Killer Games

[SAS]

In the news today you may see a report about a teenager killing his friend supposedly in the style of killings you would see in the game Manhunt.

Once again the media are whipped up into a frenzy over the idea games can turn otherwise civilised children into killers. However no one has pointed out the teenager aged 17 was playing a game rated 18 by the BBFC. Also included with the game is a stern warning:

WARNING: This game contains scenes of very extreme graphic violence and explicit language. This game is only suitable for adults (persons over the age of 18).

Now the game might have given the teenager the idea on how to kill his "friend"? But were the conditions that lead to him turning into a murderer due to the content of the game?

How many of you have heard of someone you know killing someone because they saw it in a game?

The problem does not lie with the games. We play them day in, day out and have done since we were wee babies drooling over a keyboard/joystick/gamepad. If there was a problem with games there would be an epidemic of killings and violence, but there is not?

Sadly it appears the system serves only to try and blame the sneeze for the cold.

You can read the full article on the BBC here.
Related FreddysHouse thread here.

 

[SAS]

Latest update. Dixons have pulled the game from their shelves.

 

[dysfunction]

I dont buy stuff from them anyway.

I agree completely with your post. Its always the same when it comes to the media.

Perhaps the parents should be held responsible for turning him into a killer and also for letting their son play a game he wasnt supposed to be playing...

 

[tris-]

but then the parents would say the shop shouldnt of sold it without id.

 

[nath]

There was the same response when Video Nasty's came out.. they'll get over it, I hope.

 

[Lazarus]

but then the parents would say the shop shouldnt of sold it without id.

they probably bought it for him.

 

[GAC]

the really nice piece about this story which seems to get moved to the side is the lad who commited the murder actualy has some sort of mental illness.

so far i have seen someone from pc pro ( yeah a real gamers mag that one) on itv news channel and he made one very good vallied point, if violence is so nasty why do they allow films WHICH ARE A LOT MORE LIFE LIKE than games.

btw guys i work for dixons and tbh i only buy games because i get discount and even then its normaly because they have been bang half priced for us to clear

 

[Conchabar]

the press always over exagerate everything whats new

 

[Ch3tan]

Woolworths removed the game from sale to. There is to much negative publicity surrounding it, not worth the hassel from parents especially over the school holidays.

You said exactly what I was thinking though Scott, why are his parents blaming the game and its makers when they let their son play a game rated 18. Although there is an error in your post. The game is not ELSPA rated, its BBFC rated 18. So it is not even a voluntary rating, its illegal to sell that game to anyone under 18. I find the parents lack of responsibility as usuall, shocking, but it's also exactly what I expect from parenting in this country.

A film or game alone does not make a normal person go and kill. THere are obviously other issues with this boy, and something would have set him off eventually. I wish the press would for once report impartialy and accuretly. If the parents were blamed for once it might actually start increasing the quality of parenting in this country.

 

[Sanzor]

Hard to put the parents to responsibility in most games...maybe the gamer or the parents never bought it, but the gamer just DLed it. We all know the Dling cue files and such >_<

 

[Honza]

Total bullshit...

About year ago, one 12yrs old boy in my country jumped off the bridge. Media blown it up - this time Prince of Persia was being blamed. Which is ofc total nonsense.

You are born with certain preconditions - for being calm, violent, mad, stupid, clever whatever.

It was scientificaly proven that psychos murderers had brain deformations. Think media will tell 'blame computer radiation'. FFS, it's such a shit. Brain is developed sooner than you are born! (Media will blame his/her mother playing computer games when pregnant ;p - yes, she played tetris 12 yrs ago )

Some notice: so loudly shouting prigs should at least watch their EVERY DAY news - RL scenes of killed pple etc. etc... I really think Doom is much less violent than one evening news.

OFC, even among games you can find few totaly perverted - Carmagheddon (sorry John, but it really is perverted game).

So where can I mail BBC to shut up and rather watch what they spread in their news for <10 yrs old children to watch?