N'Gai Croal of Level Up currently has a most interesting article concerning the notorious Mass Effect "Sexbox" report that disgusted videogamers the world over. Seeking an actual statement from BioWare members who have remained, in Croal's opinion, far too quiet about the affair, he got co-founder Ray Muzyka to say something out loud:
We asked Muzyka about this during the last night's D.I.C.E. Summit cocktail party. He told us that he wanted to first let the community respond to the erroneous statements made by Lawrence and other Fox News panelists (which he colorfully likened to having a complete stranger hold a gun to the head of one's newborn baby) and that he'd been heartened by the support that BioWare had received. As for why he and his colleagues didn't take the lead on the rebuttal, Muzyka not only cited the quote he'd given the New York Times, but added that there were different ways to respond to incidents such as these, and that his focus would be to continue to loudly proclaim at every opportunity that videogames are an art form deserving of serious respect.
N'Gai goes on to point out that although Fox News should rightfully be admonished for the horrendous stunt it pulled, we should also look carefully at who continues to let mainstream media outlets get away with it. Croal speaks of the ostrich-mentality of videogame creators, the artists themselves who should be in the vanguard, defending that which they have produced. While we, the gamers, and journalists like Geoff Keighley, have railed out against the unethical misrepresentations of the industry we love, those within that industry, the creative forces that drive it, are nowhere to be seen.
And the sad thing is, N'Gai is correct. Electronic Arts took a big step forward and is a shining example to all in the games industry (I know, ironic) for actually calling Fox on its nonsense. BioWare should not have kept quiet. Microsoft should have said something. The videogames industry is under attack and we're the ones fighting for it. It's time that videogames got the respect it deserves, but it needs to begin from within. The videogames industry needs to respect itself first.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
7:20 PM on 02.07.2008
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I don't know about anyone else, but if "we're" fighting it's not anyone of importance. Hilary Clinton may end up being the democratic party nominee here in the states (she hates games), where were the gamers helping to prevent that? Are we comprised of too many "not of voting age" people or are "we" just not organized enough to actually make a difference?
Unfortunately, much of the outcry from the gaming media I think gets lost in the shuffle because there is no mainstream recognition for any of the "gaming media" and who they are. Who would you want to put on that pedestal as the "gaming media" icon to speak for you?
Saying "it's not our job" is still ostriching.
Jamn-
I would guess that there are a lot of gamers who are voting age. Unfortunately they lie within that 18-30 demographic that traditionally doesn't vote. America has horrible poll turnouts as it stands and that demographic is one of the worst. Its hard to be shocked that politicians from both sides of the aisle ignore people who wont speak for themselves.
Politically, most anti-videogame legislation seems to take place at the state level, so finding out which political district you live in and who represents you is important if your interested in gaming politics. Local reps are usually fairly accessable and a letter or three can go a long way to getting something done.
Nothing looks worse than someone who clearly stands to make money off of a product being the first, sometimes only, individual defending it. Anything they say would be construed as being self-interested.
It's usually best to let the general public or fan community go to bat first, because a massive popular response seems a lot more credible than a corporate one.
Bioware made the right call and it paid off.
Newscorp owns IGN, Gamespy, Fileplanet etc.
They do massive deals with Microsoft.
Microsoft published Mass Effect.
This is all advertising.
You're right. It's our job to take a stand first and let the companies who gave birth to it back us and the stand we're taking. For Bioware to have done nothing so far and let EA, their new daddy take all of the credit/blame for doing so, they are guilty of that much. Seeing as how they have slaved over the game as grrza said, they could have done much more. If the intent is to make games that have more of an impact than just immediate gratification from playing one of their games, Bioware should stand the fuck up and stand with their consumers and their publisher in being united against blasphemous garbage from Fox News or whomever may slur retarded rhetoric against the medium we love.
@ Ritalin Twitch
This is why gamers have gone so far as to make petitions for things that they don't like, justified or not (DMC on 360 for example, stupid). There isn't a whole lot that our reps from our states are willing to do besides send back a letter (if we're lucky) acknowledging our discontent with a situation with a disingenuous stamp for a signature. Unless you're Jack Thompson writing letters to Hillary Clinton about the perceived dangers of videogames and their content, then our representatives most likely don't care unless it will benefit them in some way, especially in an election year.
Microsoft as a game publisher and as a company that is relying on gamers to keep their stock from sinking in the face of the horrible product they call Vista, should be spending a little more time defending something they marketed so heavily in commercials and in a special on a cable network, otherwise attacks like this will continue in the coming months with the release of a big title like GTA IV who is known to make waves in the mainstream media. I guess it's up to us to get these other companies from their corporate chairs and on the front lines with us instead of just saying that it's not their job.
United we stand, divided we fall.
At most someone may be vaguely aware of the name of development studios, but generally they associate with the publisher. They certainly wouldn't have a clue if actual names from the developer were releasing statements. I'm not saying that's a good thing, I'm just saying that's reality. If Bioware had said anything, nobody would have paid attention anyways, so get off their case.
Unfortunately most gamers don't care, and don't pay attention to the media or what they are doing.
Once the old guard die off, video games will command the same attention and respect as other media formats, just like TV for the generation before us, and comics for the generation before them.
If internet petitions are the extent of gamer activism, small wonder no one listens. Unfortunately a big part of activism is activity, and until the bitching leaves the internet and takes to the street no one will notice.
"As for why he and his colleagues didn't take the lead on the rebuttal, Muzyka not only cited the quote he'd given the New York Times,"
Anyone know what Muzyka told the times?
"It's not my fault little Jimmy started a crime syndicate. He was copying off of Assassin's Creed."
I was so disappointed in Fox News. Normally, they provide people a more sensible alternative to the ultra left-wing media (and, thusly, are the #1 cable news network), but they completely went off their rockers on this one and lost SERIOUS amounts of credibility.
REVOLUTION!
rise up against the non-gamers, grab your torches and pitchforks!
time for some rampage!!!!
/takes another happy-pill/
aaaaaaaah all good again... lets STFUAJPG!
The industry should do something, but just because Bioware didn't say anything doesn't mean they suck. For all we know, company infrastructure may not have allowed it.
That is all.
To be honest, I'm not so sure it's imperative that we shut them up, at least not when the accusations leveled against the industry are as absurd as they are. Anyone gullible enough to fall for Fox's sensationalism without some thorough fact-checking does not represent the intellectual ground we're supposed to be fighting for. Those people are a lost cause.
It's much more important that we maintain the appearance of sanity. The people who really matter will know who's in the right once they take a look at both sides of the "debate."
Speaking of debates, I never got a rebuttal from you...
Anyway, if we continued trying to "shut 'em up," that would make us look too defensive. After all, how can anyone outside our community be expected to look at the issue holistically if we're so eager to keep our enemies quiet? Let them spew all the bile they want; rational individuals will see the full scope in due time.
These are growing pains. I think patience is the best course of action.
By telephone from Edmonton, Alberta, Ray Muzyka, the medical doctor who is chief executive of BioWare, the Electronic Arts studio that made Mass Effect, said: “We’re hurt. We believe in video games as an art form, and on behalf of the 120 people who poured their blood and tears into this game over three years, we’re just really hurt that someone would misrepresent the game without even playing it. All we can hope for is that people who actually play our games will see the truth.”
I’m still concerned for BioWare because they didn’t take the initiative and come out on the offensive; they only said something when asked by the Times.
As I said, your average gamer is going to do NOTHING except sit in front of his/her computer and bitch relentlessly on message boards and blogs about how "we" need to do something.
What are you actually proposing "we" do Jim?
Lol. Great job Jim.