Atkinson Says You Don't Need to Impale People

[gadafgadaf]

"You don't need to be playing a game in which you impale, decapitate and dismember people."

The answer to that is: yes, sometimes you do.

my answer to that: epic.

 

[Schlorgan]

He's cruising for a bruising, just like Thompson...

 

[JWAN]

Well vote him out on the next election if your able.

Why is it that people keep voting people into office who treat the general public like they are too ignorant to run their own lives?

Damn, all I want to do is be left the fuck alone.

 

[elricik]

All I can say is this, I'm glad I'm in America. Sure, we may be in a horrible recession due to our horrible leaders, but at least I will be able to impale people while I wait out the recession.

 

[Fists]

Well since there has been twilight fans cutting themselves to offer blood to the vampire character I think we should ban Twilight!

That's all I wanted to say here. Oh and @ Mr. Atkinson: What a noob

 

[slowpoke999]

Man if I were his son I would disown him so freaking hard.

 

[systhicsfg]

See, the thing here is that he only said these games "could" cause this 1-2% to go nuts and shoot up a mall or something. To the average person this reads "1-2% of people will become psychotic murders with a fetish for impaling after playing these games", but when he's confronted, he can say "I only said they *could*, not they would". Slippery bastard. Beyond the utter retardation of this statement, it's the irritating fallacies like this one that politicians used to delude people that really annoy me.

 

[Comma-Kazie]

That git needs to get his head out of his ass and realize that his views aren't those of the rest of the country.

 

[fletch_talon]

For those claiming that games are no different to books or movies, bullshit, there is a very clear difference between watching a fictional someone decide to kill a fictional someone, making the decision yourself.

And I agree with what Atkinson has said in the purely literal sense, you don't need ver the top violence to enjoy games.

That's not to say that I agree with his aim however. As has been stated, the percentage of people unable to differentiate games and reality is minimal, and if games don't set them off something else will. Adults get to make their own decisions on their viewing and gaming material, as long as the production of said material doesn't cause anyone harm then you don't have the right to stop them*.

*Obviously they have the legal rights to do so, but I'm talking about more universal human rights.

 

[squid5580]

First: We were recently informed that the number of gamers worldwide is broke the 1 Billion mark, meaning that he's effectively tarring a large number of the population as people who are susceptible to this.

Wait, what?!? A billion gamers?! Ok, 300-500 million I could accept, but this seems very high. Do you have a source?

There was a recent Escapist article on it. Source [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.160475].

Ah, of course. The Facebook users. Still, impressive. Next step; conquer the world!

Are we forgetting one small factor before we head of to world domination? That the number of facebook users (and reasonable facimiles) playing those little games aren't going to care. Do you honestly think Peggle playing granny is going to champion the "get AVP to Aussies" cause just because she is now a gamer?

 

[Rafe]

I hate Michael Atkinson.

Doesn't he understand what a state of censorship does?

Look up the modernization of Russia for references.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Don't tell me what I do and don't need, Mikey

 

[duchaked]

hahaha wait this isn't the first time this image was used for an article on Atkinson lol

 

[ShadowsofHope]

 

[The_ModeRazor]

I suppose then we should ban books, music, movies and TV shows that have violent acts because of the 1 to 2% who could go on to be motivated by those to commit said horrible acts? You fail censorship forever, Atkinson.

My thoughts exactly.
But you gotta give the guy some credit for atleast trying to look sensible. Even if he's not.

 

[geldonyetich]

I don't know, these are Australians we're talking about. "Crocodile" Dundee was some kind of organized crime killing superman, so we have to assume they're all like that. If they play actual violent video games, my God, the world is doomed! No, it's better that let them drink ridiculously large alcoholic beverages, shack up with American floozies, and educate inner city youth. Hollywood wouldn't lie to me, right? Right?!

 

[CargoHold]

Somewhere between 1 in 50 and 1 in 100 gamers could be motivated to commit horrible acts of violence by violent games? That's like 5-10 school shooters in my high school alone! I have no idea how I have survived until now.

Ha. A cookie for you.

Atkinson: "I accept that 98%, 99% of gamers will tell the difference between fantasy and reality, but the 1% to 2% could go on to be motivated by these games to commit horrible acts of violence."

So it is with movies and books as well. I read a particularly violent and gory book once, I believe he knows of it, and will surely find that it should be banned.

...It's called The Bible.

I pretty sure there's a substantial amount of evidence that this book has motivated some readers to commit horrible acts of violence. Unlike Video Games.

One for you too.

I hate this Nazi. His arguments have more holes than a wheel of Swiss cheese.

 

[XJ-0461]

Third:

"This is a question of a small number of very zealous gamers trying to impose their will on society. And I think harm society,"

Small number of zealots imposing their will on society? Perhaps Mr. Atkinson could do with looking in the mirror.

Damn good point there. High five to you.

Also, I don't see why he places these restrictions on games, but no other form of media. Surely his theory that 1% to 2% of people can't tell the difference between fiction and reality is bullshit applies to violent films, books, TV shows, plays, art, music and any other type of media.

 

[Zenode]

Just so everyone knows

The ABC is the government run news station, this shows that even a government funded news channel wants to support an R18+ video game rating