The self-styled "media watchdogs" are so very predictable. No sooner has Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned been released for download, than the moral fearmongers get up in arms about it. Responding to the GTA DLC's full-frontal male nudity, Common Sense Media has begun its panicked clucking in response.
"It is even more controversial than its predecessors because this game has full frontal male nudity," warns Common Sense. "The game lets you lead a life of crime as part of a motorcycle gang with plenty of gang violence... relentless foul language, drugs and alcohol, and sexual references...
"Families can talk about why Rockstar likes to push the envelope and garner controversy over its games? Why did they have to put full-frontal nudity in the game if it's not integral to the story? Do they correlate media outrage with extraordinary game sales? Do players expect Rockstar to stir up controversy with each of its titles, including the Manhunt and Bully series?..."
Common Sense asks why? Why did Rockstar put a penis in GTA IV? No, it didn't have to do it, but you know what? It could and it did. A flaccid donk is something we've seen in films and on TV before. It's about time videogames caught up. While Rockstar clearly did it for attention (yes gamers do expect Rockstar to stir up controversy), I think it broke a good boundary and hopefully sets a new precedent for the kind of material videogames can show.
I won't pretend that Rockstar's "penis scene" wasn't a very immature sight gag. However, those who are crowing and complaining because they saw a pecker on a screen for a few moments are being even more immature. A lot of people in the world have a penis. We know it's there, and most of us have seen one. Grow up and get used to it.
Oh, I should be fair and point out that beyond the penis, they actually like the gameplay!
Contest:
2:40 PM on 02.20.2009
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You heard it here first! Jim Sterling insists on more dicks in videogames. also cocks
Man, I only read it once, but I think that one's stuck with me forever.
kthanxbai.
It's an homage to the various moives and tv shows that uses camera tricks to not show it.
I think your safe, but then at the last second... BAM! Penis!
I swear R* might put a Goatse or Watersports in the next DLC.
Whats the point of ranting when you could just type in "Penis" on the internet and see a real one for yourself. I think it's pretty stupid when parents and anyone for that matter rants about a penis in a game when there are way more accessible penises to be found. You don't hear people telling other people to censor their own pants so that when they are in the shower they don't see their own dong.
By that logic, only "Aaron Linde's BonerQuest" would qualify for full frontal male nudity as I'm sure it is the only mainstream game where penises are essential to the overall story.
Hostel 2's dick snip(r-rated movie-durr..) and videogame M-rating(durrrr..)
Good parents should know better and monitor their kids rather than to leave them to a electronic babysitter
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Just Stfu already.
there are games that have pissing(if you didn't already know) XD
Yeah;
GTA IV had a guy pissing in a stair well and Stubbs the Zombie had a whole mission just for Pissing in a water tank.
The quote in question is seriously overblown. Look at that section for other video game reviews. The questions they ask are legitament, mature questions that could be asked of any video game or movie containing nudity. Compare this quote from the same section of their website on Eastern Promises:
"Families can talk about how the movie depicts mob life. Does it glamorize it or paint a more distasteful picture? How is it similar to and different from other movies about the mafia? Why are films in general fascinated by the criminal underworld? What about that subject drives filmmakers and screenwriters to explore it over and over? Families can also talk about the role of violence in the movie. Is it necessary to tell the story? Why or why not? How realistic do you think it is?"
To me, it's all the same question, and a legitimate one I would hope any concerned parent would be discussing with their children: do video games and movies exploit violence and nudity in order to sell tickets?
Come on now, dudes, if we can't be more mature and honest about these sorts of honest discussions than the Jack Thompsons of the world, then we're just as bad as them.
QFT
You made me laugh at work.
EPC FTW
Also, it's a clever move to make their first graphically 'explicit' nude portrayal a male. If it was a female, we'd be seeing a far bigger shit storm, being that gaming is one big massive boy's club, and objectifying women is a favorite catch phrase of the moral elite.
AND, it's a fucking cock. BIG FUCKING DEAL. Do the people who care about this shit blindfold themselves when they have a shower? Puritanical extremism is laughable. OMG PENIS *CLAWS OUT MY OWN EYES*.
And finally.... LOL @ gamers who have to publically reaffirm their heterosexuality. I LOVE that Rockstar put penis in the DLC. I also have an awesome Hard Gay crotch thrusting avatar. Welcome to the 21st century, have a nice gay - I mean day. WHAT-THE-FUCK-EVER.
Reminds me of my junior high figure drawing class. In comes the woman, *giggle giggle*. In comes the dude. "OH I CAN'T DRAW HIM OR PEOPLE WILL THINK I'M A FAG". Do you sexually repressed idiots vomit when you see cock in a porno?
Seriously, fucking epic lame. LOL.
MORE COCKS!
And yeah, I guess on the whole, Common Sense Media wasn't overtly raging at the game, they did seem to like the gameplay aspects. I should have picked up on the user comments more, some of the shit in there is gold.
Lol, I gotta love Rockstar, because every industry needs certain maverick people to push the envelope. They know who they are, what they are doing and stay true to that. Controversy or not, they have my respect.
Yeah, so you see some crazy biker cock for a few seconds, big deal. The sign said mature rating on the door, so if you enter and have a problem....well fuck you. Its nothing flicks haven't done and got away with for years anyway.
GTAIV ain't for kids, you better recognise.
Agreed. While I don't the site was being particularly anti-video game, some of the user comment in there are absolutely preposterous. But, it is fair to note that both sides, (Pro and Anti-video games) appear to hold opinions which would be looked down on by an ape in what appears to be equal proportion.
"-OH FUCK OLD MAN PENIS" Then I covered my eyes for the rest of the scene
Then my friend said I can't unsee what I've seen. AND IT'S TRUE ;-;
I mean bare breasts in mainstream video games are still pretty shocking to me, but this is the first time you see someone's genitals (and I would've guessed the first time would've been a woman's)
in other words, bravo Rockstar, bravo!
now i dont care, i have a wang. i think its a good thing that it happened, maybe people will start to grow up.
shit noby noby boy looks more like a penis painted up like some gay barber shop poll.