Jack Thompson Shocked by Bioshock TV Ads
Jack Thompson Shocked by Bioshock TV Ads
August 19, 2007
A comment posted on GamePolitics last week by Miami attorney Jack Thompson took on an Internet life of its own in recent days as the Take Two-hatin' activist vowed to create problems for Take Two's upcoming BioShock: Big trouble is on the way for Take-Two re BioShock. Hooah!
The other hooah dropped this morning as Thompson dashed off a letter complaining to the Federal Trade Commission about BioShock TV ads appearing during Friday night's airing of WWE Smackdown. From Thompson's FTC complaint:
Take-Two... is aggressively marketing its newest Mature-rated video game to kids under 17 years of age... On this Friday’s night’s 8 pm Eastern time airing of WWE’s wrestling program “Smackdown,” there were repeated ads for Take-Two/Rockstar Game’s Mature-rated, incredibly violent BioShock...
A check of the demographics of the audience of that program reveals that teens under 17 years of age watch that program in huge numbers...
Remarkably, the video game industry is running ads for games like BioShock on teen-intensive television programs while at the same time its industry-captured “watchdog,” the ESRB, is running a self-congratulatory ad campaign to assure parents that the video game ratings system is working and that the industry can be trusted not to target their kids with these Mature-rated games. It is all a lie, as the BioShock ads prove.
This rampant fraudulent trade practice is precisely what “Big Tobacco” did with its “Joe Camel” and other teen-targeting ads, while at the same time lying to Congress that it was not marketing its adult product to kids.
GP: As GamePolitics noted in our April coverage of the FTC's most recent report on the marketing of violence to children (see: FTC Report Praises, Spanks Video Game Industry), the federal agency found that the video game industry:
…generally comply with their own voluntary standards regarding the display of ratings and labels. However, entertainment industries continue to market some R-rated movies, M-rated video games, and explicit-content recordings on television shows and Web sites with substantial teen audiences.
Despite Thompson's bluster, we're not so sure this qualifies as "big trouble" for BioShock...
Comments
Whats more influential? a fictional charachter in a game or a real person doing lifelike things to people in situations which they will normally die?
Besides that, all the more intelligent posts I saw never said the under-17 crowd doesn't watch the WWE. Nothing about there being no "significant numbers" either. Some kind of drivel about how it's not the majority demographic. Crazy right?
-M. Schwinger
Psychology/sociology student & Child therapy aid
Iniquus
Deathrain
"So when you gamers even think of stating that teens don’t watch WWE, please, be quiet."
By that logic, the next time you try to get games aimed at adult audiences (whether by violence/sexual content/foul language) banned because they don't gel with your personal beliefs, and they are given an appropriate rating by the ESRB or whichever standards board holds sway in a particular country, please, be quiet.
ps. Do you have a problem with kids watching WWE? If not, why not? After all, it is glorifying violence (I'm sure more than a few early teens/kids have hurt themselves emulating what they have seen in pro-wrestling) to the impressionable minds you try to wrap cotton wool around.
This is why George Bush is president, Nascar is considered a "sport" and I am SO God damned SAD!!!!
-mw
PS: uhh, JT ? You missed the point again... people are saying "SO WHAT" & "WHO CARES" to your observations. You get forum and comment posts because its you saying it but ultimately, no one agrees as usual... I wish you'd pick your battles better, this one is so STUPID.
No one has said that teens do not watch the WWE. My main point was that it is not fair to say (and I quote) it is a "teen-targeted ad" when the vast MAJORITY of the WWE viewers are not in their teens.
"Perhaps more significantly, at least one TV host drew the line with the lawyer during the Virginia Tech coverage. While most anchors at best nodded politely at Thompson's statements, MSNBC's Matthews repeatedly challenged his guest, pointing out that the activist had no hard evidence that Cho had ever so much as picked up a joystick at Virginia Tech.
"You are projecting other cases onto this case," Matthews told Thompson, who continued to insist that Counter-Strike was responsible for the killings.
Matthews followed up on the issue later in the hour, questioning Karan Grewal -- one of Cho's suite mates at the college, about the video games.
"I never saw him play video games on his computer," said Grewal, who added that he often saw his roommate watching wrestling and game shows. "Most of the times ... he had a Word document open and he just kept on typing away."
According to Jack Thompson's flawed logic Microsoft Word made him do it. You sir, are a failure.
It's worth mention that that article link mentions this about the Georgia Tech shooter...
"Last week's unfounded attack on gamer culture would be far less frustrating if it weren't something that happens at least once a year. Imagine how ridiculous it would seem if cable news interviewed alarmists who blamed professional wrestling or game shows (two things that Cho reportedly did enjoy in college) for a massacre before a suspect was identified. Yet video games are repeatedly presumed guilty from the start, with no correction or remedy when the facts prove otherwise."
In other words he enjoyed "professional wrestling." To save face you need to retract your statements now for all your recent outrageous claims; specifically for BioShock and also for those about the Georgia Tech incident. We gamers are not violent and the lies you speak about us are unbecoming as a "professional" attorney.
Admit it. You suck as a lawyer so you latched onto the one thing you knew you could bullshit your way through and no one would be the wiser... well except gamers. Need facts?
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/24/DDG4PPCNHL1.DTL
Ooooo... at least my example comes from 2007. How do you like them apples?
Dear Jacass,
WWE has been replaced, for the most part, by the UFC, which is actual fighting, not staged bullshilt.
Also, your statistics are 2 years old, which shows an inherent flaw in your argument because we are now in the year 2007.
If you had a traumatic experience and missed out on the last 2 years, then let me tell you what you missed.
-People making fun of and belittling you and your 'professional' opinion.
Things move fast. Information changes constantly. An article link from 2005 is not relevant. Get with the times!
Coming from the buffoon who said he was "never never never coming back ever!" then came back this really doesn't hold much water. Also coming from the man who likely sprung an erection as soon as he saw the Virginia Tech shooting and was using is to push his agenda before the bodies were even cold it also doesn't really mean much to me.
"This particular BioShock article has generated a lot of posts across the Internet by upset gamers whose point seems to be that male teens don’t go to and don’t watch WWE in significant numbers.
This position requires the following to be true:
1. That boys in the WWE live arena audiences that appear to be under 14 years of age are actually large numbers of midgets and dwarves costumed to look like young teens. Get a grip.
2. That ad agencies that crow about placement of ads on WWE broadcasts because of the significant numbers of male teens in the audience are employing complete morons who don’t assess properly the age demographics of those shows. NOTE THE FOLLOWING AT
http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2005/2005_09_29_2.jsp"
You really are fucking stupid aren't you? You think that just because young teen happen to watch WWE that the advertising is being targeted right at them. How about Budwiser being advertised during all sporting events? Do children not watch the Superbowl Jack? Or how about the movies also advertised during Smackdown that make Bioshock look like Walt Disney. Or how about the enzyte commercials also advertised during Smackdown, I suppose that they are aggressively marketing them to children because in your sick world there is a rampant amount of erectile dysfunction among the 17 and under crowd.
Or how about hard liquor being advertised in Playboy. Yeah thats right you heard me. Don't even try to say that no one under 17 looks at a Playboy because I'll laugh in your withered senile face. Are all the advertisements in Playboy being marketed towards children?
But I think I might see your problem now. You see you were watching CNN, salivating and eagerly waiting for someone to die. Then suddenly a tampon commercial comes on TV. Well you can't seperate that even though you are watching a program that you might not be the target audience. So you run to your car and turn on news radio (to again to be able to wait for someone to die, kaching) and drive down to Rite-Aid. Once there you buy some tampons, return and promptly proceed to shove them up your ass. So I think maybe you wouldn't be such a whiny, grumpy fuck if you pulled that thing out of there and fucking learn how advertising works.
No sir, If anyone needs to get a life, its you. All you do is sit around and wait for a tragedy to happen so you can exploit it to your personal gains.
This is byfar, your weakest claim, and now you are just grasping for straws. What is the matter? Are you feeling the pressure with September right around the corner? Pondering whenever this could very well be your last month as a Florida attorney? Feeling the heat that nobody is listening anymore? Jack, all you are is an ambulance chaser (one who used his son so he could sue Best Buy, to boot), and that's all you'll ever be.
Hit the road, Jack, and don't come back no more...
Explain how Bioshock is being advertised to an underage audience when according to the WWE itself 58% of their demo is aged 18 to 49.
While you're at it, it would also be nice if you could explain why violent crime in juveniles started dropping in 1994 (2 years after Doom came out) and now stands at it's lowest level in 30 years.
If all this violent media begets real life violence then the crime rate should be going up among teens instead of down. Instead it's at the lowest rate since video games were first introduced.
Source:
http://www.onlinelawyersource.com/criminal_law/juvenile/statistics.html
"Juvenile crime statistics rates have steadily dropped since 1994 when crimes involving juveniles reached a record high. Since 1994, juvenile crime statistics have dropped by forty seven percent."
If I Could Say Something To Jack Thompson Right Now, This Would Be It:
Jack, Stop Being A Bastard. I'm sorry that they advertised a violent video during a program filled with. On the same note, a bunch of teenagers watch South Park, I know very few who don't watch it or haven't seen it at one point or another. That doesn't mean that companies shouldn't advertise things not family suitable on it. I am under 17 but I have a copy of BioShock reserved that I can't wait to pick up. Hiding children from violent media is doing nothing but leaving them sheltered and uneducated. I've never said that they've had to buy it, but that doesn't mean you should try to hide it's existence. The only thing that does for them is makes sure that when they get out in the real world for the first time, they face plant... hard.
Obviously a fakie. Real Jack doesn't link his name to any sites.
I guess the only way he gets attention is dropping that name
To be fair, the necrophilia angle took place on Raw, and while the angle with the referee attempting to commit suicide multiple times and failing miserably started at a Smackdown-brand pay-per-view, it was done primarily on the WWE's website.
On Smackdown in the last five years, we've seen:
-an aborted gay wedding
-an angle where an old man married one of the WWE Divas, and later died after having sex with said Diva multiple times
-implied gay rape
-the late Eddie Guerrero spraying "sewage" from a sewage truck on the Big Show
-a father vs. daughter match(Vince McMahon vs. Stephanie McMahon), though at a PPV
-an angle where Guerrero claimed to be the father of Rey Mysterio's son(culminating in a ladder match for the parental rights of the child)
-implied murder(Undertaker pouring cement into a glass casket containing Paul Bearer, his long-time manager), though that was at a PPV
That in itself makes Jack's claim ridiculous.
@ Jack Thompson the hearse chasing necrophile attorney
Some article from 2000 is irrelevant. Especially since WWE won a $3.5 million settlement from the PTC in 2002 regarding lies Brent Bozell and his McCarthyist allies told regarding WWE, claiming Lionel Tate watched WWE at the time he murdered a 5-year-old girl half his size(turned out he was watching the Flintstones instead).
Are you f'ing kidding me? He's bitching about them advertising an M-rated game during a WRESTLING MATCH???? Where they beat the piss out of each other, swear, spit, and pummel each other until blood streams from their foreheads, and women run around clawing at each other in their underwear????
Excuse me while I roll around on the floor for a bit... I can't sit and laugh that hard at the same time...
Plus its okay to advertise beer during simpsons, but Bioshock is bad? If your going to have to watch all advertising this strictly then beer and games can only be advertised during pornographic movies.
Hello, entire Superbowl is one giant Budweiser commercial! WTF is going on?
Maybe he's smart enough to realise that he would get nowhere fast if he complained about beer, since it isn't the scapegoat it was in the 1920s.
And guess what? He broke his vow.
More or less. Occasionally he responses to someone's comment, but it's usually to insult someone rather than make a well formed reply to someone challenging his perception of reality.
AND ONE MORE THING: Jack Thompson REALLY needs to do his homework. Rockstar has nothing to do with Bioshock, last I heard.
They still do, at least Trojan does.
And make a martyr out of him? No. But I'm sort of angry with you right now. We don't need idiots making violent comments when we are trying to show that as a whole the gamer population isn't violent. You are really counterproductive to our cause. And hopefully Dennis removes your comment as threats of physical violence are not allowed here.
As always, these letters are ignored and nothing is done"
Yep he said a ad for Gta san andreas was ran during espn sportscenter which as he said was a "show watched by millions of teens"
please refrain form such comments. Comments like those are part of the reason Jack has a case in the first place, or think he does.
As for the issue at hand, WWE programming has quite a few advertisers that have non-kid oriented fare. Horror films, condoms (several years ago at least), Axe body spray, motor oil, etc. all get advertising on WWE programs. Pro Wrestling has a much more diverse audience than children.
I give kudos to JT for at least specifying where this advertising takes place. I wonder where he has been for the past 10 years as other games have been advertised on WWE. Hell, Dead Rising was heavily marketed on those shows last fall. I guess his primary goal is to cause trouble for TT no matter how remotely.
The complaint may get little attention though- WWE is hardly at the same level as something like SpongeBob.
Take it up with the founding fathers. But also take into account that children also have the legal right to buy R rated movies, but you don't see anyone(or rather enough worth noticing) going after the MPAA. Mostly because its not the new kid on the block like games are. But the humorous thing is that a lot of people think that the MPAA is backed up by force of law. So they feel justified in thinking that video games should be held to the same standard. But it would be shocking to them to find they ARE being held to the same standard.
Also, to take anyone's rights away, even a minor, you have to be able to prove a direct link between the product and harm. And despite what Jack states, that has never been proven in a court of law in regards to video games.
If children under 14 are watching this show, then frankly their parents will let them play the game regardless...
As I've said before, the 1st amendment is the major problem, giving a 10 year old the legal right to buy mature rated content is nuts!
We patiently await your lawsuit against 2K over the bioshock ads
(Should be worth a laugh or two as he gets his ass smacked out of the courtroom AGAIN)
Really. This isnt just like being late to the party. Its like being late to the party and showing up with dixie cups as you "contribution" to the fetivities.
Very very dissapointing.
All you bluster and bluff aside, Bioshock is far different from GTA or The warriors. Violent or not, it's depiction is of a fantasy world far removed from reality, not a realistic representation of new york or something.
I mean, honestly, if you think that the FTC is gonna complain about a game like Bioshock being advertized on Wrestling? Are you mental?
Some people just don't know when to give up.
Because the man is a self-absorbed moron.
And as I recall wrestling has been popular with that age group since, well, ever.
And what about beer ads on during that time Jack, or ads for any alcoholic beverage. Teens shouldn't be drinking yet they are advertising it directly to kids. going to do anything about that, hmm?
Didn't think so, hack.
i thought that was a pretty good roast honestly
(sorry for bering off topic)
August 19th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
fake posters will be IP banned, folks. I just banned one.
That being said, old JT has been advised to register, which he apparently declines to do… "
To be honest, I didn't know we could "register" (which ususally involves username and password).
My "name", "email", and "website" all autofill after the first time I leave a comment from a particular location (no "remember me" checkbox either).
I mean, yeah, it would be nice to have formally registered IDs complete with passwords, but as far as I know, they don't exist on the main page, only the Forums.
Nightwng2000
NW2K software
not at all
remeber hes has no clue about correlation and causation
M-rated games: Ages 17 and up
Hmm...
[i]Source - PWInsider
Last night's edition of WWE SmackDown did a 2.4 fast national rating. This places the CW Network in 5th place among the other networks.
The network tied for third in the 18-49 demographic. We will have more details on this rating next week. [/i]
So u were saying about children watching this show? look 18-49 yr old demographic. CAN U READ?
i have some bad news for you . . . joint liability is a lawyers favorite way to get money from the so called deep pockets
The two-hour “Friday Night SmackDown” airs on The CW Network in primetime on Fridays. SmackDown continues to be the top rated program on Friday nights among total teens, male teens and males 18-34 and is the most watched program on The CW network among all key male demographics. SmackDown has also consistently been one of the top 10 English language primetime programs among Hispanic households.
Isn't that the target audience to the Bioshock game? The gamer/young adult male that is within those demographics.
so the "jt" post about rockstar and crack cocaine was false?
who the fuck would want to impersonate that rat?
Ain't that the truth.
Jack Thompson seriously thinks that he can use the Warriors issue as ammo to get a victory when the authority on the case did not believe that this was a motive for the teenagers doing vandalism.
Jack Thompson must not have came to this archive yet because he is busy with the groundbreaking evidence of the Warriors influence to use for a victory. hahahahaha
With that I am going to say something to JT, if you don't have a case don't proceed with it!
I understand, but lets not even stoop to his level. He wants to be a homophobe, let him be. We are better than him and above such nonsense.
I still watch WWE, but I've lost 90% of my interest in wrestling in the last several years to the point where I only watch Raw if Heroes isn't on or if the New Orleans Saints don't have a Monday Night game.
I wonder how much of Jack's bitching about Bioshock ads on Smackdown has to do the Chris Benoit murders, as WWE has been put through the wringer by the mainstream media since then.
just turning jack's comments back on him since he usually succumbs to godwin's law before anyone else, although I dislike such comparisons, using someones arguement back on them is the best way to highlight its flawed nature.
he's also used terrorists, hitler youth,drug addicts and the lobotomised to describe his gamer opponents, its really really sad when somoene has to revert to such attempts to polarize an arguement in their favour, too bad jack cant actually use legitimate deabte methods.
Mr. Thompson, please shut up. You're nothing but a fly buzzing around the head of the industry and those that support it, whether they're part of it or not. How many times do you need to be swatted away before you'll get the point and leave everyone alone?
I swear, if this guy gets institutionalized, he's soon going to up the ante his comparison of himself to Jesus to actually claiming he's the second coming.
now for the stupid part of me to get anger out...jack ive been waiting for this game for 3 years with everyone else...and if you stop this or do ANYTHING to mess this up...YOU WILL PAY!
Zeru: I agree with you completely. The poor man must be tortured inside. Let us pray for his guidance.
My only real comment to add to this is that advertising is always a problematic area. I started watching football with my father at a very young age and I know for a fact that the beer commercials were attractive to me. I also know that my parents always guided me and let me drink at home so that going to get smashed at some party was never attractive. You cannot ever shield kids from everything harmful and therefore it is the responsibility...nay, the necessity.... of parents to guide their offspring.
As for Joe Camel I believe the problem was that cartoons were found to be attractive specifically to young teens... but that was way before my time.
Is enzyte trying to sell boners to children Jack? Are they? Are they supporting teen pregnancy? And how about the local rock station in my area that has many adult themed ads, including for an adult book store. I wonder how many kids like rock music, hm gee. So just because kids might be present for the advertisement doesn't mean they are the target audience. But perhaps I need to dumb this down for you a little bit. Okay I assume when you watch television there are ads for tampons correct? Do YOU need tampons Jack? Do you feel not so fresh?
Also I want to give a big FUCK YOURSELF. For insulting Gamerdad in the previous thread. He, unlike you, is actually trying to do something that can actually be productive, the only thing that can be useful in keeping these games out of children's hands. PARENTAL FUCKING RESPONSIBILITY. Guess what? Even if you succeed in bringing around a facist nanny regime in which the first amendment is a long forgotten bit of history, PARENTS WILL STILL BUY MOTHERFUCKING M RATED GAMES FOR THEIR KIDS. Therefore when the correlation rolls around where one of these kids NOT INFLUENCED BY GAMES BUT RATHER THEIR OWN FUCKING MENTAL ILLNESS, shoots up a motherfucking school what will you say then Jack? Your freedom-hating ways can come about and kids will still get their hands on violent games.
Most of the time when kids get their hands on these games its because their legal adult guardians fucking buy them for them! Why the fuck do you never comment on this point? Could it be you don't give a fuck about kids but only care about using massacres to line your own fucking pocket? Pathetic!
I should also note you insulting Gamerdad about him trying to inform parents(something that might actually make a difference) shows that you despise parental responsibility. Therefore child protective services should take your kid away from you.
Finally I'm curious to why you were watching Smackdown Jack? Do you like the sweaty oiled men Jack? Do you? Well whats good for the Reno is good for the Thompson. Jack Thompson are you (A) Heterosexual, (B) Homosexual, or (C) Bi-sexual. If you do not respond it will be assumed you picked B.
Get your head out of your ass and get a life Jr.
Actually no. But as Jack Thompson flips out about boy to boy kissing in Bully as "Gay sex!", and as he thought it proper to insult Janet Reno is such an unprofessional manner, its is only appropriate that he not be spared from it in reverse.
Umm.. Maybe someone should tell Jack Thompson that Rockstar didn't make this game..
As gamers we cannot simply denounce the snivelling critics of gaming, we cannot simply become defensive or dismissive, we must also announce our love for the medium, we must actively seek to explain and demonstrate that games such as Bioshock are legitimate works of art in terms of visuals, sound, truly mature gameplay and a narrative that forces us to make moral decisions, for example harvesting 'Adam' from the children in the game.
The games industry is still maturing and I believe Bioshock is an integral part of that growth. We need to lay down a legitimate defence of our medium, smashing the lies and rumours that are propagated by those in the mainstream press. We cannot gain social acceptance for our medium if we distance ourselves from the politics of the industry, we must wholeheartedly throw ourselves into the fray, we must arm ourselves with the knowledge and arguments to counter the myths. As gamers we must read GamesTM and Edge, we must visit blogs such as this and Level Up, we must progress beyond the throw-away reactions of "We should be able to play the games we like" or "Violent video-games do not influence me". Both may be true, but elaboration is needed, if we sit back and take the flack now, then it could stunt the growth of gaming as a respectable medium that is relevant to everyday cultural life.
A rallying to principles is in order, we need to forge our own path for the games industry, we should not have to justify controversial aspects of games by relating them to cinema or literature. Of course we should tackle the censorship of art in any medium, forging links so that prominent figures in other industries (directors, authors), will come to our defence as should we to them. Ultimately the industry and the gaming community need to articulate themselves with conviction and intelligence, arm yourselves with knowledge!
Gamers, take up your miraculous weapons and fight for our art!
...Mr Jack Thompson is a walking contradiction, regressive and conservative in all he stands for. How can a man who likely advocates the right to bear arms deny the right to address such themes in a fictional, fantasy setting? Does he not realise the demographic of the gaming population, the average video-game player is 33 years old, they are perfectly capable of experiencing challenging themes with no adverse psychological effects. If Bioshock is marketed during slots likely to be seen by children, what is the problem? If retailers and parents adhere to age ratings the child will not acquire the game, if they do, that is the fault of profiteering companies who allow violent games into the hands of a child in order to put money in their own.
Mr. Thompson, you and your ilk are doddering miserablists, clamping shut our out outlets of expression. Your actions are hindering developers from addressing complex, controversial and emotional themes for fear of being hounded and harassed. If you feel that a grown man who plays Grand Theft Auto is 'whacked-out', then allow us to become more mature and refined in our craft, we can only attain that by being daring, creative and innovative- the very traits you wish to stifle. Our medium will be consigned to limbo so long as you and your fellow fiends seek to prevent it from entering mainstream society.
To your kernel, cur of God!
What it's come down to is JT yelling at any company that advertises an M-rated game. He calls in 'extremely' violent, claims the Video Game Industry is doing this, then shuts up after everyone on and off the internet yells at him.
What does he expect the FTC to do about a private business, such as a TV station, choosing to advertise a game? It's business, and they get paid for that kind of thing. The FTC will take his comment as if he said, "This TV station is getting paid to broadcast things! Things to children! DO SOMETHING!!"
Sorry, its an edited quote of his, changing gamers to jack thompson, it really shows what a goddamn hypocrite he is, he does even see the irony in the reference to the destruction and cencroship of information, thoughts and ideas. Especially when the tone and visual style of bioshock is so artistic. The first part of the demo just inpired me, the lighthous thing alone is jut a masterpiece in visual artistry.
With Jack's logic the NFL shouldn't allow any beer ads during the Super Bowl since, "...teens under 17 years of age watch that program in huge numbers".
P.S. In case you are curious, here are some demographic facts about the WWE (they provide this for companies like mine to advertise with them)
-73% of WWE viewers are 18 and older
-The average/median viewer is 23 years old
-The programs are rated TV PG (this means it is recommended that parents are present while children are watching this program).
Source: Nielsen Media Research
With these FACTS, Jack, I think it is quite appropriate for Take 2 to advertise a game on WWE that targets their largest viewer: people over 18 years of age.
What was Jack doing watching Smackdown?
-GP
And deprive us of a bit of comedy?
Laughter is a great stress vent. :)
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Anyhow, networks tend to only have 3 commercial broadcast formats: children, family and older. Children is the stuff you see on channels like the Cartoon Network during the daily programming, featuring advertisements for stuff like diapers and toys. Family ads sell generic things like stop-smoking aids and cars. Adult-oriented stuff tends to advertise for stuff like Viagra, medicine and the like. Of course, a bunch of networks run adult ads even during prime time as people of a mature age are the largest demographic. Plus children commercials sometimes have family commercials sneak in as well. It really comes down to the network, not the organization.
In closing, blame the network, not the game company. The network has the right to choose.
As a Christian True, I will pray for mr. Thompson, with those words in my mind: Forgive him God, he doesn't know what he is doing.
Isn't Bioshock 2K/2K Boston(Ex-Irrational games)?
And even though WWE may be watched by a lot of kids, that doesn't make it a kids show. And what the hell does 2K have to do with when the commercials were shown? Isn't that TV channel's call?
Sincere follow-up to my original post on here. Is the purpose of your cause to protect children or to "stick it to" the video game industry?
If it is truly to protect children (while I disagree with your means, I respect your goal) then why aren't you concentrating your resources on the fast food industry? While I personally do not think the fast food industry should be regulated; it is the cause of many more children’s deaths, heath issues, obesity, and other adverse affects than video games. You want to talk about marketing? The marketing characters for the top 2 fast food corporations are a clown and a comical king.
If your intention is truly to protect children, then why aren't you defending them against an industry that more physicians would agree is much more detrimental to their mental and physical health than video games?
2K Boston/2K Australia is a holding of Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar is a holding of Take-Two Interactive. There is no reasonable way to include the Rockstar Games subsidiary into this, if you were talking of the grand holdings, you would say Take-Two Interactive, only of course, you wouldn't provoke images of Manhunt 2 and GTA.
He did something similar with TES: Oblivion, remember? He stated this in one of his press releases, accusing the publisher of the programing and developing the game. Or maybe going in after the game was sent to them and putting it in.
"You would think Take-Two would have learned its lesson, right? Wrong.
Its popular and newly released Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has now been re-rated "Mature" and recalled by the ESRB because Take-Two and its co-publisher have been caught embedding nude figures and scenes in the game which can be unlocked with a code provided by the developer. This is not a modification or "mod" of the game by gamers. It is an unlocking of content that was put there by Take-Two with the unlocking code provided by the developer!"~Jack Thompson, Press Release
The more you can blame upon Take-Two Interactive, the worse they seem and the more lies you can pile on without being questioned. Then, if you make people see Take-Two Interactive AS Rockstar Games, then you can tie anything you want into GTA/Manhunt series without being questioned.
The ULTIMATE goal, of course is to be able to say "NHL is really just as bad as Manhunt 2." and have people, without questioning, demand the NHL pull all licensing agreement, over many many faulty connections.
Or maybe I read too many conspiracies and war/propaganda tactics?
Jack is doing this wrong. He shouldn't be trying to get Bioshock pulled from the commercials because kids are watching WWE. He should be trying to prevent children from watching WWE. Its obscene. I'd rather a child play Bioshock than watch the filth modern wrestling has become.
To be honest, I'm shocked and appalled that they would dare advertise Bioshock that way. There's a time and a place for exaggerated fantasy violence, and wrestling shows are not it.
Bioshock is going to come under major fire in a few days when Jack realises there are kids in it, even if the kids heal from all injury and pose the player no threat. I expected him to go after this, but targeting a simple advert for a game that'll be on the shelves in a week? Honestly, what does he expect to happen?
At least they didn't ask Jack-o if he had a dick in his ass. You can get arrested for that, you know...
Well, with nothing left to say, as I am speechless over the idiocy here, I'll go smash my head against a wall. Perhaps if I can drag my intelligence and thought processes down to his level, I might have a brief understanding of his underdeveloped mind.
umm i wouldnt recommend that its very bad on your back to try and shove your head that far up your ass
Uhh, Jack... Rockstar didnt make it. :/
There is nothing -- and I can say this with abosulte certainty -- NOTHING that Jack Thompson can do to derail the sucess of this game.
I can't even say nice try about this attempt, because it's what we gamers call weaksauce, Jack. Going after advertising on a wrasslin' show? Is this what the great crusader has been reduced to?
Pathetic. Just stick with trolling on the internet, it's the only thing you're good at.
for the record though id like to point out that 2k studios is owned by take two (if you check the very bottom of the bioshockpage where the copywrites are)
Jack "Bruce" Thompson, you're a pain to my eyes and ears, I honestly pray that the Florida Bar Association will finally realize how much of an egotist you are and finally disbars you! You're a shame unto yourself and the Justice System!
I can't be more specific without more information, but from what I see, there are two ways to look at JT's posts. It's either a symptom or a personality trait. Either way, it's delt with in the same manner.
Ignoring him in his mind basically means he's right. Egging him on doesn't really help, but it's still a better option. The best option is, like many of us do, to post hard facts about how he's wrong. Even if he doesn't believe them to be correct, he has little recourse to prove it. A major strategy of his actions is to twist or make up facts to