Fox News Says Bulletstorm Could Be the "Worst Video Game in the World"
Fox News has a habit of writing news stories that border on the sensational, particularly where violent video games are concerned. Bulletstorm, the upcoming shooter from People Can Fly and Epic Games, is the latest target of the news giant’s derision. Though it ought to seem clear that the game is being marketed as a parody of the shooter genre, there are some who will inevitably get the wrong message.
Let’s take a look at some quotes from the article:
“’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.”
Now, Bulletstorm isn’t exactly the most mature game, but it does have an M rating, and that makes the fact that children shouldn’t be playing it a foregone conclusion. No one at Epic, People Can Fly, or EA is championing this as a new tool for preschoolers to learn all about the wonders of violent impalement.
“Carol Lieberman, a psychologist 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.”
That seems like a bit of a stretch, to put it very mildly. Bulletstorm may be a game that revels in over-the-top violence and gore, sexual innuendo and cursing, but you certainly don’t rape anybody. Chances are, the game would have received a much harsher rating from the ESRB than a mere M if it actually encouraged rape or let you act out in that way.
The author goes on to pull a couple quotes about how the ESRB system is worthless and 9 year olds everywhere are playing violent games. The fact stands, though, there is a system in place to prevent children from playing games like Bulletstorm. The blame should not lie with the developers or even the ESRB if retailers and parents don’t adhere to this system. It’s a shame that the mass media still tends to view video games as things to be feared rather than celebrated.
I always think it’s interesting to see where the right waver in their philosophies. FOX news is suppose to be against business regulation, and here they are practically begging for it.
That’s pretty laughably bad, but it’s largely because you’ve got to deal with more neoconservatives and more libertarian folks being represented by the same party.
In other words, it’s a big tent, and they don’t even know who’s under it.
That’s pretty laughably bad, but it’s largely because you’ve got to deal with more neoconservatives and more libertarian folks being represented by the same party.
In other words, it’s a big tent, and they don’t even know who’s under it.
They let anyone be a psychologist these days…
as a person with a B.A. in psychology I agree
as a person with a B.A. in psychology I agree
as a person with a B.A. in psychology I agree
I’m old enough to have lived before the time when the ESRB was created. Back then my mom would buy the games I played, so she controlled what I saw. Then when the ratings came out she did not pay attention to them. Why? Because she was already a responsible parent. She read my gamepro magazines (for which she paid the subscription(Thanks Mom!)), and knew what the games were about. Even going as far as taking me to blockbuster and looking at the box art to make sense of what type of game it was.
The ESRB does not change anything. It only shits the responsibility from irresponsible people to the game companies. Bad parents will always exist. But good parents will always be there to make the right choices.
I’m old enough to have lived before the time when the ESRB was created. Back then my mom would buy the games I played, so she controlled what I saw. Then when the ratings came out she did not pay attention to them. Why? Because she was already a responsible parent. She read my gamepro magazines (for which she paid the subscription(Thanks Mom!)), and knew what the games were about. Even going as far as taking me to blockbuster and looking at the box art to make sense of what type of game it was.
The ESRB does not change anything. It only shits the responsibility from irresponsible people to the game companies. Bad parents will always exist. But good parents will always be there to make the right choices.
I’m old enough to have lived before the time when the ESRB was created. Back then my mom would buy the games I played, so she controlled what I saw. Then when the ratings came out she did not pay attention to them. Why? Because she was already a responsible parent. She read my gamepro magazines (for which she paid the subscription(Thanks Mom!)), and knew what the games were about. Even going as far as taking me to blockbuster and looking at the box art to make sense of what type of game it was.
The ESRB does not change anything. It only shits the responsibility from irresponsible people to the game companies. Bad parents will always exist. But good parents will always be there to make the right choices.
God, reading that fox news article made me clench my fists in rage, how are they allowed to release such utter bullshit?
God, reading that fox news article made me clench my fists in rage, how are they allowed to release such utter bullshit?
YAMEB – Yet Another Mass Effect Brouhaha
Just like Mass Effect issue a few years back. Fox tends to overhype things even before confirming the validity of the information; I bet they haven’t even played the game or even the demo. Anyway, ESRB is as reliable as its enforcers, just like law and police. If parents/retailer/players do not consciously follow the ESRB recommendations, it is indeed worthless.
YAMEB – Yet Another Mass Effect Brouhaha
Just like Mass Effect issue a few years back. Fox tends to overhype things even before confirming the validity of the information; I bet they haven’t even played the game or even the demo. Anyway, ESRB is as reliable as its enforcers, just like law and police. If parents/retailer/players do not consciously follow the ESRB recommendations, it is indeed worthless.
YAMEB – Yet Another Mass Effect Brouhaha
Just like Mass Effect issue a few years back. Fox tends to overhype things even before confirming the validity of the information; I bet they haven’t even played the game or even the demo. Anyway, ESRB is as reliable as its enforcers, just like law and police. If parents/retailer/players do not consciously follow the ESRB recommendations, it is indeed worthless.
Fox news: spewing out the same bullshit since mortal kombat
Fox news: spewing out the same bullshit since mortal kombat
Fox news: spewing out the same bullshit since mortal kombat
Whilst the story was highly relevant and ridiculous, I sort of wish you didn’t add a link to the actual article. Without fail I click it and then regretted horribly that I gave them a website hit :/
But on other notes, the whole ESRB thing makes me laugh. I work at a company that had to completely take apart the content of a game because the publisher wanted to hit a certain ESRB rating for it’s platform. The result? Everyone who bought it or reviewed it moaned that it was missing what they expected it to have, and what it had on other platforms. (I know mad vague)
Whilst the story was highly relevant and ridiculous, I sort of wish you didn’t add a link to the actual article. Without fail I click it and then regretted horribly that I gave them a website hit :/
But on other notes, the whole ESRB thing makes me laugh. I work at a company that had to completely take apart the content of a game because the publisher wanted to hit a certain ESRB rating for it’s platform. The result? Everyone who bought it or reviewed it moaned that it was missing what they expected it to have, and what it had on other platforms. (I know mad vague)
Whilst the story was highly relevant and ridiculous, I sort of wish you didn’t add a link to the actual article. Without fail I click it and then regretted horribly that I gave them a website hit :/
But on other notes, the whole ESRB thing makes me laugh. I work at a company that had to completely take apart the content of a game because the publisher wanted to hit a certain ESRB rating for it’s platform. The result? Everyone who bought it or reviewed it moaned that it was missing what they expected it to have, and what it had on other platforms. (I know mad vague)
Worst? I say it has the chance to be the ‘most kick-ass.’
Thanks for your opinion anyway, FoxNews, it was slightly humorous to read.
Worst? I say it has the chance to be the ‘most kick-ass.’
Thanks for your opinion anyway, FoxNews, it was slightly humorous to read.
Worst? I say it has the chance to be the ‘most kick-ass.’
Thanks for your opinion anyway, FoxNews, it was slightly humorous to read.
This one Fox News article is going all over the web, giving Bulletstorm lots and lots of free press. Good work, Fox News, as usual.
This one Fox News article is going all over the web, giving Bulletstorm lots and lots of free press. Good work, Fox News, as usual.
This one Fox News article is going all over the web, giving Bulletstorm lots and lots of free press. Good work, Fox News, as usual.