The Videogame Industry is attacked AGAIN...

[Swiss]

This is just pathetic. That is all I'm saying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryH2WemACIM&feature=player_embedded

Destructoid's Jim Sterling had this to say:

Alan Titchmarsh, an inexplicably popular TV host, recently hosted a videogame segment on his talk show that somehow managed to be worse than anything FOX News has ever done. In what could be described as the character assassination on an entire industry, Titchmarsh invited one pro-game speaker on the show, then invited two more guests who were there to essentially kick the crap out of him with their assumptions, scaremongering, and blatant lies.

Meanwhile, the hypocritical studio audience clapped and cheered while videogames were accused of promoting "racism, sexism and hatred," despite the fact that their presence supports ITV, a station that has shown many violent TV shows and movies. Julie Peasgood -- who makes a living talking about sex on TV -- falsely claimed that there was a proven link between videogames and antisocial behavior. When this "fact" was refuted with an actual study that claimed there was no link, the audience began jeering and scoffing.

This is one of the most miserable, pathetic, depressing shows of public stupidity I have ever seen. At least the guests have been paid to go on TV and lie about videogames, but for the audience to so happily lap up the slander like they were sucking spunk through a straw is just horrific. And this was while videogames were being honored in the UK with their own BAFTA awards.

Well done, British public. You take two steps back for every step forward you make. Videos like this make me ashamed -- truly, deeply ashamed -- to come from English stock.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Sinister Swiss

[Patticus]

Until something newer comes along, video games will always be the "bad guy", as it were, targeted by everyone and his dog looking for something to use as a scapegoat. And parents always need something to blame other than themselves. Before games, it was video nasties. Before that, it was rock and roll. Before even that, it was comic books. All we have to do is wait for a new medium to emerge.

It can't take that long, can it?

Oh yeah, and the Bulger case had nothing to do with videogames at all. This is the first time anybody has gone on record stating the two are linked. It was Child's Play 3 (a film) that was blamed. Nice retcon, MacKenzie.

[Frozen Nitrogen]

This is one of the most miserable, pathetic, depressing shows of public stupidity I have ever seen. At least the guests have been paid to go on TV and lie about videogames, but for the audience to so happily lap up the slander like they were sucking spunk through a straw is just horrific. And this was while videogames were being honored in the UK with their own BAFTA awards.

Well done, British public. You take two steps back for every step forward you make. Videos like this make me ashamed -- truly, deeply ashamed -- to come from English stock.

The real punchline? There's liable to be a general election in Britain in ~6 weeks time, and these same slack-jawed troglodytes are going to be let out to express their equally stupid opinions about who gets to run the damn country.

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

*yawn*

Evidence that the general British public is incredibly ignorant and unaware of half of what actually goes on in the country despite having full access to the information?

This isn't news.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Lol I watched this last night.

It's not going to do much, or have any impact on anyone or anything if you ask me. It's the Alan Titchmarsh show for starters, I think that most people watching this who did go "grrr angry" are the same type of people who go "Grr Angry" at every segment and then forget about it when the next one comes up.

The problem this had was that they had a 'celebrity' talking against it, some guy from the videogames industry and some guy who some people know? The industry guy is in favour, everyone else isn't so any TV Audience is always going to side against him because theres a celebrity saying that it's bad.

Even the Guardians blogis speaking out in favour of the videogame guy and saying that it was a horrific segment on the show.

Although this made me laugh...

Julie Peasgood on the show said something along the lines of "categorically against violence for entertainment" Oh is that so.... then why did you provide the voice for a videogame character in the survival horror game Martian Gothic back in 2000? Who knows, maybe she's changed her mind since then.

[JezMM]

Man I love how they keep on and on about the violence and how it affects kids even after he says what, 5-8 times that the games aren't for kids so it shouldn't be a concern?

Thankfully their generation will soon be gone and we can get on with looking at what really matters - what content is appropriate for specified age groups - not what content is suitable for everybody including kids.

The only reason (these kind of) older people think video-games are for kids are because they've never even tried them because they're not open to new things.

EDIT: My bad, this was on ITV. Nothing to see here.

Edited March 24, 2010 by JezMM

[Ekaje]

Meh, it's just the same thing we've seen again and again, just some people saying that videogames are CORRUPTING THE KIDS WITH VIOLENCE, ignoring the other person's points entirely, just going on and on about corrupting the youth. None of these arguments are really going to convince anyone one way or another, so what's the point?

Also, why do people from the gaming industry bother coming on these shows? He even acknowledged that he was the "bad guy".

EDIT: @JezMM

What, does this station do things like this often?

Edited March 24, 2010 by Ekaje

[JezMM]

EDIT:

What, does this station do things like this a lot?

The best way to put it is that the BBC has intelligence, Channel 4 has a tight grip on modern views, and ITV... doesn't.

[Rusty Spy]

Julie Peasgood on the show said something along the lines of "categorically against violence for entertainment" Oh is that so.... then why did you provide the voice for a videogame character in the survival horror game Martian Gothic back in 2000? Who knows, maybe she's changed her mind since then.

Or better yet, the fact that she acts like movies don't show, and to MUCH greater detail, violence for the sake of people's entertainment. It's the whole premise of the Final Destination series and MANY more movies released THROUGHOUT history.

But wait, those aren't as "addicting" as video games, therefore it's completely alright that kids still see these films just as often as they play violent video games.

[ovarloard]

I dunno if he slipped up and mistakenly said something he didn't mean to, or if he didn't know about the games which he listed and merely looked them up for the purpose of this report.

He said "Call of Duty 2: Modern Warfare" instead of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2"

Anyway... nothing new. I'd just like to put out there the fact that it's easier to stop kids from playing violent video games than watching violent TV shows... sure, some people may block certain TV channels, but if parents really cared, they'd monitor what their kids play or limit their budget so as to make sure they can only buy approved games. So they shouldn't be on TV if they were really worried about how kids were growing up... they wouldn't support the very thing that they're trying to put down.

In case someone says "well this is TV and its not a violent show then why are you saying people shouldn't watch TV", I'd also like to point out that there are also less violent options for gaming, such as Mario, or Sonic. Also, Pokémon has its share of violence, but there's nothing that a quick glance at Cartoon Network or almost any cartoon channel won't show.

tl;dr - Why the F*CK are they on TV when TV is worse than those video games they go on about?

Edited March 24, 2010 by Electrode

[SuperStingray]

It's always been this way. Comic books, movies- hell, even radio were originally shunned by the general public before they came a part of mainstream culture. It's bound to happen for video games sooner or later.

Edited March 25, 2010 by SuperStingray

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

The YouTube video linked to a complaints e-mail address. When I showed this video to a friend just now he tried to write a complaint of his own.

The e-mail's down. The last time I heard that happen was when Toei disabled their complaints e-mail after it got thousands of e-mails from angry TeamFourStar fans when Toei went on that copyright-whore spree back in September and got DBZ: Abridged banned from YouTube.

I suspect ITV's complaints inbox has been blown away by a storm of complaints. Good job, fellow gamer bretheren. ^_^b

Withdrawn until my friend can prove he's not just an idiot. My bad. XD

Edited March 25, 2010 by Velotix Lexovetikan

[ovarloard]

How do you know if the email's down? I just sent a message and it seemed to get through okay... is there an automatic reply back telling you that the email isn't available right now? Or does your email service tell you that there's no existing email by that address? Neither happened for me.

Also; seems like YouTube's users unanimously hate this guy. Or if not this guy, then his show. Or if not his show, then at least the topic he's getting at. 1 and 1/2 stars, practically every single comment's angry about the video, etc.

If this happens every time a video like this is posted, I'm surprised they haven't learned yet.

Edited March 25, 2010 by Electrode

[Tori Himemiya]

Geez... Appeantly if we play video games we'll become violent. So jumping on turtles and hittting coin blocks will influence us to mug people. Playing as blue hedgehogs trying to save the world from a dictator who made his friends will makes us run around trashing things. Doesn't this sound familar?

Well this guy gives really bad examples. And every good parent would make sure that GTA is out of child reach too. So there's really no reason to gasp and start going off on the purely innocent one. If children play a violent video game (which is bound to scare them depending on the game) it would be the parent's fault. But knowing kids these days tell brag on how they play the awesome violent game anyways.

[Detective Shadzter]

I read about Tim going on the show a few days ago and just spotted the video at GamesRadar. People like Julie Peasgood get right on my nerves, the whole audience on this show was too. Tim made so many valid points against her but she wouldn't listen and often butted in because she was afraid of how right he is.

As Tim said, adult video games contain the same big BBFC rating icons on them that movies do and said many times that kids shouldn't even be able to pick up these games in the first place.

Tim also mentioned the parental lock features on the consoles and made the correct argument that parents need to be made more aware of what content they are giving their kids. I like how he also corrected the stupid cow that in that Modern Warfare 2 level that you don't have to shoot any civillians at all, he should have also pointed out that its optional too but she wouldn't have listened anyway.

Here's GamesRadar's article on this -

http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-most-biased-tv-video-game-debate-ever/a-20100324162445218095

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

I'd like to highlight ITV's official response to the complaints which I've just come across:

"Please allow me, first of all, to express my apologies that you were upset by material in the above programme. It is never the intention of the production company or the presenters to cause offence to viewers.

We, at Channel Television, ensure that the show complies with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code ("the Code"), and on this occasion were satisfied that although strong opinions were expressed it was a balanced debate overall. In addition to adhering to the standards set in the Code we have a responsibility to observe freedom of expression, as laid out in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. We cannot, therefore, censor contributor's opinions, but can take steps to ensure that other contributors are present to challenge and debate the issues in question.

Again, I am sorry that you were upset by the views expressed. If you wish to take the matter further you may wish to contact our regulator, Ofcom, at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/contactus/

With best wishes, and thanks again for your valuable feedback.

Channel Television"

>

Be right back, calming down.

[Badnik Mechanic]

If people feel that the discussion was not balanced, why don't they complain to Ofcom, chances are if all those youtube voters moaned to Ofcom they may actually look into it... lol either way it would get people talking about videogames abit more.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

So people attack the VG industry. It's the same with Hip-hop, Rock and Roll, Comics, Cartoons, etc. People love to scapegoat. So what?

This isn't really making that big of a dent in the industry anyway. People are still making games, playing games, and enjoying games. It's not like videogames are going to get a ban put on them of any kind, otherwise that would've happened with a lot of the stuff we enjoy that those people love to scapegoat.

Let'em hate. After all, there's really nothing to gain from hating something so trivial.

[Solly]

videogames were accused of promoting "racism, sexism and hatred,"

Well I'll tell ya one thing- that's certainly not a parenting issue at all! Kids growing up to be violent, sexist and hateful people are the result of videogames.

Honestly, any person who mimmicks the kind of behavior seen in these kinds of games WASN'T FUCKING STABLE TO BEGIN WITH. And you've got to love how graphic books, movies, t.v shows and music get a free ride.

Thankfully their generation will soon be gone and we can get on with looking at what really matters - what content is appropriate for specified age groups - not what content is suitable for everybody including kids.

Uhm..that seems a little harsh. You're basically saying "good thing these people will all be dead in a matter of years".

I do agree though, we'll be past this stage eventually if not for people like this kicking the bucket, then because of games becoming being a more popular medium as they have in recent years. You're also right in raising the point that we have these ESRB/PEGI/whatever age ratings for a reason.

[Meow]

I wanted to punch that lady in the mouth and tell her to STFU. What a bitch haha. Its not videogames that make people violent, its people like her. I think I shall do a study on this and present it on that show for her

[Glenn]

We're talking about ITV here, a channel which is basically The Daily Mail with moving pictures and sound.

Everything is scary on ITV. Yoghurt is scary on ITV. And you can bet, when they're looking for somebody to blame, it'll be the fault of immigrant lesbian single mothers (who are also causing a slump in the house price market). Frankly, the audience numbers for Alan Titchmarsh won't be high enough to suddenly make Britain an anti-gaming country. It won't be an election issue come May, seriously. The jeering audience are all made up of people who are fresh from the benefit office... or at least, those who don't have videogames to go home and play during the day.

By the way, anybody remember Ground Force at all?

[blackherox]

The best way to put it is that the BBC has intelligence, Channel 4 has a tight grip on modern views, and ITV... doesn't.

They do have the best 'soaps' though.

....

I do find it funny that they've seemed to completely ignore the Nintendo Wii and whats its done in terms of 'expanding the audience' to all ages with its game content. And given that Move and Natal are going to be released soon, there will prpbably be much more 'family friendly' games on the market (if that isn't the case already) then any of these so called 'violent' games which can either be ignored or ya know parents could just not buy them for their kids. Hey, thats an idea.

[JezMM]

Uhm..that seems a little harsh. You're basically saying "good thing these people will all be dead in a matter of years".

Pretty much.

Lol, I know, it sounds harsh. I'm not saying I WANT these people to die or anything, but it is true. When the older generation die out... issues like this won't be apparent anymore. Issues like this a result of lack of understanding combined with lack of willingness to be educated (as seen with her constant butting in, for example), and there's nothing we can do about that except let 'em hate and wait for the haters to go away - which'll happen in about 30-40 years time.

Just to reclarify, "good thing these people will all be dead in a matter of years" is an opinion ONLY related to this issue, lol.

Edited March 25, 2010 by JezMM