Was there car jackings before GTA?

Well, with my taxes being done, on time, even without the online extension, I figured it was time to toss up another post. Some people have asked why I haven’t tossed up a blog about GTA:IV yet? Well, I think that almost everything that needs to be said has been said, but I’m going to have at it anyway.

Lets start things off with a great post from http://www.gamepolitics.com/

The post contains a graph of police killed, and assaulted in the USA from 1997 until 2006, and also points out when the last three GTA games were released. I think it is interesting that the games all came out during a negative trend, almost as if these games have no correlation with these types of crimes. This graph is similar to one that Gamepolitics did earlier: check it out, it is also very clever.

There has also been some mention that this game is going to cut into ticket sales of Iron Man. Let’s just think that out for a second. The amount of MATURE 17+ gamers that are going to stay at home playing the game, over going to see a two-hour movie with their friends is going to be very minimal. If anything, the gamers are going to want a break from killing all those whores once they’ve raped them and taken their money back. They are going to want to see a real super hero, Robert Downy Jr. who hasn’t done anything wrong…

Has he?…

He’s a good role model… Right?

Where are all the people protesting a former real-life drug addict starring in a movie that is being marketed towards kids?

'Where is Helen Lovejoy when you need her?'

Police agencies?

Angry soccer moms?

Canadian Teacher’s Federation? Where are you? I need your help now, what should I do with this one? I don’t know. I guess the game must be OK, I mean you would have had a press release out saying its not...right?

I enjoy that fact that the gaming community is actually showing how MATURE 17+ it is. When the policy makers and the bureaucrats do nothing but blow hot air and try to make it look like they are doing something about this outrage, it’s the community that comes out and tries to inform the parents that this game isn’t for kids. Both Josh and I have been informing parents about videogames on The Great Canadian Talk Show for months, and will continue to do so. But honestly, there are plenty of resources out there for the busy parent who doesn’t have time to do research. Just check out that new ESRB widget on my side bar: type the videogame title in the search bar and BAM! You’ll find the rating and the content to earn it such a rating.

That little black and white rating box on the cover of the game actually means something. Just a few weeks ago I was contemplating starting a campaign to have the same organization that rates movies also rate videogames. After all, the rating you see on the box is done by a USA company, and we don’t allow the USA to rate our TV or movies, so why our video games? But now I see that the community is being responsible, and it’s time for parents and legal guardians to put on their big boy pants, or big girl panties and start doing their part.

To read all of the latest Shenanigans about GTA: IV check out http://www.gamepolitics.com/.

Happy Looting.