Incoming Shitstorm for the Video Game Industry

[Strazos]

People are stupid.

[stray]

People are stupid.

Just another variation of the insanity plea. I'm not really seeing the shitstorm (warn me if it gets close though).

Good thing the judge called bullshit.

[Strazos]

The problem is that the lawyer, using GTA as a part of their case, was able to achieve a guilty plea. The fact that the judge voided the verdict after the fact may or may not really matter.

[MrHat]

The way I read it, the guy tried pleading insantiy due to playing video games, and he was found to be in control of his actions at the time, so he's guilty and going to jail.

But the family of the victims still want to sue the VG producers and distributers even though the judge specifically said that it wasn't a factor.

Or did I read that wrong?

[Strazos]

I just woke up, so I could be wrong.

Still....people are going to miss the details on the news, they'll just hear, "GTA.....guilty....murder..."

[Samwise]

A 20-year-old whose lawyers claimed the video game ``Grand Theft Auto'' and childhood abuse caused him to kill three small-town police officers...

I like how the article mentions GTA first and childhood abuse second.  Because, you know, a few weeks spent playing GTA has to have much more impact than years and years of child abuse.

[HaemishM]

The problem is that the lawyer, using GTA as a part of their case, was able to achieve a guilty plea. The fact that the judge voided the verdict after the fact may or may not really matter.

No, he TRIED to plead not guilty by reason of mental defect, and the Judge threw out any attempts by the defense to blame his actions on a goddamn video game. The jury then came back with a guilty verdict in less than an hour. Not only am I not seeing the problem, I think the system worked in this case. Asshat fucktard kills 3 cops, tries to blame it on something else and gets fucked in the ass for it. Yay us.

The family of the murderer are suing Rockstar and Take-Two, of course, because really, this cold-blooded killer is just a victim of the PS2.

[Sky]

Yes, but there wasn't a picture of the guilty party being led away in manacles. There was a picture of GTA.

Facts be damned, we're on a crusade! A Mandate was handed down by the American people!

[HaemishM]

Yes, but there wasn't a picture of the guilty party being led away in manacles. There was a picture of GTA.

Facts be damned, we're on a crusade! A Mandate was handed down by the media's controlling corporate interests!

FIFY

[Pococurante]

FIFY

 

[Llava]

It's unfortunate that in order to defend videogames, it usually means you're defending Rockstar specifically.

Tycho said that about the Hot Coffee thing.  It's amazing how often it applies, though.

[Sky]

That's why I  Rockstar. They should dress in mock indian outfits.

Maybe I should say native american  Speaking of which, I need to sue Notre Dame. Right after I eat some taters, get drunk, and kick someone's ass.

[Nebu]

I didn't see a thumb and forefinger on that video game.  Must have been something else that pulled the trigger.

This "Blame_someone_else" bullshit is really getting out of hand.

[Furiously]

Guns don't kill people. Bullets do.

[Evangolis]

Guns don't kill people. Bullets do.

Actually, in my layman's understanding, it's generally shock and organ damage.  Let's blame physics and biology.

As to this case, this is our beloved Jack Thompson, of ill repute, in action again.  Here is a pretty clear explanation of his role in this case.  Most of those links are stolen from Lum's latest post.

Now, generally when people make cliche lawyer comments, I like to amble up close, smile thinly, look deep into their eyes, and ask them why they feel it needful to defame the memory of my recently departed mother, (cause being creepy like that amuses me) but in this case ambulance chaser seems a pretty clear description of what we have here.

[NowhereMan]

Guns dont kill people rappers do,
Ask any politican and they'll tell you its true,
Its a fact music makes you violent,
Like Michael Jackson telling little Timmy to be silent,
You don't believe me? Heres my hype,
Offer me the record and i'll show you the type,
Of criminal this rap shit is breedin,
Its a fact that MC Hammer left me bleedin,
Vanilla Ice made my mother say 'Fuck',
If I stuck with UB40 then I woulda been in luck,
But I didn't I got it wrong,
Cypress fucking hill to me to make a fucking bong,
So I started, I bought another tape,
That bad boy vibe made my cock and balls ache,
So remember kids from the head double tap,
Guns don't kill people its just rap!

Werd.

[MahrinSkel]

We wind up defending Rockstar because we never get to pick our first amendment champions, they pick themselves through being both shocking and (usually) successful.  As such things go, R* isn't so bad, they had the sense to turn off Hot Coffee, although somebody screwed up on the follow-through.  And GTA isn't just a transparent exploitation of the shock value of pointless violence and gratuitous sex, it's actually fun, fairly innovative, and even has some social commentary and satire in it.  We could do a lot worse.

--Dave

[Evangolis]

We could do a lot worse.

--Dave

As Lum's post on his site has already has pointed out, the other side is doing a lot worse.

[HaemishM]

Yeah, Rockstar makes about as sympathetic a champion for free speech as Larry Flynt or Luke Fucking Skywalker.

Also, if GTA wasn't fun, I'd give two shits about them getting ass-raped for the stupidity they've displayed in this whole thing.

[schild]

Rockstar wins the blatant racists award in my book. I never found their games fun and they've made careers out of stereotyping people. Don't get me wrong, I love stereotyping people but the problem is that the majority of their customers - from what I've seen in the city I live in - are the exact people they're stereotyping. Gamexploitation for the win, I guess.

[stray]

Exploitation or not, GTA (especially SA) are fun as hell imho. So, more power to them. They've also done Red Dead Revolver....Which is the shit (and which you recommended to me, Schild  ).

State of Emergency and Manhunt are what really makes them look stupid.....Simply because those games suck.

[EDIT] Btw, I'm not defending exploitation: I just don't see too much of it. They're just caricatures, whether that be Gangbanger "CJ" or Paranoid Hippy Conspiracist "the Truth". Stories are built on stereotypes. It's not a black thing or white thing or whatever. And besides, even if it was exploitation, then it'd be a part of myself that was being exploited. So I have some right in approving of it or not -- and to me, it's just funny.

[Yegolev]

We wind up defending Rockstar because we never get to pick our first amendment champions, they pick themselves through being both shocking and (usually) successful.  As such things go, R* isn't so bad, they had the sense to turn off Hot Coffee, although somebody screwed up on the follow-through.  And GTA isn't just a transparent exploitation of the shock value of pointless violence and gratuitous sex, it's actually fun, fairly innovative, and even has some social commentary and satire in it.  We could do a lot worse.

--Dave

Max Gaines.  First Amendment Champ.  Sam Houser?  Hope so.