Above is our brief comment about last week’s Rockstar release, Manhunt 2. Let me say that we do not have any bone to pick with Rockstar Games. In fact, we took our time to post this comment because we didn’t want to be a part of the media hype.
We believe that they have the right to publish content as long as there is an audience for it and as long as it is targeted appropriately. Having said that, we want to help fellow parents identify whether or not games are appropriate for their families. For the most part, we try to provide you the information so that you can judge. But I believe that it’s clear that this title is neither intended, nor appropriate for children.
Having said that, the Halloween release date seemed appropriate for a horror/slasher title. I believe that the real source of concern over this title is based in the misconception that videogames are only for children. This is just no longer the case.
This past Saturday (October 20th), Fox News program Cashin’ In provided yet another opportunity for Jack Thompson to vilify the gaming industry. Click here to view this YouTube clip posted by News Hounds. Perhaps what was most disturbing about this broadcast was the fact that the counter to his view, Jonathan Hoenig, was truly obnoxious and unable to properly address Thompson’s assertions point-for-point. Add to this the fact that the moderator (for lack of a better term) did nothing to balance the discussion and, eventually, joined Thompson by criticizing Hoenig’s stance by shouting over him and saying that a parent can’t prevent what their child sees at their friend’s house. Honestly, it felt like the whole thing was staged to make Thompson look good and to take an already sensationalized subject and push it further over the top.
The fact is that I am no fan of Mr. Thompson’s approach nor do I appreciate the way he spouts factiods¹ at the drop of a hat. However, he represents a voice and an opinion regarding gaming and children. Further, I believe that if we were to tear away the layers of misinformation, blatant attacks on the gaming industry, and myriad insults that he casts at gamers in general, we may find something of value. Somewhere underneath it all is an agenda. The questions is, “What is his agenda?” I believe that this is either: 1) to protect children from inappropriate content, or 2) to make a name for himself by highlighting controversial issues and appeal to the tabloid mentality.
If I proceed under the assumption that the first agenda is Thompson’s motivation, he would have a valid reason for bringing public attention to particular issues. In fact, I’d go so far to say that Thompson might be right regarding the gaming industry. He could be spot on in recognizing that an ESRB rating of “M” makes kids want the game more, just as much as an “R” film tempts them. He may also be correct when he says that the gaming industry relies on this and expects these “M” rated games to be purchased by teens under 17 and that, in fact, the industry fears that if it enforces the “M” rating through retailers that it will drastically reduce their profits. Honestly, this wouldn’t be the first time that a business put it’s own profits ahead of public interest, would it?
However, if I were to grant Mr. Thompson all of these points, it wouldn’t change the fact that he cannot argue his way out of a paper bag. He is supposed to be a lawyer, right? The weakest member of my high school debate team could make mincemeat out of him. I can’t help but think that if his agenda is in the public interest, that he could approach this in a much more productive manner. Instead, all he does is offend people who play games and try to stir up controversey. His actions seem synchronous with agenda #2.
As for this particular appearance, Thompson was speaking out to have Manhunt 2² banned in the United States. I will take this as an opportunity to strongly encourage all parents to keep this title off your under-17-year-old’s Christmas list this year. I don’t think that it should be banned any more than the movies Seven or Saw. But it is not meant for children or those with a weak stomach.
¹Factoids are not facts. Merriam-Webster defines them as, “an invented fact believed to be true because of its appearance in print.” For further clarification, see the WikiPedia entry here.
²Manhunt 2 is an extremely violent title in which the protagonist is a doctor who volunteers as a guinea pig for a neurological weapons project when funding is pulled. The result puts him in an asylum where he stays for 6 years trying to determine if his life with a wife and two children was a real memory or a fabrication. The game begins on a fateful night when the asylum loses power and our (anti-) hero escapes. In order to find out the truth about his life and those who destroyed it, he must travel a very dark path.
