Man, you gotta love a studio like Insomniac. Not only are they one of the best companies in America to work for and, I'm told, shower their employees with money and naked attractive people on a daily basis, but they've also got hearts the size of Buicks. The word on IGN is that Insomniac, in partnership with popular tear-jerking television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, will unveil a digital version of 9-year-old James Westbrook for use in their upcoming Ratchet and Clank Future on the PS3.
James was paralyzed in a car accident in July of 2006 and his father, SFC Gene Westbrook, was also paralyzed in Iraq two years prior. His family's house, as you might suspect, wasn't really equipped to handle two wheelchairs roaming about, so Extreme Makeover stepped in to do something about it. Seeing as how young James is a huge gamer, Insomniac stepped in too. In the span of a single week, the company's 160 employees all focused on the sole task of creating a playable James, complete with flying saucer, for use in Ratchet and Clank Future.
"We were immediately moved to do something special for the Westbrook family when we learned about their tragic situation and James' passion for videogames design," said Ted Price, Insomniac Games' founder and CEO. "For all of us at Insomniac, this opportunity to help such an amazing family with our game-making experience was a real honor. We've never inserted a member of the public into our videogames, and we think it's incredibly appropriate that James will be the first gamer to enjoy that unique experience."
The big surprise was foisted upon the Westbrook family as they were introduced to their new home. If you want to be reduced to a snivelling, blubbering sentimental mess along with your favorite Linde, you can catch the episode of Extreme Makeover on April 22nd on ABC.
And to Insomniac: thanks for giving us some really, really great news.
[Via IGN]
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53 comments + 73450 views
Further proof that Insomniac kicks ass and remains one of the best developers in the industry...
http://www.destructoid.com/gamers-these-are-the-people-who-you-should-base-your-lives-around-31024.phtml
I think you found a number 11.
This is beautiful, seriously.
The likelihood you'd see this on anything other than a game-related site is doubtful. Which is sad, especially when you see how many good, wonderful people there are in the gaming community, but all those people are ignored when a douchebag like Jack Thompson has to blabber incessantly about things he knows nothing about.
With this being on a mainstream TV channel, maybe, just maybe, people will start to see games in a more positive light.
Tazar, absolutely. It's this kind of news, and community-fueled efforts like Child's Play, that really shows the world where the hearts of gamers are at.
This announcement came at the perfect time.
i'm waiting for Jack Thompson to claim that video games caused James' car accident.
but seriously, this is awesome.
good for James!
This is the epitome of what a good American run business should be.
That's ridiculously awesome of them.
Next time one of them murders a kitten or is caught making out with Lindsay Lohan, they get a free pass from me.
I love reading articles like this. Sometimes you look at the world and think there is so little hope for mankind. Then you read things like this. I tip my hat to you Insomniac. You are making the world a brighter place for a family that has seen so much darkness.
Indeed, I imagine Thompson will be leaving this and the fact that video games help people with cancer cope with their suffering out of any future TV appearances.
Thank you Insomniac, sincerely.
Crippled kid or no, I got bored of Ratchet & Clank two games and a spinoff ago.
Good for the but I have no fun with there games!!
Thats really sweet, we needed some news like this after this weeks events
Great news, indeed. I actually watched this past Sunday’s episode of Extreme Makover: Home Edition, and you’re right, Aaron: “tear-jerking” is an applicable term. I mean, I wasn’t bawling like the family on the show (their husband/father had been diagnosed with skin cancer and passed away just four months afterwards, and their house was really old and ratty)...but I certainly thought I was going to shed a tear or two. With all the terrible things happening every day in today’s world, I’m glad to see that there are still kind-hearted people around to make stories like this possible.
I agree, this is very moving.
Now where is the media, when good things are associated with Video Games?
Great Job, Insomniac. Not only do your games kick ass, but you guys have your hearts in the right place.
This is really great news, though it makes me wonder why they are really doing this? Are they doing the same thing that Thompson did, just taking advantage of a bad situation to better themselves. And why this kid? I mean he already has his house remade, but now he is in a video game as well. Nevertheless I am very glad that they are actually doing this, but I believe there are better candidates for this position. Such as the hundreds of children injured in the Iraq occupation.
haha awesome
coolest nicest thing anyone in the game industry done all year
@ God Len:
It's obvious this was done way before VT, it's about to air. And they do crazy stuff like that all the time on the show, especially for kids. Why? Because it's heartwarming to see average families that life has shit on have something awesome happen to them. It's a tv show, not an international aid organization.
This is super-radtacular.
Fantastical
wow. gamers doing something positive. where's fox news?
not only is insomniac one of the best developers of our generation, but they are also arguably the best to work for AND the nicest? geez, with such a great track record of quality games and touching community service it's sad that the only videogame-related media you hear about in the mainstream is jack thompson's bullshit and stuff like hot coffee. clearly gamers are better people than what we are made out to be. i thank gamers like insomniac and penny arcade for doing our subculture justice on a daily basis. here here!
@God-Len
Ask yourself the same thing for Bill Gates donating a few billion to starving kids in Africa. Is he being adventageous to try and better himself?
Fuck no, the man has more money than he could ever spend so he donates a large chunk of it to people who need it way worse than he does.
If someone who has a better opportunity tries to help someone less fortunate, it's a great equalizer and commentary on how we're all human and we all could use some help now and then. I think what Insomniac did was awesome and something they totally didn't have to do, and now this kid has a fantastic positive memory that'll carry with him for years. Heh, you never know where he might end up.
CliffyB showed up in the initial issue of Nintendo Power, and now look where he ended up.
dvddesign..not sure what that CliffyB has to do with stuff but ok, i think I am still asleep?
Amazing news! I don't really like this show, but they got a great idea to ask Insomniac!
Man... I dunno you guys. I hate to be the cold horrible dick in the room, but is this really that awesome? Extreme Home Makeover is INCREDIBLY exploitative, both of the family's tragedies and of the viewers' emotions. Every week it's another horrible story about a family that had way too many kids for their own good (in a world where some women set themselves on fire when they discover they are pregnant, and where the American ecological footprint is INSANE), and then something shitty happened to them where they can't take care of said kids. Then the home makeover team makes them some stupid theme room that they will be bored of in a year, and will most likely fall apart.
Sure it's cool for the kid now, but it can't be looked at as anything more than pity. The kid likes games, great! But to put him into a game just to PUT HIM INTO IT? Yay I get to play a handicapped kid in the next ratchet and clank?
It's stupid and pointless to me. Maybe give the kid a tour of the studio and a free playstation 3. But putting him into the game certainly isn't doing the game any favors, and will just turn out to be some sappy anecdote about it in the future.
-ChrisFurniss
I'd rather be immortalized forever in some work of some sorts than having some free material stuff.
@milhouse
It's still going to be pretty dopey in the game. I know! Why don't we just have every big video game have a make-a-wish style character in it! Then everyone will weep and feel better about themselves for caring for the handicapped.
God, I'm a dick.
@ChrisFurniss
Heh, I remember how into video games I was as a nine year old. If Nintendo had told me I was actually in whatever new game was coming out, I would have lost it. I can't think of a cooler thing to give a young-gamer.
While I agree it may be a tad bit exploitative of them to use all these families with truly terrible stories, it is prime time tv. They have to have some sort of dire drama otherwise they wouldn't have lasted half an hour (Extreme MAKEOVER, anyone? Remember? With hair and clothes and shit? Yeah, I thought so.)
However, if they can improve the lives of someone, and at the same time give them a truly memorable experience by letting them be a part of something that they love very dearly, in this case video games, then I'm all for it. Which I think they do, they gives these people a chance to do things that they weren't capable of before, as well as sometimes pay off their debts or whatever so that they don't have all that drama and stress added onto what they were already having to deal with in the first place.
My stepson was born without half of his right arm, left with just a nub about 3 inches beyond his elbow. Although we've gotten on him several times for doing so, his PS2 and my Wii seem to be what his world revolves around. I'd even venture a guess that he could probably beat just about everyone on this site at any given ratchet & clank game.
When I first married his mom, it was his dream to develop video games. I'm really not sure why, but lately that's just not the case. It could be that he sees me working from home and providing a decent home, it could be that he's realizing that video games aren't the only thing in the world, I don't know. What I hate to see, though, is such a specific dream go to waste. He's a great kid when he wants to be and even though he's gone through life with more stress and heartache than many of us could dream of, he's always thinking of less fortunate people around the holidays, or asking what we can do to help a bum on the street while driving by. C'mon, what 11 year old does that?
MAJOR kudos to Insomniac AND Extreme Makeover for this. I will definitely be watching it, and will have my step-son right next to me watching it. I hope it rekindles that fire in his dream.
This really does make me so happy. Great way to start the morning. :)
Yeah, it's a really nice thing for them to do, but it's on the PS3, so it must mean that God hates him.
huff huff.
@ ChrisFurniss:
"Extreme Home Makeover is INCREDIBLY exploitative, both of the family's tragedies and of the viewers' emotions. Every week it's another horrible story about a family that had way too many kids for their own good (in a world where some women set themselves on fire when they discover they are pregnant, and where the American ecological footprint is INSANE), and then something shitty happened to them where they can't take care of said kids."
Dude, have you watched the show? That's a complete BS description of what actually goes on. I'm not a fan of it, but my girl watches it every week and the things that happen to these families are beyond their control. They didn't put themselves in the situations they had to face, nearly all the time it's natural disaster or a severe medical condition. Read about a few of the families they've helped, like say... this one. The dad, and later his two daughters became blind in their teens due to a medical condition he was unaware he could pass on. Except his son, who was born deaf. Or this woman, who ADOPTED and took care of 18 special needs kids, even though she had myasthenia gravis herself. They lost their home in a fire due to faulty wiring, and the insurance would only cover the mortage. Yes, they do gimmicky themed things for the kids, and it's often cheesy and sappy. Yes, it often involves corporate sponsors. But they go to this effort to help people whose lives have taken horrible turns, and I personally love seeing the faces of the families when they see all that has been done for them. I thought you were liberal, man. :) Love the show btw, say hi to the Geek for me.
All the altruism in the world won't change the fact the Ratchet and Clank is an awful game.