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Wednesday, 12th November 2008 at 3:09 pm

Mediawatch-UK speaks out against gamer critics

by Jonathon Harker | Email a friend | Print

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Mediawatch-UK speaks out against gamer critics

Game-critical media watchdog gripes at being criticised by gamers

Mediawatch-UK has spoken out against the criticism it received from gamers following its own condemnation of violent video games.

The watchdog organisation, headed by organisation director John Beyer, told UK tabloid the Daily Mail that it wanted the BBFC to deny a rating for forthcoming Sega title Madworld, therefore banning the title from the UK.

Gamers were vocal in their response to the move and inundated the organisations inbox with ‘hostile emails’.

But Mediawatch-UK was reluctance to be on the receiving end of criticism, as the firm highlighted in its newsletter:

“Within hours of these remarks being published a rain of hostile emails from gamers poured into our office telling us to ‘shut the f*** up’, suggesting that we have ‘got our knickers in a twist’, demanding, as though we were on trial for an heinous crime, to know what right we had to impose our ‘narrow minded bigotry’ on them and stopping them playing an ‘adult’ game of their choice.

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Koch

"Others, of a more sober character, asked reasonably why we should be so concerned about games when there was so much violence in films and on television! We were also accused us of being ‘cowards’ for not responding properly to belligerent strictures and one ‘emailer' observed glibly that ‘violent acts are not a symptom of video games and films, but rather the human condition’. Another said: ‘If you don't like violent content, don't view or use it’...

“Feature articles, grossly exaggerating the significance of our comments, were written in computer game magazines exonerating the multimillion pound games industry and headlines were achieved on Google News UK and dismissive remarks made in The Guardian newspaper...”

Thanks to GamePolitics.

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Animals in formaldehyde anyone?

posted by ADE_1977 Nov 15, 2008 at 11:04 am

Of course they're going to be inundated with 'hostile e-mails' what with gamers being such a violent, hate-filled group. We can't help it, our poor weak brains are so easily manipulated by the evil software developers and their sordid games of doom. Oh no, my mistake, i'm over 18 and can think, and make decisions for myself.
Surely the very idea of the upper 18 rating is that once past that age we are considered responsible. Indeed i can vote and make a decision that can potentially affect the running of the country but i'm not considered mature enough to decide what game to play. I wish these people would get a little perspective. Fair enough some subjects are taboo to videogames. For fear of angering some i would suggest that religion has little or no place in videogames, neither does glamorising rape, terrorism etc. But using the game in question,'Madworld', its a damn cartoon that uses blood and violence as its artistic style not just throwing it in for the sake of it. It's not out to offend niche communities nor is it trying to advocate hate or violent behaviour. Yes it's daring to adopt a unique graphical style, but i dont think this decision is based on the violence sells ethos. I think its a style decided upon by talented artists in their chosen field, people choosing to push boundaries and to prove that video games are an art-form. And most new ideas in all areas of artistic expression are initially condemned, animals in formaldehyde anyone? So why should a new idea for a videogame be banned even if it is a violent one and a butchered animal in vinegar win the Turner prize.