Although Modern Warfare 2 has snatched all the headlines recently for its infamous "No Russian" level, we should not forget that Rockstar is the king of controversy. Even so, the Grand Theft Auto developer believes that the whole "violent videogame" debate has gotten silly, and that its own games have become pariahs.
"It feels at last like we’re moving on from that debate," says Dan Houser. "The audience is getting past 30 so it all becomes a bit silly. That’s not to say that all games are for all people; we’ve never said that. GTA has always been rated 18 and we’ve always been very happy with that. Nevertheless, we do get frustrated when video games are singled out and movies are given a free pass.
"Manhunt 2 was banned in the same week that Saw was released. The arguments become quite ludicrous quite quickly when people argue that games are somehow more dangerous than full-motion video. Within Rockstar, sometimes we feel that some of our games get singled out and held up as pariahs. All we want to do is tell a story with rounded characters. Like GoodFellas, which is a key film for us, our rounded characters happen to be criminals."
I think the fact that Keith Vaz, FOX News and The Daily Mail absolutely failed in their attempts to spark outrage over Modern Warfare 2 should indicate just how near extinction the "Ban This Sick Filth" crowd is becoming. Games are becoming too mainstream to kick at, and soon the mainstream media will be forced to find something smaller and weaker to pick on.
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.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
21 comments | showing # 1 to 21
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
12:00 AM on 11.15.2009
| 
Nonetheless, I do agree with his points. Especially about Saw. I don't see any point in those films at all anyway. You can't deny that GTA 4 had a rich storyline and without spoiling the ending, shows that crime doesn't pay.
I think the media's failure to raise up controversy over MW2 is also a sign that people aren't taking them seriously anymore. They make fools of themselves by trying to paint one-sided pictures of everything that happens, and as people we just aren't buying it.
Now what's sillier?
this metaphor is insane
I like how it's news that Rockstar defends violence in video games.
That's kinda what I was going for.
Is insanity so far-fetched when it comes to some of the accusations anti-videogame people make?
I remember comic books, especially small press stuff, being insanely violent and twisted at times. You can get away with a lot when you are under the radar like that, similar to how early games, at least on PC, got away with some crazy stuff by being almost completely under the radar.
But ywa, I think Jim is right and games are becoming more mainstream.
I haven't heard anyone give two craps about D&D, criticism or praise, in 15 years.
Video games are interactive.
You control the death instead of just watching it. This unnerves stupid people.
If there are any school shooting between now and the next call of duty or otherwise violent game the media will go looking to see if the person at one point ever walked through an aisle in a store that had video games in it