Might Jack Thompson be helping Nintendo?

[Schpickles]

Unless you've been living under a rock (http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10-17#2833) , you'll know that Jack Thompson has been causing trouble again in the US. In addition, there is a legal wrangle (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6867) over whether new age ratings laws being mooted in the state of california are constitutional.

Whilst I appreciate that this might be of only passing interest to european gamers, it's something that the games industry is taking very seriously indeed. Improved age ratings legislation is one thing, and no doubt the US publishers can act responsibly to reach an agreement. However, Mr. Thompson's rhetoric is quite something else and isn't good for the games industry in the US - the most affluent gaming region in the world.

Let's face it, publishers are already about as risk averse as they can be... they don't back unproven ideas, and would much rather support a sure-fire hit than an "innovative" game idea. This newfound pressure on age ratings and content could see a further shift away from "risky" or "edgy" subjects, especially when you consider how much money Take2 lost out on from the GTA debacle.

However, with Nintendo's shift towards the mainstream consumer, and with their back catalogue of family-friendly IPs, perhaps Nintendo might actually benefit from such a climate? With careful market positioning, they might actually benefit from the rather PlayStation- and Xbox- centric nonsense (http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10-17#2840) that's eminating from Mr Thompson, and could actually profit from being the "safe" option for parents. If so, it would be pretty ironic given the industry's desire for Nintendo to "grow up" for so long...

Food for thought...

[masaki86]

no; people will still buy violent games. Jack doesn't want to see an end to them, he just wants to see the games are not played by youngsters/sold to them, and people who they are not intended for.

There is a great interview with him over at spong, whcih really opened my eyes to his agenda. Too bad he is going around it in the wrong manner. His insults to gamers and the industry a like are uncalled for.

[Jordan]

Schpick >.> You are aware theres a thread in gen chit chat about this?
Ah well, since its you i'll let it be.

[killer kirby]

wasn't Jack thompson trying to get rid of Killer 7 or something like that. please correct me i am not good at remembering things like that.

[Schpickles]

Schpick >.> You are aware theres a thread in gen chit chat about this?
Ah well, since its you i'll let it be.

Well, this is a bit different. That thread is "what Jack Thompson did next", whereas I'm speculating that he might be helping Nintendo, and encouraging debate on that idea in this thread.

I think that they're two seperate threads.

[Shenlong]

I doubt it no-one ever ignores the forbidden suff, if anything its even more tempting then before. So by re-enforcing the young-uns from games that they're not legally allowed to own, they'll just figure a way around it. What exactly is it that this fool wants anyway, stricter age ratings, or what cos on his site if i'm not correct, no wait it was in response to someones email, he replied with 'say goodbye to videogames'....the dickhead like he can ever bring down an industry that big...

[EchoDesiato]

Hmm, but with the controller it would make GTA-type "murder simulators", as he likes to call them, much more realistic. Jacko wouldn't be in favour of that.

[NeoBlizz]

Any gamecompany will be in trouble in US right now..

Seems the new ESRB rules make it the game developers responsible for any kind of 3rd party mods too.

Someone making a "xrated" mod for any Nintendo game will get Nintendo in trouble.

Or so people from US keeps saying anyway...

[Bowser57]

Any publicity is good publicity. The more people whine without actually doing anything the more kids will want to play the games they shouldn't.

[harribo]

wasn't Jack thompson trying to get rid of Killer 7 or something like that. please correct me i am not good at remembering things like that.

He was upset because he read a review, not seen or played it, on IGN that said it had a full blown sex scene. Ive seen it it was pathetic and Matt calling it full blown was a large exageration(there both fully clothed FFS).

Any gamecompany will be in trouble in US right now..

Seems the new ESRB rules make it the game developers responsible for any kind of 3rd party mods too.

Someone making a "xrated" mod for any Nintendo game will get Nintendo in trouble.

Or so people from US keeps saying anyway...

That would be so fucking shit its like saying that Nintendo went to the modders and said make this game adult after its released so everyone can buy it.

[gaggle64]

Lets just ignore him and hope he gets hit by something, shall we?

[Hellfire]

If something, it will do the opposite, because people like to buy what they're not "supposed" to. It wont make a big difference though.

[NeoBlizz]

If something, it will do the opposite, because people like to buy what they're not "supposed" to. It wont make a big difference though.

Will make a diffrence, because the stores will have to pay a $1000 fine for every 18 marked game sold to people below the age of 18 if noticed, and people will tell about stores doing so...

And when some parents see the 18 mark they will NOT get the game for the kids, so some diffrence will it make.

[harribo]

just get a stranger to buy a game for you. Thats what I did for killer 7.

[NeoBlizz]

just get a stranger to buy a game for you. Thats what I did for killer 7.


Will still make an impact for gamesales in US, because AO and 18year rated games are not sold in normal stores..

[Domstercool]

Jack Thomposon doesn't even play the damn games fully. He thinks GTA is a cop killing simulator. He thinks Blitz the league couldn't use the NFL license because he thought the NFL just thought the game was too violent. He hasn't even played Killer 7 and thinks there is a full blown sex scene because of what Matt at IGN put in the review. If he played it he would knew that they are fully clothed and you see nothing at all, just some top half of a woman juggling around on some guys lap.

The guy just chats so much nonsense it's actually scary! Sims for paedophiles anyone?

[Towers]

I'm all for age ratings on games but don't we already have this? Surely Jack Thompson should be moaning more at the game shops themselves for selling the game to an underage individual rather than the game developers. After all if a kid is caught smoking cigarettes underage or drinking alcohol they don't blame the company who made the product.
Sure, slap on a big 18 cert. on the front cover. I highly doubt it would effect game sales massively and it would shut up people like Jack Thompson

[mario114]

Doesn't he just hate games full stop.

[system_error]

I believe that certain images in video games are surely disturbing for a young mind but that is not the fault of a developer. Stores here sell anything to everybody with the only exception that they are more carefull when they sell alcohol but I don't think that there is a problem to get a game with a age restriction.

The problem is some people just need a scapegoat and now they found the video game industry.
I doubt that Mr. Thompson will have a big effect on games because so far you still get guns in the US even though there are many concerned people who demonstrate against that.