Mainstream Coverage of Manhunt 2 39
Now that Manhunt 2 is out (and garnering little enthusiasm from gamers) the mainstream press is having their say on the title. Joystiq has a look at what ABC and CBS has to say about the latest assault on our nation's children. "'What sets this video game apart is that the player can become physically involved in the acts of violence,' Couric says. 'Rather than just pushing buttons, the player actually wields a knife, an ax, a glass shard -- to stab an opponent.' Ummm, no. Don't know who writes the copy over there at that ratings powerhouse, but that's just plain wrong. Although the PS2 version would be about pushing buttons -- unless CBS has discovered some new feature -- we're currently unaware of the Wiimote's ability to shape-shift into any of those items described allowing a player to "stab an opponent." Couric then says that research shows violent games cause children to accept violence as an every day part of life."
Re:The real version was leaked. (Score:2, Insightful)
Mmmm, violence... (Score:2, Insightful)
Ok, as a kid I remember playing Cowboys and Indians, "sword fighting" with wooden swords or sometimes just plain old sticks and having full-contact water gun fights...sometimes conducted while riding a bike in a sort of "drive-by" fashion...not so much because we were trying to be cool and emulate gangsters, but for the simple fact that you could shoot them and they couldn't hit you very effectively.
These things all strike me as things that lead to *actual* violence, yet not once were we chastised for rough-housing growing up unless somebody got hurt (or if one of the mothers caught you swearing). However, waving a white piece of plastic around and around in yet another example of crappy Wii controls from an uninspired developer is going to make kids suddenly more prone to violence? Did I miss some fundamental shift in the nature of human development here?
I realize that most people informed on the issue are fully aware that there is no proven direct link between violent videogames and actual violence, and in fairness to CBS they alluded to that fact in their report, but it was glossed over about how this game is going to turn little Johnny into a killer. Sort of a "while there are no signs that link leaving an electric fan on at night will cause your death...ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THAT CHANCE? Listen to our thousands of anecdotal stories that make good cursory sense to those who know nothing of the way things work, because we know that's all the further you'll look into the issue!"
I know all news media is a pack of lies to get advertising money and anymore who you watch is just picking the pack of lies which you find most palatable, but it still saddens me to see that "journalism" has descended to such a pitiful level.
Manhunt 2 matters not. (Score:3, Insightful)
The game title doesn't matter. Could have been a care bears game and the media will find some way of convincing you it is deadly. If it isn't a murder sim, it's soo addictive that you'll forget to eat or sleep for three days and die. If it gets any coverage from the media, you can be sure that it will be something that can kill you.
The problem in question here is not censorship. It's media.
They have free reign to be completely wrong without any adverse reaction from the masses. One of the first news stories I remember was that killer African bees were coming and America was in danger. Never happened. Exploding school buses, nevcer happened. How many looming epidemics that never happened? I would have never guessed SARS killed less than 1% of infected people if it wasn't for South Park. Shooting at police helicopters during Katrina? Nope. Iraq WMDs, nada. Do they tell you what kind of missions shuttle crews are going on? No, but they will replay the challenger explosion and talk about the dangers of foam and heat shielding damage for hours.
I could go on for hours here, but I'm sure you get the point. Media doesn't care if they get anything right, they only care about it scaring you in to staying tuned until after the next commercial break.