An online petition that asks Walmart to boycott Duke Nukem Forever is gaining some traction. The petition kicks up stink about DNF's "Capture the Babe" mode, in which women are spanked on the arse to keep them from obstructing the player's view.
"In this disturbing version of 'capture the flag' the player is tasked with kidnapping a woman from his enemy's base, throwing her over his shoulder, and carrying her back to his base to share the spoils," claims petitioner Shelby Knox. "If she starts to "freak out," the player is encouraged to slap her on the butt until she shuts up.
"To be clear, Duke Nukem Forever makes a game out of physical and sexual violence against women ... the Capture the Babe mode of the Duke Nukem game, which will be played primarily by young people, sends the message that physical and sexual violence against women is normal, acceptable, and even funny. It's not -- and we have to say so."
Here's the thing. Duke Nukem Forever's premise is pretty sexist, and one can't really deny that. You know what though? Does it really f*cking matter? When it comes to fictional people doing fictional things to each other in a fictional world, does it really affect you? No, it doesn't, no matter how much you pretend a game like DNF could influence society with the "messages" you've projected onto it.
Seriously, how does it send the message that violence against women is normal? What's normal about spanking women while people shoot at you with a shrink ray?
Contest:
10:00 AM on 03.31.2011 | 
How do they know how old the player base will be and what modes they will play? The game is rated M, 'nuff said.
Who gives two shits. Bitches gon bitch. Haters gon hate. In the end, we'll be tapping ass to shut that chick up.
Pitchford was right.
The real problem here is that I'm inclined to buy Duke Nukem in support of its freedom to slap ladies on their behinds despite being, in fact, pretty opposed on a personal level to the idea of, well, slapping ladies on their behinds.
Can games and the mass media make a compromise? We'll pick one target of unbridled outrage a year, the rest can slink on by.
Pardon?
And though the game isn't going to cause real-world re-enactions of capture-and-slap, having these images and modes of play swimming around in the cultural bilge-water probably doesn't do anyone much good, and may cause a lot of harm, albeit indirectly. If games are to be taken seriously culturally, then they have to start considering their own morality and ethics.
Of course, the responsibility for this should lie with developers and consumers, not distribution outlets. Should Walmart ban the game? Of course not. That's censorship, and enough of that happens at the house of Rollback already. But should developers be making these games? I personally don't think so. And should consumers buy them? I won't, and I'm saddened to see others do so.
Also, not to be a watchdog, but Jim is so consistent and prolific with these dubious defenses of even more dubious games that I'm beginning to think he's got an agenda. His posts have been laced with sexist comments that he tries to pass off as "satire". While I think he's a genuinely funny writer, and I enjoy his work, a lot of this stuff has been pretty repulsive, and has undermined a lot of the very serious and intelligent discussion that goes on on this site.
I assume they mean young enough to be impressionable - so, children. Seeing as it's rated Mature, and 18+ in Europe, where exactly are they getting this idea from? I hate how more or less every anti-game argument boils down to "games are for kids; they should be all kiddy".
If true, it's pretty much an entirely different thing...
The last half of that statement, taken out of context, has applied to far too much of my life.
Are you really this easily offended, or just feel like arguing about something?
Or has Mike Hunt?
Online petitions are crap, the same person could sign a online petition 50 times under differant names. Wal Mart needs to think do they want to sell a game that can make them money or not sell the game and lose money???? If the woman don't want to purchase the game don't buy it. It's the buyers choice to purchase the game or not, not some bitchy lady who has issues with creativity.
I see your point, but I still believe that the developer and consumer should be allowed to create and buy whatever they want. Even games that depict the horror that was columbine, while arguably offensive, have the right to exist. Is the game sexist? Hell yeah, there is no beating around the bush on that one. However, it is all in good fun. Hell, I'm willing to bet there are a few female Gearbox employees who think it's funny. Movies, books, music, they all have their Duke Nukems, but all continue to exist as art. Video games can have it's Duke Nukems and BioShocks and still move forward as a medium, at least that's my opinion.
Really?
I am not saying that the women portrayed in video games aren't overly abhorrent but this game, in particular, is supposed to be offensive.
Seriously parents: DO IT!
In the sense that the people who were complaining about the game end up buying the game anyway.
Oh, just you wait.
"Despite being, in fact, pretty opposed on a personal level to, well, slapping ladies on their behinds."
In every context?
People who are already dumb sexist batards wont get worse because of it; and those who arent are surely influenced more by subtle things in kids movies and cartoons, toys and, first and foremost, their education and relationships. An dumb, satirical game for an limited, adult demografic wont make a difference for the worst; triyng to ignore and hide our politically incorrect ideas, thats dangerous. Remember, the most cruel and sexist societies were and are the most censored ones.
If they have a problem with the games, protest the launch date at Walmart. Stand in front of the cases and tell parents that they shouldn't buy this. Make some real life change instead of hiding behind a petition.
Have they contacted store managers? Most likely not. What they are doing is lazy and exemplifies why there are kids all across the country with poor supervision and parenting.
Even if I disagree with your premise, I thought you were making a well-reasoned post, but then you got all whiny, saying developers shouldn't be making these games and you are saddened (!?) that people buy them. Get over yourself, FFS.
True, exaggeration and ridiculousness are not the only ingredients needed for satire, but they are primary ingredients. I think the difference is Michael Bay and Zach Snyder take themselves and their films very seriously (and I doubt they would agree that they include ridiculousness in their films). Duke...not so much. I would argue that Duke Nukem is almost quintessentially satire, because the humor is self-aware.
If not then we are treading into 'affirmative action' territory where the conclusion is that the people in context are inherently inferior and therefore need an insulting leg-up.
That's the ultimate crux yes? "You are too X to be Y to my white male Z."
I, personally, don't subscribe to that line of thought.