Some nice entries made here so far, regardless if they're ridiculously off-topic.
I'm not going to tire myself out and debate my views as if this were an episode of Charlie Rose.....so, I'll throw this in. This is a (ramblin-ass) letter I sent to EGM a month or two ago in regards to their article about video game maturity. I'm re-reading some of it right now....some of my views I made, well, I have a different outlook on them now. Anyway, I think the subject matter is slightly inclinded with the discussions going on here.
Make of it what you will:
Spoiler, click to toggle visibilty
Dear EGM:
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I’m sure the responses you get everyday are overwhelming. Let me get right to the point: this letter is in response to the Can’t Touch This article. While there were some good points made about the ass-backwards AO rating the ESRB puts out I particularly want to stress what David Jaffe had to say in terms of creativity restraints in game design:
“…most of the stuff that we say is for adults is simply bloody and sexual – and I’m guilty of this more than most…the idea that the AO rating is keeping deep, meaningful, adult games out of the marketplace is bulls***.”
Video games that are classified as “mature” and “adult” always consist of a horrendous amount of disproportioned T&A from Japanese and White-American women, gratuitous violence and gore, and last but not least, a mediocre storyline to guide it. None of this is new but let’s face the facts: the gaming industry is just like any other business. The suits are going to do what they feel is right for the business to profit and prosper. This is a big plus for the misogynistic, action-hungry, or just plain lazy I-don’t-give-a-crap developers; if the game bleeds, bounces, and, in some cases, interprets its own story with a butt-load of Japanese mythology and alliteration, it sells…
…it sells because we buy them. So, if someone wanted to play the blame game of why we don’t have authentic “mature/adult” games, the fingers should be pointed at the developers as well as the consumers. It’s kinda like buying a hamburger at McDonald’s. No one is forcing you to do it, but if you want to change up your diet and be healthier, stop giving in to a company that constantly offers a product that you know isn’t good for you and go to the farmer’s market.
What I’m trying to say is if “mature” figureheads and spectators want a “mature” game, then we need to stop bullshitting ourselves. The aspect of audio & visual has been more than achieved - we should be at an age where the only thing to anticipate more is A.I. and storytelling. Just remember: the more we bullshit ourselves on this matter, the longer the constant blaming of game designers creating violent & smutty games that have parents up in arms because they’re not willing to admit their impressionable, psychotic-ass kids doing very bad things to others because of the games they play are just that: impressionable, but more so crazy.
So, I have to ask: when the gamers of America unite to try and stop politicians from infringing on our constitutional rights and introducing state legislation that will enable high-priced fines (and possibly imprison) game retailers from selling video games with “mature/adult’ content to minors, uphold restrictions so that minors lose the right to buy games with “mature/adult” content, possibly find a way to warrant the action of families enlisting lawsuits for and keeping overall freedom of expression in video games untapped from the government, ask yourself this: are you trying to protect the freedom of just gratuity and conformity in games, or are you also going to protest game designers for half-assing their failed attempts at creating real “mature/adult” games until they stop bullshitting and just do it? Are you going to protest game designers for not fighting the fight they should be fighting on freedom of expression in their explicit games when the ESA has to constantly hold everyone’s hand (it’s no wonder why Doug Lowenstein left)? It’s better to take a chance in creating something that defines the term “innovative’ and since if it blossoms than to just cop out (Take-Two’s GTAIII was a big risk and look where the franchise is now).
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not an antagonist of games like GTA San Andreas (lord knows it’s therapeutic after a long day at work) but I’m just sick and tired of “those” games being labeled as “mature/adult.” It’s because of that reason why the AO rating is the kiss of death for video games: what we seem to deem adult is nothing more than a digital splatterhouse of chaos. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll get to play a game that’s as fun as Super Mario Bros. 3, with a story and setting that’s more riveting than Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance or Crash …without the cop-out of actually hiring Hollywood screenwriters though.
Sincerely,
XXXXX XXXXX [Edited for identity protection….the guild has werewolves in it.]
