The Oval Office Gets a Wii

[John Funk]

The Oval Office Gets a Wii

The inauguration of Barack Obama will be a first for the United States in several different ways, including the fact that for the first time ever, there will be a videogame console in the most powerful entertainment room in the world.

When President-Elect Obama moves into the White House, he'll be bringing the Nintendo Wii that he gave to his two daughters for Christmas. According to an article in the New York Times [http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/obama-predicts-a-florida-victory/], Obama spent some time playing on the console with Sasha and Malia during their vacation in Hawaii, and is reportedly a much better bowler in Wii Sports than he is in real life. Which, to be fair, is sort of like claiming he could beat Yao Ming in a limbo contest: During the Democratic presidential primaries, Obama scored a miserable 37 points at a bowling alley in Pennsylvania.

Sure, it's might be a little while before we hear reports about how Obama thought Shadow of the Colossus "totally kicked ass," and we probably won't be running into him trash-talking his opponents in a heated match of Team Fortress 2, but for better or for worse, the leader of the free world is now a gamer. Perhaps he'll slip on the wrist-strap to unwind or enjoy some family time with the First Console in his few moments of free time once he steps into office.

Representatives for the Obama Administration transition team say that the President-Elect plans to settle all future diplomatic entanglements by throwing down in a round of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but beware - we hear Vladimir Putin plays a mean Pikachu.

(The New York Times, via Gameculture [http://www.gameculture.com/node/1024])

(Image [http://flickr.com/photos/marcn/2174935053/])

Permalink

 

[stompy]

I guess I can twiddle my thumbs less now. Just a little less, seeing as gaming still has a long way to go until it stops being the scapegoat for the world's problems.

 

[Vlane]

Let's see what game he wants.

 

[Syphonz]

Putin does not play Pikachu, He's all about the Captain Falcon.

 

[Fightgarr]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

 

[John Funk]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

For daughters his age? I'd actually disagree.

 

[corporate_gamer]

Huh i would of thought he would go with a born in the USA Xbox 360, support the economy (god knows it needs it) and all that.

 

[grimm128]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

78 million people haven't.

and yet, theres no reason to. i dont wanna know why people keep knocking the wii, its got more playable games then the ps3.

 

[Fightgarr]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

For daughters his age? I'd actually disagree.

I didn't mean for his daughters.

 

[black lincon]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

Yes, because there are so many games on the 360 and PS3 that are not offensive while at the same time being fun. Could you imagine what would happen if he were to offer play a game a someone important in global politics found offensive? It would be a PR nightmare. Sorry but for a world leader who wants a game console during a time when violent games are being persecuted by half the world, the only choice is the Wii.

 

[T'Generalissimo]

Putin does not play Pikachu, He's all about the Captain Falcon.

Really? I always figured that Putin would just beat you to death with the Wii remote.

 

[xitel]

This is a promising step to stopping people like Jack Thompson if you ask me. They say "All video gamers are violent psychopaths", I point to the President of the United States. You know, other than George W. Bush. He was a violent psychopath.

 

[darrinwright]

If he ends up getting Babiez, Petz, or anything else that ends with a Z instead of an S, I'm moving to Canada.

Seriously, though. He needs to get at least Link's Crossbow Training for when Cheney visits.

 

[Fightgarr]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

Yes, because there are so many games on the 360 and PS3 that are not offensive while at the same time being fun. Could you imagine what would happen if he were to offer play a game a someone important in global politics found offensive? It would be a PR nightmare. Sorry but for a world leader who wants a game console during a time when violent games are being persecuted by half the world, the only choice is the Wii.

Or a PC? I didn't say console. PC has a lot of great games that aren't offensive, and I find a helluva lot more fun than Wii games. (see most good adventure games, many puzzle games and a whole host of others)

 

[John Funk]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

For daughters his age? I'd actually disagree.

I didn't mean for his daughters.

Dude is the leader of the most powerful country in the world (or, will be). I don't see him having the time to play any real, in-depth videogames. Hell, I don't see him having the time to sit through the opening cutscene in MGS4. For all it doesn't appeal to hardcore gamers, the Wii is exactly the sort of time investment I'd feel comfortable having the President play

 

[black lincon]

My only hope is that he realizes that that there are better ways to game than a Wii.

Yes, because there are so many games on the 360 and PS3 that are not offensive while at the same time being fun. Could you imagine what would happen if he were to offer play a game a someone important in global politics found offensive? It would be a PR nightmare. Sorry but for a world leader who wants a game console during a time when violent games are being persecuted by half the world, the only choice is the Wii.

Or a PC? I didn't say console. PC has a lot of great games that aren't offensive, and I find a helluva lot more fun than Wii games. (see most good adventure games, many puzzle games and a whole host of others)

yes but then the president looks like one of two things; A- a complete nerd who lives in his moms, uh... white house, or B- uncooperative because although PC games are multilayer you usually need two computers to play games multilayer, and while the concept of a big room in the white house set up for LAN play seem cool, it is in reality unrealistic.

Also consider that as leader of America the guy doesn't have all day and night to game making the Wii the perfect candidate because a good portion of the games are collections of mini-games.

EDIT; dam ninjad on the second comment.

 

[s0ap sudz]

I thought that Team Fortress 2 bit was hilarious. I keep getting this image of him dissing ten year olds.