Fox News did a "? , think of the children" story about Bulletstorm
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Parents had better beware: There's a Bulletstorm on the horizon. (hahaha, get it?)
In the new video game Bulletstorm due February 22, players are rewarded for shooting enemies in the private parts (such as the buttocks) (lol, "private parts"?). There’s an excess of profanity, of course, including frequent use of F-words. And Bulletstorm is particularly gruesome, with body parts that explode all over the screen. (not like those other games)
But that's not the worst part.
The in-game awards system, called Skill Shots, ties the ugly, graphic violence into explicit sex acts: "topless" means cutting a player in half, while a "gang bang" means killing multiple enemies. And with kids as young as 9 playing such games, the experts FoxNews.com spoke with were nearly universally worried that video game violence may be reaching a fever pitch.
“If a younger kid experiences Bulletstorm's explicit language and violence, the damage could be significant,” Dr. Jerry Weichman, a clinical psychologist at the Hoag Neurosciences Institute in Southern California, told FoxNews.com. (when I was 9, I was listening to Gimmie the Loot btw, ? this "expert")
“Violent video games like Bulletstorm have the potential to send the message that violence and insults with sexual innuendos are the way to handle disputes and problems,” Weichman said.
Carole Lieberman, a psychiatrist and book author, told FoxNews.com that sexual situations and acts in video games -- highlighted so well in Bulletstorm -- have led to real-world sexual violence.
“The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games,” she said. (what the- SOURCE? you couldn't get away with saying that ? in the Social Lounge without a link. FOH)
Defenders argue that games with excessive violence and sexual content simply don't sell well.
“Games without sufficient quality of gameplay -- games that include highly objectionable violent or sexual content -- often pump up the level of this kind of content to gain media attention. This tactic typically fails, as can be seen in the poor sales performance of titles such as BMX ? and Postal,” said Billy Pidgeon, a video game analyst with M2 Research. (Postal is the ? , ? the haters, gasoline, ? , & Gary Coleman >>>>>>>>>>>>)
The most common response is that, in the U.S., game makers have the right to produce violent content. If the government restricts games they would have to further restrict all media. (and Fox News would scream OBAMA'S IMPOSING SHARIA LAW)
Penalizing store clerks
There might be a simple way to address the problem: penalties for selling violent games to kids.
This year, the Supreme Court will make a landmark decision about video-game violence. A California law now makes it illegal for a merchant to sell a Mature-rated game to a minor; the law imposes a $1,000 fine. But the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has sued to overturn the law.
“Between a great ratings system, parental controls on the consoles and the major retailers inhibiting thesale of Mature-rated games to minors, the matter is really one for parents and adults to consider, individually,” Hal Halpin, the president of the similar Entertainment Consumers Association, told FoxNews.com. “I respect the creative rights of game developers to make a game like Bulletstorm in the same way that I appreciate Quentin Tarantino's right to make over-the-top movies like ? Bill."
Melanie Killen, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Maryland who has pushed for laws that govern the sale of video games, disagrees that the ESRB rating system is working. She says 9-year-olds are playing games like Bulletstorm and that there is no real enforcement. (these 9 y/os buying the game with their paycheck?) The FCC monitors all TV broadcasts and stiffly fines broadcasters for violating decency rules, yet there are no penalties in place for retailers who sell violent games to kids.
“The marketing is clearly aimed at children and young adolescents,” (says you) Killen said.
“Politicians were organizing efforts to address violent video games prior to the presidential election but got distracted by the election. It is time for senators and representatives to come back to the issue.”
Are the warnings enough?
To be fair, the online-only ESRB warning for Bulletstorm does spell out the objectionable content -- and even that is too graphic to reproduce entirely. Here's an excerpt:
In the end, those who don’t see a problem with Bulletstorm praise the game for being innovative.
“One thing that tends to be ignored is that if Bulletstorm consisted solely of beating people up, it wouldn't be fun to play,” said Hal Levy with the National Youth Rights Association.
“It's been praised for encouraging innovative thinking. Bulletstorm involves developing new moves and dispatching of enemies creatively. Plenty of emotionally unstable adults will play the game and they’ll be fine,” he said.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/08/bulletstorm-worst-game-kids/#ixzz1EYU1KjAe
"Rock, Paper, Shotgun analysed Lieberman's claims, and found only one of eight sources she provided had anything to do with the subject at hand.[21]"
Parents had better beware: There's a Bulletstorm on the horizon. (hahaha, get it?)
In the new video game Bulletstorm due February 22, players are rewarded for shooting enemies in the private parts (such as the buttocks) (lol, "private parts"?). There’s an excess of profanity, of course, including frequent use of F-words. And Bulletstorm is particularly gruesome, with body parts that explode all over the screen. (not like those other games)
But that's not the worst part.
The in-game awards system, called Skill Shots, ties the ugly, graphic violence into explicit sex acts: "topless" means cutting a player in half, while a "gang bang" means killing multiple enemies. And with kids as young as 9 playing such games, the experts FoxNews.com spoke with were nearly universally worried that video game violence may be reaching a fever pitch.
“If a younger kid experiences Bulletstorm's explicit language and violence, the damage could be significant,” Dr. Jerry Weichman, a clinical psychologist at the Hoag Neurosciences Institute in Southern California, told FoxNews.com. (when I was 9, I was listening to Gimmie the Loot btw, ? this "expert")
“Violent video games like Bulletstorm have the potential to send the message that violence and insults with sexual innuendos are the way to handle disputes and problems,” Weichman said.
Carole Lieberman, a psychiatrist and book author, told FoxNews.com that sexual situations and acts in video games -- highlighted so well in Bulletstorm -- have led to real-world sexual violence.
“The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games,” she said. (what the- SOURCE? you couldn't get away with saying that ? in the Social Lounge without a link. FOH)
Defenders argue that games with excessive violence and sexual content simply don't sell well.
“Games without sufficient quality of gameplay -- games that include highly objectionable violent or sexual content -- often pump up the level of this kind of content to gain media attention. This tactic typically fails, as can be seen in the poor sales performance of titles such as BMX ? and Postal,” said Billy Pidgeon, a video game analyst with M2 Research. (Postal is the ? , ? the haters, gasoline, ? , & Gary Coleman >>>>>>>>>>>>)
The most common response is that, in the U.S., game makers have the right to produce violent content. If the government restricts games they would have to further restrict all media. (and Fox News would scream OBAMA'S IMPOSING SHARIA LAW)
Penalizing store clerks
There might be a simple way to address the problem: penalties for selling violent games to kids.
This year, the Supreme Court will make a landmark decision about video-game violence. A California law now makes it illegal for a merchant to sell a Mature-rated game to a minor; the law imposes a $1,000 fine. But the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has sued to overturn the law.
“Between a great ratings system, parental controls on the consoles and the major retailers inhibiting thesale of Mature-rated games to minors, the matter is really one for parents and adults to consider, individually,” Hal Halpin, the president of the similar Entertainment Consumers Association, told FoxNews.com. “I respect the creative rights of game developers to make a game like Bulletstorm in the same way that I appreciate Quentin Tarantino's right to make over-the-top movies like ? Bill."
Melanie Killen, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Maryland who has pushed for laws that govern the sale of video games, disagrees that the ESRB rating system is working. She says 9-year-olds are playing games like Bulletstorm and that there is no real enforcement. (these 9 y/os buying the game with their paycheck?) The FCC monitors all TV broadcasts and stiffly fines broadcasters for violating decency rules, yet there are no penalties in place for retailers who sell violent games to kids.
“The marketing is clearly aimed at children and young adolescents,” (says you) Killen said.
“Politicians were organizing efforts to address violent video games prior to the presidential election but got distracted by the election. It is time for senators and representatives to come back to the issue.”
Are the warnings enough?
To be fair, the online-only ESRB warning for Bulletstorm does spell out the objectionable content -- and even that is too graphic to reproduce entirely. Here's an excerpt:
The dialogue contains numerous jokes and comments that reference sexual acts, venereal diseases, and having sex with one's mother (e.g., "Guess I know where the ol' gal got that limp."). The names of some Skillshots are infused with sexual innuendo (e.g., Gag Reflex, Rear Entry, Drilldo, Mile High Club); one Skillshot (i.e., Fire in the Hole) allows players to shoot at enemies' exposed buttocks.”
Video game publishers traditionally stay glib about the issue of violence. Microsoft, maker of the Xbox 360 console, declined to comment. Epic Games did not respond to requests, and the developer did not respond. Remi Sklar, the vice president of Public Relations at Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, which makes numerous video games (though is unconnected to Bulletstorm), offered the following statement: “We don’t have a comment for that story.”In the end, those who don’t see a problem with Bulletstorm praise the game for being innovative.
“One thing that tends to be ignored is that if Bulletstorm consisted solely of beating people up, it wouldn't be fun to play,” said Hal Levy with the National Youth Rights Association.
“It's been praised for encouraging innovative thinking. Bulletstorm involves developing new moves and dispatching of enemies creatively. Plenty of emotionally unstable adults will play the game and they’ll be fine,” he said.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/08/bulletstorm-worst-game-kids/#ixzz1EYU1KjAe
"Rock, Paper, Shotgun analysed Lieberman's claims, and found only one of eight sources she provided had anything to do with the subject at hand.[21]"
Comments
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Bulletstorm just got some free advertising and the best hype possible...........mainstream media criticising the game. Now those who were not interested will want to see what the fuss was about. lol
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it looks kinda cool honestly. like a resistance with better graphics. but im not gonna support a game that has such a shoddy ps3 version. unless i get it for 5 bucks like i did bayonetta lol
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Well, this game isn't for the younger audience and that's all that needs to matter. I don't allow my kids in the room when I'm playing certain games, like when I used to play GTA4. I think there's ? that kids don't need to see. Certain cut scenes in GoW were, "get out of the room" type.
Just me though... -
earth two superman wrote: »it looks kinda cool honestly. like a resistance with better graphics. but im not gonna support a game that has such a shoddy ps3 version. unless i get it for 5 bucks like i did bayonetta lol
i played the demo on ps3, ? is sick, i was really impressed -
Well, this game isn't for the younger audience and that's all that needs to matter. I don't allow my kids in the room when I'm playing certain games, like when I used to play GTA4. I think there's ? that kids don't need to see. Certain cut scenes in GoW were, "get out of the room" type.
Just me though...
On some real ? ....you sir are a responsible parent who censors your kids entertainment......now if every other lazy ass parent would get off their ass this ? would be a problem......and I must say......I am now interested in bulletstorm -
Well, this game isn't for the younger audience and that's all that needs to matter. I don't allow my kids in the room when I'm playing certain games, like when I used to play GTA4. I think there's ? that kids don't need to see. Certain cut scenes in GoW were, "get out of the room" type.
Just me though...
I agree with you. At the end of the day, it's up to parents to make sure their kids are monitored properly, instead of blaming everybody else. Also, retailers should not sell M Rated games directly to anyone under the required age. -
I agree with you. At the end of the day, it's up to parents to make sure their kids are monitored properly, instead of blaming everybody else. Also, retailers should not sell M Rated games directly to anyone under the required age.
and parents shouldnt let kids play m rated games -
Whats wrong with the PS3 version?earth two superman wrote: »it looks kinda cool honestly. like a resistance with better graphics. but im not gonna support a game that has such a shoddy ps3 version. unless i get it for 5 bucks like i did bayonetta lol“The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games,” she said. (what the- SOURCE? you couldn't get away with saying that ? in the Social Lounge without a link. FOH)
LMAO! Word. This ? is... ? rediculous. -
Never heard of the game, but'll ill probably check for it after reading this article... Thanks FOXNews!
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if its too violent and wat not the parents need to not buy it for the kids.. i was buying agame one time and this 8 year old fat kid wasd beggin his mom for red dead redemption.. even tho it ant as bad as this game its still for mature audiences.. it got sex and hookers and violence.. and after about 30 seconds of whining and beggin, his mom bought it... not even knowing wat the game is about..
that jus shows u that she aint the only mother who is gon fall for the ? and whining and finally give in to buy the game.. if the kid ends up ? up.. its her fault
