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Games Entertainment

Rockstar's Next Game Draws Protesters 207

Posted by Zonk from the it's-not-even-out-yet! dept.
Rockstar's next title, Bully, has already come under fire from anti-bullying groups. Activists have taken it up another notch, though, by demonstrating outside of the NY Rockstar offices. They've also laid out a list of demands to the game developer, hoping to get the company to change its ways. The Peaceoholics demand Rockstar "Not to release Bully under any circumstances, Volunteer to sell its violent and sexually explicit games in adult video stores only, Let parents return Grand Theft Auto for a full refund until they do a national awareness campaign to educate parents of content and possible effects, Create a fund for victims of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and car-jackings, etc, Make a national apology for misleading and lying to children, parents, and legislators about their intentions and causing insurance premiums to sky rocket, Give a written response within five business days of receipt of these demands" Press the Buttons has commentary, and uses some words I'd like to myself.
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Rockstar's Next Game Draws Protesters More

Rockstar's Next Game Draws Protesters

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  • ROFLMAO (Score:3, Insightful)

    by pudding7 ( 584715 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:51AM (#13241303)
    AHAHAHAHA AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAlLOLOLOLOLLo!!!!!eleventyone!!!111 !!

    Those "demands" are hilarious.

  • Protesters? (Score:3, Funny)

    by turtled ( 845180 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:51AM (#13241311)
    I though it was, and had to re-read, but it's NOT "prostitutes"

  • A list of demands? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Quattro Vezina ( 714892 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:51AM (#13241314) Journal
    Aren't lists of demands what terrorists give when they hold people hostage?
  • The irony is so sharp I cut myself.

  • Personal Responsibility is Dead... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by xTMFWahoo ( 470364 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:53AM (#13241338) Homepage
    I can't understand why no one blames the parents for subjecting their children to violent video games. It's the parents responsibility to monitor their kids- what TV shows/movies they watch, what video games they play ect.

    Parents need to start doing their jobs IMHO.

    • Re:Personal Responsibility is Dead... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by PhilippeT ( 697931 ) <philippet.gmail@com> on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:05PM (#13241524)
      That's when parents will tell you that you (and everyone else) have no right to tell them how to raise their children.

      In my book parents shouldn't be allowed to harm their child via negligence.

      This includes letting them play a game, watching TV, etc... without understand that the actions in them is not always meant to be repeated.

      Meaning if you see someone going into space it doesn't mean you will never be able to. If you work hard you may be able to. But it does mean that if in game XYZ you can hit people with a hammer and they make funny noises it's not real and you shouldn't do it.

      That's my 2 cents

      • Re:Personal Responsibility is Dead... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by negative3 ( 836451 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:36PM (#13241957)
        Absolutely.

        Ignorance of the law is not a defense in a courtroom, so how can "responsible" parents use that as an excuse when it comes to raising their own children?

        When I was young, my parents let me watch whatever I wanted (within reason) and play whatever I wanted (then again, I grew up with NES, so that's probably a bit of a stretch). BUT they did explain to me the difference between right and wrong and gave me a good clue about how to conduct myself as a member of a civilized society.

        Why don't we start protesting the protest group by giving them a list of demands? I'll start one:

        • raise your own kids and let us raise ours
        • stop making it harder for responsible adults to buy violent games
        • start a fund to pay for the migraine medicine for the headaches you cause reasonable, intelligent people
        • if these demands aren't met within 5 days of receipt, we'll know you have no sense of humor either
      • That's when parents will tell you that you (and everyone else) have no right to tell them how to raise their children.

        And that's when you tell them that they should look in the fucking mirror because advocating for regulation of this stuff is telling people how to raise their children. Telling parent's that it's their responsiblilty to keep this stuff out of their kids hands if they don't want the kids to have it is the exact opposite of telling parents how to raise their kids; it's telling them that the wa
    • Good thing blaming the parents is damned easy.

      I wouldn't want to come up with an actual good policy solution that will let parents and kids both keep their freedom and also reduce the harm that some of this stuff causes when it inevitably gets into their hands.

      Rather, I think I'll just lobby the government to allow porn, liquor, and drugs to flow through the streets, then jail the parents of any kid who reaches out and touches it.
      • > I wouldn't want to come up with an actual good policy solution that will let parents and kids both keep their freedom and also reduce the harm that some of this stuff causes when it inevitably gets into their hands.

        Can you prove by any means that the crime rate is in any way related with video games?

        > Rather, I think I'll just lobby the government to allow porn, liquor, and drugs to flow through the streets, then jail the parents of any kid who reaches out and touches it.

        I don't think anyone has sug

      • Re:Personal Responsibility is Dead... (Score:4, Insightful)

        by ivan256 ( 17499 ) * on Thursday August 04, 2005 @03:43PM (#13244260)
        reduce the harm that some of this stuff causes when it inevitably gets into their hands.

        Exposure doesn't cause harm. Exposure without understanding causes harm.

        Since it's near impossible to shield children from all exposure from things their parents find objectionable, you could say that the lack of exposure causes harm, since without exposure there is no understanding.

        Hiding things you disapprove of is bad. When they see something you don't like, don't cover their eyes, explain why it's bad. That way you have control over what they think about that thing. Otherwise they will be exposed to it when you're not around and forming their own opinions; opinions you may not approve of. Children don't learn your values if you hide them. This isn't limited to children either. Censorship in almost all forms is bad for this reason.

        Have you ever seen a group of kids catch a glimpse of nudity in an 'R' rated film? You can tell the difference between the kids with parents who hide such things from their children and the kids with parents who teach them about those things. The kids who's parents have explained what was happening tend to cover their eyes when the nudity comes on. The kids who have never been exposed to it get really wide-eyed.
        • Since it's near impossible to shield children from all exposure from things their parents find objectionable, you could say that the lack of exposure causes harm, since without exposure there is no understanding.

          Let's be done with it already, then! We're all going to live forever; so we just make children illegal and then we won't have to "think of the children!" ever again.

      • Good thing being sarcastic on slashdot gets you mod points even if you don't actually make a point. You do the same thing you accuse others of doing. It's easy to say "create a good policy". Why don't you try to a) come up with one b) get it to someone who will try to push it through without tacking on a law that says that Intelligent Design should be taught in public schools. In any case, there has to be a line...and at a certain point parent need to be held responsible for their kids. We have an adeq
      • Would you call this an "either-or" or "false dilemma" fallacy?

        "We shouldn't ban all violent media. Rather, I think we should hit kids with baseball bats."

  • Not to say I like the idea... (Score:4, Funny)

    by sH4RD ( 749216 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:56AM (#13241377) Homepage
    But the anti-bullies are bullying the creators of Bully.

    How ironic.

  • The Response (Score:5, Funny)

    by Deathlizard ( 115856 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:56AM (#13241389) Homepage Journal
    Dear Peaceoholics

    No.

    Love Rockstar Games.

    PS: Reserve your Copy of Bully today!

    • Re:The Response (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Mitsoid ( 837831 )
      People are just protesting because they need someone besides themselves to blame. If you kid is going behind your back to play a Mature game, take the power cord for the computer/video game console to work with you... I'm not saying carry it around with you at work.. I'm saying put it in your vehicle and do what you need to do... it takes -1- minute and you garuntee your kid wont be playing games without your consent for the day... Rockstar is NOT to blame.. it's the Stores kids buy them at, or the parent
      • " If my truck gets stolen, and they find out it's some GTA-psycho... I'm not blaming rockstar, I'm blaming the kid (or his parents).. I'm NOT going to go after Rockstar.. I'm going after the person (or the kids parents)... Just my 2 cents.. Go ahead and attack me for speaking my mind, it's your right to do so... arn't you glad you have freedom to choose?"

        I wouldn't go after Rockstar, either. I have a different reason, though: There are more than 30 million copies of various incarnations of GTA out there.

  • Arrogance that could power a city. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by WidescreenFreak ( 830043 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:59AM (#13241434) Homepage Journal
    Karma be damned! I'm pissed now!

    Okay, first off, who is this group to think that they have some kind of moral obligation to place demands on Rockstar that must be answered within five days? What are they going to do if Rockstar ignores them, as I hope they will? Stage another protest with even more demands?

    Secondly, I want to congratulate them for increasing by an order of magnitude my desire to purchase both Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Bully when available, even though I will probably let them sit on my shelf unopened, as amy way of showing support for Rockstar.

    These people need to realize that we gamers are a much more powerful force, financially speaking, than they are with their holier-than-thou moralism. They're giving Rockstar more advertising than they could have possibly imagined. If only such arrogance and desire to force their morality could be harnessed...

    Listen, Peaceoholics, you are more than welcome to create your own gaming company that offers a line of products that are much more rooted in your personal morals. I have no doubt that you will sell millions of games, as long as they're entertaining and of a marketable value. Until that time, Rockstar that the right to sell whatever products the core gaming populous (males aged 18-35) want to purchase. Deal with it.
    • Perhaps these Peaceaholics need a 12 step program off an 11 step peer.
      I wouldn't worry too much about the effects they are having on Rockstar , unless of course your a member of the group as all they are doing is giving the game some wonderful publicity.
      Let them protest i say , its their right to do the work of Rockstar's PR department if they wish .
      they can make demand after demand after demand and get as much media attention as possible .

      When they finally get to court and discover that it is protect fr

    • I find it amazing that GTA has been out in a variety of versions, and far more violent games are out there as well, with little complaint.

      But someone manages to unlock some code showing tits and suddenly all hell is breaking loose?

      Its boob-gate all over again.

      Bottom line is, if Rockstar wants to release a game with really kinky sex, its their right. This is the very definition of free speech.

      All this whining over some boobs (or is the real outrage that it shows a black man and a white woman?) just shows ho
      • My sentiments exactly.

        Here we have a game where stealing cars, killing cops and doing death-defying stunts (well, death-defying the third time through) is perfectly fine. No complaints from politicians above the general noise level of outrage that these people seem to feel towards everything not featured in "Leave it to Beaver" and no ass clowns protesting outside Rockstar's offices.

        But bring sex into it and suddenly these guys are harming America far more than people who steal cars, kill cops and do death
        • So, since I haven't seen the offensive sexual content in GTA yet, can somebody clue me in here. Was there bondage? Gay sex? Bestiality? Something scatological? What could have been in that hidden scene that was worse than murder?

          Dry humping. It's evil and bad.

          Don't get me wrong. I honestly don't believe that video game behavior directly causes similar behavior in real life. Otherwise, I would have leveled several small towns with my hand-held rocket launcher.

          You've got better self control than I, ever sinc
      • Bottom line is, if Rockstar wants to release a game with really kinky sex, its their right. This is the very definition of free speech.

        The state has the right to limit the sale of pornography to the red light district of your local adult book store. It has the right to demand ID.

        Interesting to see a Slashdot post defending the constitutional rights of big business.

    • Re:Arrogance that could power a city. (Score:4, Informative)

      by dasunt ( 249686 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:56PM (#13242225)

      If you are annoyed with them, TELL THEM.

      Google tells me that the Peaceoholics organization in the District of Columbia has a website as (surprise) peaceoholics.org [peaceoholics.org]

      Guess what, they also have a Contact Form! [peaceoholics.org]

      • Good idea! I sent this:

        My List of Demands for Peaceaholics

        # Not to produce further press releases under any circumstances.
        # Volunteer to promote its anti-fun and anti-freedom agenda in organic food markets only.
        # Let those people affected by your activities apply to have the ten minutes of their lives fully refunded.
        # Not to do a national awareness campaign to propagandise about possible effects, but to jointly fund with a game publisher an unbiased study based on the scientific method to attempt to find an
    • Okay, first off, do you really not reallize that the only reason you are reading about this stuff is because Rockstar Games marketing department is paying off (aka PR) news outlets to promote these nutjobs' protest. This is nothing but really cheap promotions for Rockstar Games. Rockstar is using the nutjobs and I think that is great. But don't be fooled and get sucked into thinking this is anything other than a well crafted drama, built for the consumption of the mass audience. Nothing makes the news f
    • I don't know about anyone else, but I think Peaceoholics is doing a good thing by spreading awareness. Before they started their campaign I did not know that Rockstar was going to produce a game about being a bully. The list of perversions in this game was completely unknown to me. Now, as a informed consumer I really can't wait to buy this game. Kick ass Peaceoholics, spread the word!

      Wonder if they have a list of games somewhere with that lists the best violent video games out there...
    • Nicely said!

      I wonder if these protesters have ever heard of Running With Scissors? [gopostal.com]

      First mission in Postal2 you have to deal with people just like this. Gasoline was never so much fun!
    • >Listen, Peaceoholics, you are more...

      Aaah! Up to this point I thought you were talking about the UN! Nice post, anyway.
    • So, ummmm, very dramatic. But why would you worry about your karma when you are are spouting off the same opinion everyone else is that is getting modded up? Maybe you were worried about your karma because you should have been modded redundant?
    • These people need to realize that we gamers are a much more powerful force, financially speaking, than they are with their holier-than-thou moralism

      I wouldn't take any bets on that.

      Not that it matters. Hot Coffee took GTA back into the political arena, where Rockstar stumbled badly at the start and took a butt-kicking from the pros.

    • These people need to realize that we gamers are a much more powerful force, financially speaking, than they are with their holier-than-thou moralism.
      Ah, yes. Your holier-than-thou moralism means more than theirs.

      It all makes perfect sense now.

  • Keep it up... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Momoru ( 837801 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @11:59AM (#13241438) Homepage Journal
    Rockstar's next title, Bully, has already come under fire from anti-bullying groups. Activists have taken it up another notch

    These wusses are soooo going to get beat up for their lunch money as soon as I get my hands on them.

  • Insurance (Score:3, Funny)

    by kaellinn18 ( 707759 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:01PM (#13241462) Homepage Journal
    Oh, so that's why my insurance premiums are so high here in the DC area. It was Rockstar's video games all along. Silly me, I thought it was because YOU PEOPLE CAN'T FUCKING DRIVE!
    • That and the people who designed DC can't design streets.

      Seriously, you live in the DC area, do you have any idea why the hell there are so many roundabouts there? I sure don't.

      • Re:Insurance (Score:5, Informative)

        by kaellinn18 ( 707759 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:14PM (#13241646) Homepage Journal
        Seriously, you live in the DC area, do you have any idea why the hell there are so many roundabouts there?

        Yes, actually, I do. It's a fairly neat piece of history. DC was designed purposefully so that it's very hard to get where you want to go. The architects and city planners designed it this way back in the 1700s so that it would be difficult for invading armies to invade and capture the capital. It would be tough to get a hold of the leadership if you couldn't even find them, wouldn't it? :-)

        Of course, now-a-days you can just level the entire city with a bomb, and the road system just pisses people off.
        • Interesting. I learn something new every day...
        • One thing I *love* about DC roads is the way they do the streetlights. They don't extend out over the roadway so you always have a nice clear view of whatever you're looking at. Definitely a good design move for tourism and sightseeing.
        • I was looking for a subway station/street map (surprisingly hard to find) when I ran across a page that claimed all the streets and circles made a big free mason symbol when viewed from the air (it's a stretched hexagon running around the mall with the capital at the bottom). Many of the founders (and the architect) were masons so it makes as much sense as anything else.
        • "Of course, now-a-days you can just level the entire city with a bomb, and the road system just pisses people off."
          Just don't put that into a Rockstar game, or the Peacaholics will come after you.
      • Yea, i know...

        it's because the city-planners were really big YES fans...
    • I thought it was because YOU PEOPLE CAN'T FUCKING DRIVE!

      Well, the "It's Never My Fault" people probably will blame that on Grand Theft Auto and Rockstar, too, if given the chance!

    • Car insurance (which I assume you're talking about) is so high in DC because there are *so many* uninsured drivers.

      I'm sure they all play Rockstar games, too. The Peaceoholics said so.

  • There are probably a billion and one things more worthy of protest than Rockstar's next game.

  • Gone too far (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Nytewynd ( 829901 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:04PM (#13241504)


    causing insurance premiums to sky rocket


    WTF? You can make arguments that Rockstar games are bad for young kids, but are we really at the point where we are blaming a game company because our insurance premiums are too high? Maybe premiums are too high because we have idiots on the road. Idiots like the people that blame game companies for insurance premiums.

    I hate when groups of "watchdogs" make demands. Who do these people think they are? They tend to make up offensive facts (OMG, the purple puppet is a flaming homo!!!) just to have something to bitch about. Or they take one quote out of context and then go on-and-on about it, twisting it until even reasonable people think it is offensive. This happens in politics all the time. I guess Rockstar got what they wanted though. As they keep pushing the envelope on what kind of ridiculous content you can fit into a game, they are going to get more and more of this.

    Part of me thinks Rockstar is trying to make money by peddling offensive ideas to kids, but that really doesn't matter. Parents should be preventing kids from buying this stuff, or face the consequences when Little Johny pummels someone in 3rd grade because Bully is his favorite game.

    I'm just waiting for a game where you can strangle a prostitute with a bungee cord, and beat up a cop with strips of bacon. That will be the funnest game ever.

    • I'm just waiting for a game where you can strangle a prostitute with a bungee cord, and beat up a cop with strips of bacon. That will be the funnest game ever.

      I think Postal 2 comes close to that, although it's not as fun.

  • ...apart from calling them absolute universal morons, none seems quite fitting.

    It seems as if noone is concerned about facts anyway. Next week they may want to protest against the weather or that *SHOCK AND HORROR* they are teaching things about the human reproduction process in a biology class.

  • Not so sure about Bully (Score:4, Insightful)

    by defkkon ( 712076 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:09PM (#13241582)
    I love GTA: San Andreas. I've put a lot of hours into it, and think its some great entertainment. I agree with the standard argument of "Parents should regulate what their children play, and pay attention to what comes into their household", blah blah blah. We've all heard the arguments.

    But a game about Bullying students and teachers in a fictional schoolyard? There's almost no doubt in my mind that I will purchase (and probably enjoy!) this game, but c'mon Rockstar, can you push some more buttons?

    With all the sensationalized stories about bullying in schools, children committing suicide due to being harassed, etc. do you really think its wise to make a game like this?

    I realize it'll be rated M. I know that there will be ESRB warnings around Violence, Language, etc. I also realize that this sort of stuff is great publicity for their game releases. But games like this DO give the electronic entertainment industry a bad name. Its already under fire for "Hot Coffee". Do they really need to demonize video games any more?

    And before someone says it, NO, I don't believe creative game-making should be stymied by groups such as the ones protesting Bully. I just think they should become more creative in ways OTHER than kicking the crap out of children in a schoolyard. I think that Pikmin, Katamari Damacy, Morrowind, etc. were just as creative an "out there" as GTA. But no one is coming after the industry because you killed some cartoonish Pikmin.

    • Anyone research these "anti-bullying" groups to see if they are legit? Frankly, Rockstar Games seems like a company that lives off contraversy, I wouldn't put it past some publicity company to decide the best way to get the word out was the incite a protest.

    • You're Right... (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      ...you aren't sure about Bully.

      But a game about Bullying students and teachers in a fictional schoolyard? There's almost no doubt in my mind that I will purchase (and probably enjoy!) this game, but c'mon Rockstar, can you push some more buttons?

      If you read this [slashdot.org] article, you would realize that Bully is not what you claim it to be. As a matter of fact, it's a game that pits you, the average student, in a situation where you attempt to OVERCOME being bullied.

      Sorry for being the jerk here; however,

      • Re:You're Right... (Score:3, Interesting)

        by defkkon ( 712076 )
        As a matter of fact, it's a game that pits you, the average student, in a situation where you attempt to OVERCOME being bullied ... ...when you don't even know what the game is about.

        You are correct, in the game you are the one being bullied.

        But the point of the games is to fight back against students that bully you, and teachers that harass you. You perpetuate violence against these bulles - both students and teachers.

        I don't claim to know everything about the game, but I do know the general idea.

    • With all the sensationalized stories about bullying in schools, children committing suicide due to being harassed, etc. do you really think its wise to make a game like this?

      I think it's a great idea to make a game like this. Of course according to the reviews I checked out (below) it may bring forth even more lawsuits against rockstar. The premis is you're a kid who's picked on by bullies and teachers, you're not the bully, maybe they can lash out on their console instead of going apeshit and killing cla
    • c'mon Rockstar, can you push some more buttons?

      I think this is what should be worrying every gamer. You can't help wondering what Rockstar and others have in the pipeline...when the next shoe will drop.

      I do not want the M rating to become synonymous with rape-torture-kill. I do not want sexual themes in gaming to be defined by the mysognistic gang culture of Grand Theft Auto. I do not want to see the modding community disappear because development tools, game assets, and code have been locked down tight.

  • Sad thing is, I had no interest in the game Bully until I all these people were upset by it. I think their attempt to kill these games is having the opposite result.
    • Indeed.

      I hadn't even heard of Bully until I saw all the /. articles about these Taliban-loving maniacs protesting against it.

      I, for one, will be buying a copy of Bully the day it comes out solely to get back at these maniacs.
  • No, really... this HAS to be a joke.

    > Let parents return Grand Theft Auto for a full refund until they do a national awareness campaign to educate parents of content and possible effects

    *boggle*

    Do they also want Rockstar to pay for a national education campaign to teach reading to all the illiterate parents who apparently can't read "violent content", "sexual content" and such on the box? And possibly hire some security guards in all the stores selling their products to tackle any parent who tries to bu
  • We all know the stats on how violent crime and violent crime among children/teens have gone down since Doom was released.

    Does anyone have any stats on what actual carjacking rates have been since GTA3 was released?
    • We all know the stats on how violent crime and violent crime among children/teens have gone down since Doom was released.

      Hey c'mon that's not anything to joke about. My cousin was killed last week in Detroit by a flaming-skull shooting hell demon.
      • Yeah, my bad. Sorry about that.

        After playing Doom, I decided to become a physicist so that I could unlock the secrets of interdimensional travel.

        If it weren't for my playing Myst, I would never have had the foresight to keep my D'ni linking book handy when the demons came through.

        Unfortunately, I linked to some Bizzaro-Earth where killing and car theft are OK but having sex is VERY bad. I wish I could go back...at least hell demons behave rationally.

  • Heh (Score:3, Funny)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:17PM (#13241693) Homepage Journal
    "...do a national awareness campaign to educate parents of content and possible effects..."

    Possible effects include:

    - Bitchiness
    - Irritability
    - Overreactions
    - ... attending protests and making unreasonable demands

  • Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

    *snigger*

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah hah hahahahaha ha hahahah hah hahah ahahahahahahaha!

    *falls off couch*

    Hahahahahaihhihihihiahahahahaahahooooohahahahahaha !

    *pinks away a tear*

    Rockstars responce: "Thanks for the free publicity!"
  • Rockstar gives a refund to the parents of 17 year olds since Rockstar already advised them this was a game for 17+. Then inform the misguided protesters that the bullies in the new game are actually the bad guys, not the character the player plays.

    I'd also suggest going one step further and hiring real bullies to beat up all the protesters, and steal their lunch money - but that's just me.

  • Here's why the protest is unreasonable (Score:3, Insightful)

    by dstone ( 191334 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @12:37PM (#13241968) Homepage
    In their demands, the protesters refer to Bully, a game that's currently under development, and demand Rockstar to:

    "Not to release Bully under any circumstances "

    The "under any circumstances" part is where they stop being reasonable and rational (and where I stop listening). Essentially, they're saying that they're going to protest any game called "Bully" that Rockstar releases, even if the content was radically edited, sanitized, censored, etc.

    This makes it clear that the protesters are not actually interested in improving or sanitizing game content, but that they're simply out for revenge against Rockstar, even if Rockstar was willing to compromise or negotiate.
  • Let's figure out a couple of good phrases to googlebomb 'Peaceoholics' and 'Jack Thompson'.
  • What incentive does Rockstar have to do anything other than just ignore the protesters? I didn't even know such a title was in the works, but, thanks to the protesting, now I'm aware of the game. I have to admit, it doesn't seem like the kind of game that really sparks my interest, but I gave Rockstar kudos for originality; I've never heard of a game like this before.

    So, what to do? Ignore the protesters, let them advertise for you, and if CERTAIN countries ban the release/sale of the game (the United S

  • . . .most of the children who play this will be the ones getting bullied.
  • I didn't even know about this game before these idiots started protesting it. Suddenly I found myself at Gamespot checking it out, sounds kinda fun. Can't wait.

    Thanks, Peaceaholics!
  • I respect Rockstar's right to make any game they want. After all, this is America and everyone has the right to say what they want or create any work they want, regardless of how I or anyone else feels about its content.

    I also have to say that I am completly disgusted with Rockstar for making a game that glorifies bullying regardless of whether it causes anyone who plays it to start bullying. I don't believe that GTA had much of an effect on people who played it, but lets face it, bullying is a far more acc

  • Little Jimmy invites his friend Billy over... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Allison Geode ( 598914 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @01:38PM (#13242760)
    Jimmy: Hey, billy, want to come over and play Grand Theft Auto?
    Billy: I'd love to, but mom said I couldn't play violent video games anymore, and she's even out protesting at Rockstar headquarters!
    Jimmy: Yeah, my mom is protesting, too, which means we'll have all afternoon un-attended to do whatever the hell we want!
    Billy: AWESOME! Should I bring my dad's Playboy and my brother's marijuana, too?
  • What's that they say about stones and glass houses? The culture of relative truth and the REAL "if it feels good do it" culture (Don't think hippie. Think yuppie, I.E. Soccer Mom), are behind most of the problems. These people are liars. Plain and simple. It took me two minutes to realize that in "Bully", you do NOT play the Bully. You play a character who is bullied, and your goal is to rise up the social structure of your school. You play the average joe who overcomes the bully. And where exactly is th

  • Financial Suicide for Rockstar (Score:3, Insightful)

    by tepp ( 131345 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @01:47PM (#13242860)
    Let parents return Grand Theft Auto for a full refund until they do a national awareness campaign to educate parents of content and possible effects

    Gahhhh.

    This stuff is giving me heart-burn, I tell you.

    If Rockstar were to do that, it would be financial suicide. There are millions of units of GTA:SA sold right now. And there a millions of people who have finished - the PS2 version at least - the game. Most of these people sell their games back to ebgames at a loss. But if Rockstar were to offer a refund, it wouldn't be JUST the parents who would return the game for money... it would be every cheap college student who could use 50$, despite the fact they have no objections to the game. It would be morally wrong, but when you're in college and living off of ramen and cheep beer, you don't care.

    Literally, it would provide a free game to millions of people, where they would play it, then return it for a full refund. Financial suicide for Rockstar!

    These people need to have "I am stupid" tattooed on their forehead. The game already has a list of all that's wrong with it, including Explicit Sexual Content as one of the items. How much more explicit can you get than listing it straight on the box next to the big "M for Mature" logo?
  • you just can't buy that kind of publicity.

  • So... (Score:2)

    by jpmkm ( 160526 )
    These guys are addicted to peaceohol? Either that or alcoholics are addicted to alc. I don't know.
  • That and the Bush Pro-ID statement close the case for me. The US is a lost case, I suggest we're smarter than the marines and just nuke it out.

    Damn. How do you live with so many damn fucking stupid morons all around you? I pity every american with an IQ above 10. You must be in constant pain just thinking about it.
  • Welcome to the fictional Bullworth Academy where you play a troubled schoolboy named Jimmy in reform school who tries to stand up to bullies, gets picked on by teachers, plays pranks on annoying kids from all over campus, and even tries to pursue a love interest.

    Sounds really bad for kids... almost like REAL school. Which isn't dangerous at all, that's why they have metal detectors.

  • goodwill (Score:3, Insightful)

    by rayde ( 738949 ) on Thursday August 04, 2005 @02:23PM (#13243255) Homepage
    the mood of the comments here is obviously on the side of Rockstar, and I tend to agree with some of them, as I do value freedom to choose what games I can play.

    however, I believe it would be a nice gesture of goodwill for Rockstar to do something along the lines of the one demand, "Create a fund for victims of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and car-jackings, etc". they could give something beneficial to those affected by such tragedy, instead of simply glorifying the perpetrators through their games.

    I don't think it's gonna happen though.

  • They're exercising their freedom of expression, and I don't like what they have to say! We just can't let this go on any further! We must protest, lobby, and sue until Rockstar is silenced!!!
  • Right now there is a marketing guy at Rockstar laughing his ass off.

    Why?

    Because he just got his company national press and awareness for their new game, for free.

    At worst, this will deter a very few number of sales as parents decide not to buy it for their 12 year old.

    At best, a few extra thousand young/mid adults now know about the game and are more likely to become customers.
  • Wait until we see the super-secret cheat code that unlocks the 'S&M' room in Bully.

  • LOL (Score:2)

    by AvitarX ( 172628 )
    They are blaming Rockstor for high insurance premiums????? Thats the funniest thing ever.

    PS, does sending out millions of things saying your games are violent contain sexual stuff ect. count as awarenss campaign? because they right it on every box.
  • Volunteer to sell its violent and sexually explicit games in adult video stores only

    If I could buy my porn and my video games in one quick trip, I'd save money on gas and have more time to play Bully when it comes out!
  • I haven't bought a game since HL2 and BF2 came out, and then not since BF1942 was released (whoa!).

    That said, I might just pick up a copy of GTA-whatever-the-latest-version-is JUST OUT OF FUCKING SPITE.

    Jesus, people, not that they're going to be the one reading this, but if you don't like it, DON'T BUY IT.
  • or at least in the US, so I could walk up to these activists/protestors and tell them loudly and proudly, "FUCK YOU!"*

    I'm glad they're not sitting on their fat retarded asses but actually doing somethig about stuff they don't like, however they have no fucking clue what they're talking about and their demands make about as much sense as Beowulf having sex with Robert Fulton at the first battle of Antietam.**

    Bully isn't gloryfing bullying, but shows a kid who actually "stands up to bullies, gets pick
  • Peaceoholics crave Peaceohol.
    Why?
    Alcoholics crave alcohol.

    What is Peaceohol?
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Don't like it? Don't play it. Now STFU and get back to work you liberal hippiee. If you spent less time protesting and more time parenting you would have to worry so much.

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