I can only assume the editor of The Telegraph tented his trousers with perverse glee when he realized that Rockstar was re-releasing the "violent" Bully, as it gives pundits and plebs the chance to whine and moan a second time about this controversial game that "glorifies" bullying.
The game was originally called Canis Canem Edit in the UK to combat this kind of pathetic whining the first time around, but with Bully: Scholarship Edition hitting current gen consoles in March, developer Rockstar Games has decided to go Hell for leather and call it by its proper title, the title it should always have had, since crooking a knee to political correctness is a dangerous and ill-advised action.
From the charity BeatBullying, to game fighting politician Keith Vaz, plenty of people in Britain have been getting their licks in now that the game has changed its title to one they can judge the entire thing from. After all, attacking a game with a Latin phrase for a name just isn't sensationalist enough, while Bully gives them all the fuel they need. Look forward to this release getting even more complaints, and you can bet the "omgz interactivity" of the Wii will be mentioned, too.
PC World and Currys are two UK stores that have decided simply to ban sale of the game. "We don't think this is suitable for sale in our stores. We are careful about what we sell and this is something we have decided not to list," claimed a store spokesman, who seems to think people who matter buy games from those places.
I was never completely interested in this title when it was first released as Canis Canem, but thanks to the outcry from these jesters, and the decision to revert the name back to Bully, I believe this is one I am going to happily support when it hits the Wii and Xbox 360 in a few months' time.
Contest:
7:09 PM on 01.20.2008
| 
I doubt it would reach GTA levels of sales, but it was meant to be quite good, wasn't it? Also, the name Bully definitely helps. Much easier to grasp that title than Canis Canem Edit. Punters are reeled in with the most obvious of bait.
Hooray for judging a book by it's cover long after its original release?
If they were careful about what they list they wouldnt sell crap pcs for £100s more than they're worth.
Wow. This again? Bully's story was grade-A social satire. So this is almost like stopping the sale of Spinal Tap to prevent school shootings because most "bad" kids listen to "the rock musak."
Hopefully that makes more sense, now.
Really? The game doesn't encourage bullying but instead stopping people from being bullied. These people really need to play the games before they open their damn mouths.
Maybe I'm just getting cynical in my old age, but I find the outrage doesn't come as quickly as it used to. Or maybe I'm just seeing it in a more historical perspective. To wit, kids typically don't vote, older (parents) people do. Ergo (this canis canem edit thing has me in a Latin mood) whatever interests kids will blindly be used by politicians to garner favor with the older crowd who actually gets to the polls.
Historically, this has been everything from rock music to violent cartoons. Video games are just the next phase in this cycle, and will be replaced by whatever it is that our kids do that pisses us off when we get to that age.
To polish it off with the Latin theme in tact, "Nihil sub sole novum." Which means there's nothing new under the sun.
It is, but stupid people will just assume it's a game about bullying from the title.
So. They take a closer look at what they sell, eh?
I vote Jim.
If only we were smart enough to not copy everything we see in computer games...
He is fast becoming the UK's Keith Thompson.
BTW Sterling nice link to Wiki!
"Shares in the firm plunged more than 27% after DSG (owner of both companies) said full-year profits could be up to £50m below expectations.
Maybe they should learn to not overpice their limited selection of crap. Banning bully is just another example their poor management.
I go in there to listen to beguiled parents taking purchasing advice from their 8-year-old kids on why buying the console package with five 'free' Xbox games for £2982 represents good value.
It's no wonder games like Bully cause an uproar, the parent just don't understand what's going on and unfortunately, many of these are in positions to make 'informed' decisions on what is wholesome game and waht is not.
Don't you HAVE to go to to skool in Bully if you want to learn and progress???? Sounds meritocratic to me.