Common Sense Media Scares Parents for Donations

I signed up with Common Sense Media a while back in hope of writing a few reviews and pointing out exactly how violent certain video games are so that parents can know without any sensationalism spliced in. This allowed me the privilege of receiving their newsletter, (which interestingly enough wound up right in my spam folder every time), which this morning gave me this (click the image for a size large enough to actually read):
This bit was followed immediately by a large "donate now" button, and an offer of "free" summer tips for media management that would come with your donation. A few things here: Number one, right at the top, is the claim that violent video games have been proven to make kids more aggressive. If you'll look at my earlier post here, you'll see that every result possible has come out of tests on kids' aggression with violent video games. There is absolutely no conclusion, so you can't claim anything.

Second, the claim that a donation to Common Sense Media could completely stop kids from buying violent video games, ever. Zero. Not even a flea market or an independent gaming store would ever sell an M-rated game to a minor, ever. Parental involvement couldn't possibly be the solution, but more money for Common Sense Media is. Also, I'm sure that adult gamers have had enough trouble buying games for themselves with Wal-Mart and Best Buy turning into complete Nazis over the age limit. Even when the buyer is old enough, just having a kid standing next to him can prevent the employee from selling the game.

Third, the awful fear-mongering the email uses for donations. Your children will be psychologically screwed up for life if you don't give us $25-$1000 today. That's the message coming across. Give us money or else kids can play Grand Theft Auto and they'll spend their entire lives having sex with prostitutes and then killing them afterwards. The email claims that "Grand Theft Auto promote[s] murder, sexual exploitation, and violence towards women." Anyone who has actually played the game will know that's not true. You don't "score points" for offing grandma and people of both genders in the game are equally repulsive, bad, and flawed people. The older generation is never going to understand video games if this crap is allowed to go on, so go ahead and take a little time to talk to Common Sense Media about this.

Because communication is the solution.

Museum of Virtual History: Las Meninas Play Wii Bowling

Item #2: Las Meninas Play Wii Bowling

As has been documented by the likes of Penny Arcade, the seventh generation console race has been characterized by a need to place one's console in the pole position as far as history is concerned. For this, Nintendo needed only to point out Diego Velazquez' Las Meninas Play Wii Bowling to immediately prove that the Wii had been enjoyed by people from a simpler time.

I Did It: GTA IV 100% Club

I successfully completed the Grand Theft Auto "Key to the City" challenge of getting the game 100% complete within the first three weeks of its release. Time remaining when I finished: around 55 minutes, so I shaved it pretty close. Anyway, I'm very excited and can't wait to see the key that Rockstar apparently will send you.

Museum of Virtual History: Starry Night After 4 Hours of GTA Pigeon-Hunting

This is a new series detailing recent gaming news through classic art. I'll try to keep the words to a minimum.

Item #1: Starry Night After 4 Hours of GTA Pigeon-Hunting

Police Brutality: the "Don't Taze Me, Bro" Game

Jason Rohrer recently wrote about his game project influenced by the famous "Don't Taze Me, Bro" YouTube video, and uh, event, at the Escapist. There you can download his simple game, which forces the player to take a stand against the police brutality rather than meekly sit around and watch it happen. Through shouting and blocking the police, the player can prevent the neutralized subjects from being carried out and win the game. This is a good example of a newsgame for you, though perhaps a bit late. Anyway, Jason tried to explore realms of possibility for standing up to such police brutality and actually making something happen.

I Have Now Beaten GTA IV

*Huge Spoiler Warning*


It was fun. Now I'm going to go get 100% done so I can get those keys to the city.

Grand Theft Auto IV Release Impressions

Yes, indeed this is a blog about controversial video games and none are more controversial than the Grand Theft Auto series. Obviously, you know that the fourth edition (that's not right, it's more like the sixth, seventh if you count London, disregarding the PSP games) was just released and that I have already played it through quite a bit. I'll get back to playing it shortly, but I needed to mention a passing few of the thousand political mentions the biggest video game release ever has gotten. (Just scroll down the main page at gamepolitics.com and you'll get far too many)

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has come out against the drunk driving in GTA IV. The producers had predicted that aspect of gameplay would come under fire, even though it really shouldn't. I've experienced the drunk driving once and it was so incredibly irritating (especially if cops chase you down for it) that every time since I just called a cab to get back home. Yep, I learned a lesson from Grand Theft Auto IV about drunk driving. Case closed, moving on.

Barack Obama casually mentioned GTA in a vaguely negative way that was pretty consistent with his past remarks that kids should study more and play less video games. Yawn, moving on.

Not too surprisingly, the mother of a slain NYPD policeman was fairly upset about Grand Theft Auto. The linked article there also mentions a man who says there are no consequences for a shootout in Grand Theft Auto, which is ludicrous, but at least not so bad as the dumb people who think you get points for stabbing old ladies.

Sorry, but that's quite enough of that right now. I've got to get back to playing this game and chances are that you do too. If you're curious, my PS3 ID is kingpenguin1029, in case you miraculously find me playing online multiplayer or want to friend me. Hasta luego.