Capcom Fears Smear Campaign Over Violent Games

[Logan Westbrook]

Capcom Fears Smear Campaign Over Violent Games

Resident Evil publisher Capcom is worried that it might encounter some unfavorable media attention in 2010.

In a statement released to its investors last month, Capcom revealed that one of its big worries for the coming year, along with rising development costs and increasing pre-owned sales, is a media backlash against some of its more violent titles, which in turn might adversely affect sales.

The statement read: 'Some of our popular software titles have provocative graphics and text, such as violent and grotesque scenes. Accordingly, in the event of violent incidents and other criminal cases involving juveniles, we may be subject to a smear campaign by some sections of the mass media which often point out the correlation between crime and games.

'Therefore, there is a risk that it may result in having an adverse effect on our business performance, corporate value and narrowed distribution channel under instructions by the relevant authorities.'

With the recent release of Resident Evil Zero [http://www.amazon.com/Resident-Evil-Darkside-Chronicles-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B0020H46D8/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1282155105&sr=1-1] on the Wii, the last thing that Capcom needs is a wave of negative attention, but given that the company has been making violent games for years, and has plenty more non-violent titles in the works, it seems strange that it would fear a backlash now.

Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=230663?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-News-RSS]



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[Gildan Bladeborn]

I don't recall ever hearing about any Capcom titles that got negative media attention because of violence, so yeah, that is kind of baffling why they would specifically be worried about it now.

Come to think about it, I also can't recall ever seeing a Capcom game mentioned by name in anything other than the specialized gaming press.

 

[Jared]

I can see where they are coming from. But, as noted surely if anyone did try a campaign against them the fact its a consistent thing, with no one ever complaining about it before...

I hope its just a thought, and the media dosnt actually jump up at them about it...

It could even be positive...if MW2 media attention and a 'Certain Scene' are anything to go by!

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

Meh, either way, there will always be someone to give negative feedback on a game.
I suppose they worry now, because video games are getting blamed for violence... Pah!

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Nothing is going to happen. Remember that violent game burning in Germany, where only like, one game got put in the bin?

Anyone have a link to that video, btw?

 

[Casual Shinji]

Isn't it the negative attention actually that sells these kinds of games?

You think Manhunt sold because if it's great gameplay?

 

[Lamppenkeyboard]

I think such a thing would have happened by now.

 

[Sevre]

I don't recall ever hearing about any Capcom titles that got negative media attention because of violence, so yeah, that is kind of baffling why they would specifically be worried about it now.

Come to think about it, I also can't recall ever seeing a Capcom game mentioned by name in anything other than the specialized gaming press.

And you were where when we found out Resi 5 was THE most racist game on the planet (according to the media)?

 

[Sonicron]

Nothing is going to happen. Remember that violent game burning in Germany, where only like, one game got put in the bin?

Anyone have a link to that video, btw?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnLgZzbB2Qk&feature=related

I think that was the one...

Man, just thinking about it makes me cringe. I can hear the rest of the world laughing at us for having such stupid dipshits among our citizens.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Nothing is going to happen. Remember that violent game burning in Germany, where only like, one game got put in the bin?

Anyone have a link to that video, btw?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnLgZzbB2Qk&feature=related

I think that was the one...

Man, just thinking about it makes me cringe. I can hear the rest of the world laughing at us for having such stupid dipshits among our citizens.

Yep, that's it. Thanks a ton. And relax, I'm American, I know what is like to be seen as stupid. Use that to your advantage...Make them think you're stupid, THEN STRIKE!

For those of you too lazy to click on the link Sonicron helpfully provided:

 

[Hyrulian Hero]

Well, they settled the race thing by adding a black character (that you weren't killing) so I guess it only makes sense that now they would worry about violence.

But really, that's not negative press. I mean, they try to smear the game, but it usually just increases sales. Look at San Andreas. That game wasn't even that good compared to the other games in the series, but sold incredibly due to that hot coffee thing. And remember how much parents bitched about UMK3 and it's blood and gore content? The more people ***** about these games, the quicker they'll sell. And the more it'll turn the gaming community against those uppity christian bastards and those lying lawyers (Jack Thompson.) Besides, does Capcom have any non-violent franchises to fall back on anymore? They kinda raped Megaman... so they're left with Street Fighter and Resident Evil.

 

[Therumancer]

Cry me a bloody river about most of their concerns. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry. I find it odd that all of these big game companies claim their "in trouble" and "concerned about profits" when other reports seem to imply that the industry is doing massively well. I for example have my doubts that EA really lost as much money as they claim, and are just trying to justify layoffs to increase their profits more. The casino where I worked used to do stuff like that all the time, the paper reported their profits as being ridiculously high and record breaking, and then the casino would cry poverty to it's workers, cut our benefits, and engage in layoffs or hiring people through international worked programs so they didn't have to worry about seniority "We're in financial trouble, but hey we're going to be expanding the hotel and building more gaming floor space because we have so many people we just can't handle them all...". I guess right now they are in trouble but for a long time it was BS, and having had to escort people who were just laid off, off property well.. I spent a lot of time thinking about it once upon a time.


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On the subject for people that have read this far, Capcom can cry me another bloody river over the violent games thing. It's their own bloody fault for not fighting the censors. I haven't seen one bit of serious political activism out of any gaming company since all of this stuff started to take off. Nobody has even so much as organized a protest against guys like Michael Atkinson, and for crying out loud if your concerned about the media buy more advertising on the stations of critics, and then the business aspects will gradually start
to shut them up.

If Capcom is so concerned about an outcry they can see coming, how about they stop even considering censorship, crank things into overdrive, hire some lawyers, organize some fan protests, and buy more advertising for the various games in the sources that have critical staff writers. If they have some sensationalist bashing the gaming industry to get attention (and sell more papers), you can always pay them big time bank to run your ads, at which point they will gradually gag that person since they are making as much money off of you, and on top of that your getting exposure through their readers/watchers or whatever who are going to notice the lack of criticism and figure opinions have changed.

The bottom line is I'd imagine Capcom is actually trying to say they plan to bend over for censors rather than fight, but are hoping to avoid some fan criticism by pre-emptively expressing such concerns.

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

I don't recall ever hearing about any Capcom titles that got negative media attention because of violence, so yeah, that is kind of baffling why they would specifically be worried about it now.

Come to think about it, I also can't recall ever seeing a Capcom game mentioned by name in anything other than the specialized gaming press.

And you were where when we found out Resi 5 was THE most racist game on the planet (according to the media)?

The non-specialist gaming press picked up on that story? I certainly don't remember seeing it reported anywhere but gaming sites.

 

[Sevre]

I don't recall ever hearing about any Capcom titles that got negative media attention because of violence, so yeah, that is kind of baffling why they would specifically be worried about it now.

Come to think about it, I also can't recall ever seeing a Capcom game mentioned by name in anything other than the specialized gaming press.

And you were where when we found out Resi 5 was THE most racist game on the planet (according to the media)?

The non-specialist gaming press picked up on that story? I certainly don't remember seeing it reported anywhere but gaming sites.

It caused such a stir the NY Times even stepped in to say it wasn't racist.

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Any attention is good attention. I think the media backlash for Resident Evil 5 only improved it's sales.

 

[Sephiwind]

This really sounds like a covert marketing tactic to me. The whole violent games being blamed for stupid children doing violent things has been going on for 15-20 years. Now suddenly Capcom is worried about it? I highly doubt it. This sounds like a revers pyrimid marketing scheme to me. Here is how it works.


Step 1. It starts out with this announcement, which is mostly geared to video game communities like us because we are the only ones that will more then likely have heard it.

Step 2. People in the communities start paying attention to what is going on with upcoming games in the media.

Step 3. The communities start talking about it with their friends out side the community (Now more people are interested)

Step 4. Through out the year Cap com releases more and more press releases like this causing multiple word-of-mouth cycles.

Step 5. Eventually down the road another stupid kid does something violent, and they just happen to play video games, so a new shit storm erupts, and games like Resident Evil are mentioned.

Step 6. Eventually Capcom releases some new slaughter fest game, it starts getting bad publicity, all those people from way back start talking about how Capcom predicted this would happen, and how they feared it.

Step 7. All the media coverage, word of mouth, and global advertisements increase sales for said slaughter house game due to all the negative advertisement and covert advertisement, sales go through the roof, and Capcom makes a lot of money


And if any of you think that this just sounds like some kind of crazy conspiracy theory, think again. These types of tactics have happened many times before.

 

[GamingAwesome1]

Trust me, Capcom. Use the negative press to your advantage! Grand Theft Auto did it and look how many kids went out and bought that!

The stupid media being all anal over games is a GOOD thing from a buisness standpoint, it makes free advertising. The games that get attention for being too violent immeadiately come to the attention of people.