their kids to play GTA. This is a game for adults. Any idiot can clearly see that by looking at the box. Having sex with hookers and then killing them and taking their money is not something that should be played by 14 to 16-year-olds.

Obviously, another case of parents not getting too involved with their children. Not to mention why they didn’t keep the guns locked up. As far as I’m concerned, the parents should be up on charges too, but God forbid people actually take responsibility anymore.

How long before someone sues Rockstar Games? Anyone?

September 1, 2003
More Video Game Violence

Games and Murder Bedfellows Again?:

This is why most people think lawyers are scumbags. Some jerkass attorney from Florida is defending an Ohio teen accused of murder, so he can prove that violent video games caused him to kill.

The victim was stabbed multiple times and had her skull fractured. I can’t think of one game where that’s an objective. If this defense actually works, it will open the floodgates for lawsuits. And that would be just as bad as the fat-asses who sue McDonald’s because they’re fat. And responsibility dies another death.

May 30, 2003
Video game violence…again

Sounding the alarm on video game ratings:

It seems that our good friend Senator Joe Lieberman has his panties in a bunch about video game violence again. He even admits that the ultra-violent, sexual laden video games are a minority of the products out there.

According to the article, Lieberman said a new round of congressional hearings may be necessary to raise parental awareness of the issue. Why would there need to be congressional hearings to raise parental awareness?

The video game industry has the right to make whatever game they want. It’s up to the parents to be informed of what content is in their kids’ video games. For example, my 15-year-old son is begging me to let him play Grand Theft Auto 3. But, being the excellent parent that I am, know that in GTA3 you can have sex with a hooker and then beat her up to get your money back. That game has no chance in hell of ever being in my house. But Senator Joe thinks that Congress needs to inform parents of the violence in video games. Like congress doesn’t have other things to worry about.

Personally, I think M rated games should not even be sold to anyone under 17, but parents need to take the responsibility to know what games their kids are playing. Yet, as we all know, no one is responsible for their own actions anymore.

December 19, 2002
Columbine Families Sue Video Game Manufacturers

I read this article today about some of the families of the Columbine shooting victims are suing video game manufacturers. They are singling out the popular game “Doom” specifically. As usual, I will preface this by saying again my heart goes out to the victims’ families. Not a day goes by where I don’t pray for them. But I think their latest efforts are misguided. Suing the video game manufacturers for the billions they’re asking for just seems a little too much to me.

The video games are not to blame. To me, the blame lies squarely on the parents of Harris and Klebold. For those of you who may not know in Doom, you are a “space marine” and you go around shooting aliens with big guns and the aliens bleed red blood.

It is a pretty violent game. I’ve played it a few times myself. This is not a game for kids or teens. When I first played it, the game was clearly rated “M” for mature. Meaning, only 17+ should play the game. If I caught my son playing this game, he’d be grounded until his wedding day. The game did not make these kids killers. Egomania and inattentive parents did. If they should sue anybody it should be the parents, which they already did and won, or the retailers who sold them this game, or whoever bought it for them.

I hate to say this but suing the video game manufacturers looks like some ambulance chasing lawyer whispered into their ears. It looks very opportunistic.

April 28, 2001
Video Game Violence

So my friends at The Washington Post are at it again. No, it’s not about me this time, but you’ll see the connection if you’ve been reading this site. (Yeah, right.)

I read an article run in the daily newspaper that was run in the Post on 8/12/2000. The article was an opinion piece about how video game manufacturers are marketing their merchandising for M rated video games towards pre-schoolers. Now I thought it was just another article saying that the government should be the watchers of our children and not the parents until I saw this quote concerning ratings…

“More concretely, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) have introduced a Uniform Ratings Bill and are planning to hold hearings on it after the FTC report comes out. This bill would mandate an end to the current hodgepodge of rating systems and require that Hollywood, the video game industry, and music industry work together to create a single rating system. If the industries fail to come up with such a system, the FTC would be authorized to establish one.”

Notice a familiar name in there? That’s right kiddies. Our fair senator from Connecticut is not only concerned about pro-wrestling, but he seems to be meddling in the affairs of one of my other loves, video games.

Again, I say it is the parents’ responsibility to know what games your children are playing. Just like you should know what TV shows they’re watching. No excuses. And don’t give me any crap about how you’re too busy. You should always have time for your kids.

August 21, 2000