Question of the Day, October 5, 2010

[Azuaron]

For the most part, I don't disapprove of controversial game content. Taliban in Medal of Honor? Go for it. Be an East German guard in 1378? Well, that's closer to the line, but at least it's for the purpose of education. Italian-American portrayal in Mafia II? If the portrayal wasn't period accurate, maybe I'd have a problem with it.

RapeLay [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RapeLay]? No. There is no redeeming quality of the game. At BEST it contributes to the idea that rape is acceptable. At WORST it encourages actual rape. It is no better than child pornography, and should be treated as such.

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

If you ban video games then you also have to ban books and paintings etc. I fail to see why, let's say the Elgin marbles and their graphic depiction of Lapith-on-centaur violence, should be given a free pass by those people who claim the same sort of thing should be excluded from games

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Individual games, sure. I don't think you can put all video games under the umbrella of "art". Some of them (probably most of them) are not "art".

 

[DTWolfwood]

Where is the Option for a private organization to ban it on their premise? Hope yall realize it isnt as Black and White as this poll suggests.

First Amendment only applies to public places. Once you are in the confines of an organization, their Rules supersede the constitution (other than where the Law is applied of course). They have the right to ban what they please. If you don't like it, leave.

Otherwise no they shouldnt ban games.

 

[Hippobatman]

Well.. I liked NewClassic's post on the matter.

Censorship is something I don't approve of, since I regard free speech as one of the key virtues in our time, and art obviously take part in this category.

However, I do believe that some things are better left unexplored, in any medium. As NewC said; if it's against the law, then leave it be.

Furthermore, it's always hard to define "art", since it's up to each individual to interpret. I, for instance, can't grasp the idea of abstract art, while others prefer it over the pictoresque paintings of the nationalistic and romantic eras. So some developers might hide behind a controversial expression by calling it art.

It's an obscure line, that is hard, if not impossible, to define.

 

[Echo136]

Unless your trying to rape babies or something extreme like that, I dont see a real problem with controversial topics in video games. Most of those types of games are M rated and thus made for adults anyways. If you are too fragile that you cant play a game about the current war in Afganistan, then go back to watching cartoons all day and avoid the news. Death happens.

 

[Zhukov]

I'm going with "art should never be banned." Whether it is a book, film, photo, game or whatever.

At least for the moment.

Perhaps at some point in the future someone will make/film/write/program something so horrible that even I call for it to be banned. But that has not yet happened.

See, the problem with the approach of "only the extremely bad, worst-of-the-worst things should be banned" is that extreme is a relative notion. When musty old politicians and busybody parenting groups cry out for bans on the likes of GTA and AvP they think that they are targeting that extreme.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I think that there's really only a tiny number of subjects (e.g. paedophilia) that should never, ever be used as the subject of a game.

There are some Japanese games you should never play.

They say those kids are in college but it?s hard to tell.

Good subject for a discussion but a poll, here? It?s actually a little less one sided than I thought it would be. Just a little.

 

[Nihilism_Is_Bliss]

I wouldn't call most games 'art'. But I still don't think they should be banned.
Well...I think very few things should be banned when it comes to... anything.

 

[Proteus214]

No, never. Not EVER.

 

[Mr. Omega]

Honestly, IMO, anything that SHOULD get a game banned should get any other form of media banned. And those things are the sort of things that would get someone thrown in jail for even having (think child porn and stuff like that. You'd hate them in games, but you'd also hate it in movies, books, ect.)

 

[Nailz]

What? No option for banning all video games because they will eat your soul? Clearly this website has some sort of pro-videogame agenda going on...

 

[InsanityRequiem]

No. Games shouldn't be banned. You get the crap along with the gold. Trying to get rid of the crap WILL get rid of the gold.

 

[LitleWaffle]

Video games are like art:
1.They tell a story.
2.Their awesome.
3.They express feelings emotions and opinions
4.You don't always like the piece.
5.Nobody should ever ban it.
6.Parents shouldn't show a piece to kids that they are not ready for.

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[Grahav]

To answer that I must know if a game may or may not cause things like criminal behavior, or hazards to health.

Does a porn game make people commit sex crimes like rape or pedophilia? Does it make harder to sex-offenders restrain themselves?

How many people lose their day to day lives due to online games or internet? I know a person that lost a whole semester in the university to Farmville.

Some say yes, some say no, and I get lost.

 

[L4hlborg]

If someone made a game where you play as a nazi who's job is to rape jewish children's corpses for scientific purposes, I'd say that it needs a ban.

So yes, if horribly bad taste is involved.

 

[Underground Man]

Freedom of speech.

No strings attached. I don't care if it hurts someone's feelings. There's already a flood of stuff out there I find revolting, but that's when I exercise that special ability I have called "not looking." Don't shove garbage into my face and I won't go looking for it, unlike most of the people calling for a ban on video games. I honestly believe those types go out looking for something to offend their moral sensibilities...now that's masochistic.

 

[imnot]

As long as it isnt burning the flesh off an elderly holocaust victim or anything really nasty im fine with it

 

[Woodsey]

Only if it's in incredibly poor taste. And I mean incredibly poor taste.

I'm talking 9/11 X 1000.