@stranger Danger

About being expensive. There are high end knock off guns on the market that actually outperform the guns in the top price ranges. JG guns are extremely high powered and high quality, yet are very cheap (by comparison). You can get a JG G36C for less than $100, and they will compete with any gun made.

I have 2 JG 36Cs and they have both been punished for nearly 2 years with no problems. (I gave them a custom paintjob)

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/5887/guns1ql1.jpg

You can get a cheap paintball mask (which will work just fine) for $15, and any other gear can be found on discount at Wal Mart or another retailer after hunting season. You can play all day on $5 worth of BBs.

If you know what to look for, you can have a pretty professional setup for less than $200. I suggest the JG G36C for starters. Excellent buy, and you'll never be badly outgunned, even by the $700 guns.

@ Insanejedi

Precisely. One is a hell of a lot closer than the other. Do video games and airsoft both "simulate war"? Yes. But the difference in how they simulate it is non-trivial.

Again, I have nothing against Airsoft, but there IS a notably hypocritical stance.

And for the people saying "they don't know what Google ads are going to show"... aren't those pulled from a pool of interest-based selections? You're not going to see, for example, a Google ad for a video game on some website for the DMV. Somewhere in the chain, someone decided Airsoft ads would be a good fit for this site that is criticizing game violence, and no one from the site has seen fit to correct that.

@lumi

We could go into a 3-hour "heated discussion" about whether allowing concealed weapons is dangerous or not...but teaching ID in school completely ignores what the majority of scientists believe and obliterates the "Separation of Church and State." What if a kid believes in evolution? What kind of science test would they have, what COULD they have that isn't religious, and teaches anything at all? It would be a complete and udder waste of tax dollars (not that I live in Kansas).

@ ChuckLez

I agree, but having become aware of the unfortunate placement, they should be endeavoring to fix it.

@ Chadachada

Please don't misunderstand. I do not believe that ID should be PREACHED in schools, but I believe it should be taught. Just as I believe evolution should be taught, as well as the creation stories of at least the major religions. This is the sort of thing people should be educated about so that they can make their own decisions. I agree that no teacher should say "this is how God created the universe", but I do believe that they should say "this is one belief of the origin of the universe". It is not harmful to make children aware that these ideas exist.

On the other hand, there's every possibility that a child with an airsoft gun, who doesn't know or care to use it properly, can injure someone. The degree of potential danger between the two is pretty obvious.

@ people decrying "airsoft hating"

I guess I'm only speaking for myself, but I'm pretty sure I'm not alone here... but as I've already said in this thread, I'm NOT against airsoft. I think you should be properly trained before owning and using one, but whatever, I enjoy paintball and it's pretty much the same thing. There's a very real chance of injury with either, despite the safety gear and regulations. More so than video games are ever going to cause.

Again, I am NOT demonizing airsoft, I'm just being realistic. It's ridiculous to say "video games are dangerous, but airsoft isn't". Here, let me try this and see it it satisfies everyone:

"Airsoft rifles are a part of an accepted and legitimate hobby, much like video games. While they are regularly used in a safe and responsible manner, it is possible to cause serious injury, accidental or intentional, if one is used without adherence to the safety guidelines (e.g. shooting someone who isn't wearing protective gear, shooting an unprotected part of the body, etc.)

There is a greater risk factor of injury involved in the use of Airsoft rifles than in the use of video games. They should only be used as intended in the properly safeguarded environments intended for such activity."

Seriously, is that better? I don't see anything wrong with them, but you can't deny that there's a better chance of hurting someone with an airsoft than a video game, and the simulation of real violence is greater when you're holding a replica gun that actually fires projectile ammunition, and can actually cause bodily harm. No computer simulation is ever going to draw blood, no matter how realistically rendered.

They sting a bit, and there are photos where they've punctured the skin, but outside the minimum safe range they hurt less and leave less of a mark than paintballs.

Here's the thing though, its still hypocritical for them to advertise pseudo-weapons on their website, but still criticize video games that aren't even violent to the degree of shooting a gun is.

The sad thing is, they wouldn't recognise the hypocrisy if you thrust it under their nose with a huge neon sign to go with it.

@ steelcobra I had a friend that lost a tooth playing airsoft and i want to point out that most people use the airsoft weapons within the "safe range"

the argument isn't about airsoft safety its about a news source thats blasting video games but has the gall to advertise airsoft guns and i can guarantee more people have lost an eye using an airsoft gun than playing a video game.

Well I am shocked and appalled! I never thought I'd see hypocritical reporting from mainstream media outlets...okay, I can't finish that sentence with a straight face. It's too early in the day for that.

Important lesson for the kids its okay to shoot people with a airsoft gun but god forbid they play a T rated game theres totally nothing wrong with that.:3

BE VERY CAREFUL HERE!!!

I'm an avid gamer, and also an avid airsoft player. Airsoft is an awesome sport. It's already under legal attack many different ways and there is no reason to use it as a scapegoat the same way people use games.

Airsoft isn't violent, and it isn't dangerous as long as you aren't a total moron. Frankly, it's a great workout unless you're a total camper.

Anyway, the point here is the freedom to do what we like without hurting others. Games don't hurt anyone, no serious airsoft player hurts anyone. Government has no business restricting my access to either. No need for a comparison with negative connotations.

Long ago as a kid, I remember the local news doing a story on the dangers of video games, this time they were going after Mortal Kombat. It was your standard fear-mongering piece about how the violent images were corrupting children.

10 minutes later, they showed footage of the Good Guys hostage standoff. I don't remember the details, but what I DO remember is the camera being zoomed to the max on the front door, the guy inside shooting the tied-up hostages.

But it was video games that were wrong.

Hmmm maybe i should have clarified my response. I have many friends that are into airsoft and thats is completely fine i would love to get into it but its expensive as hell, they take it seriously and safety is a big part. but here is the thing; if someone picks up an airsoft gun and doesn't know how to use it chances are they are going to hurt themselves. if someone picks up a videogame and doesn't know how to use it and they manage to hurt themselves then Darwin was full of shit. cause they person should be dead.

I have nothing against airsoft, but trying to say that the degree of similarity and simulation between video games and real violents acts is the same as the degree of similarity between airsoft and video games just isn't right.

Is a real gun more complex than an airsoft rifle? Sure. Are they exponentially closer than video games? Absolutely.

And in either case, it's the connotation. Airsoft RIFLE. It IS a gun, an actual object you hold in your hand and fire at other people. They don't die, and if used properly they don't get hurt, but it's still hypocritical to say that video games are going to cause harm but airsoft won't.

I don't think EITHER causes harm, but if you have to pick one or the other as a more likely candidate to cause an accident...

@ Steve
Thank for the info! We have a couple of high end japanese airsoft replicas here at work. and they get punished more then any airsoft gun out there (they are used by our group for a couple of projects and now are being used as motion capture props, in fact all but 2 are busted). I do have a paintball rig myself and I'm more into that. maybe at some point I'll tag along with one of my co-workers who does airsoft but for right now I got bill that need to be paid.

I think I'd just like to point out that the hypocrisy ISN'T with AirSoft... it's with the radio station.

It would be like ranting about the movie industry's obsession with violence, while the ad below was for the TV premiere of Saw II...

I know there's supposed to be a separation between editors and marketers, but geeze...

This is not news. They aren't directly supporting airsoft just because they have an ad. The editors never see the ads before their placed, only the advertising department, which may even be 3rd party.

Do not let yourselves fall in sensationalism, GP.

This has nothing to do with hypocrisy. These are just random Google banner ads. The radio station or the person who posted that had no clue whatsoever what Google ads will appear on their site -- they rely 100% on Google on the content those ads.

There are many reasons to argue why the article on Bully was misinformed and poorly written. But accusing them on hypocrisy because of a random Google ad just gives them an excuse to dismiss legitimate criticisms about their article out of hand.

Conveniently, the google ads now reflect things such as 'School Anti Bullying' and 'Video Games Too Voilent?'. Hmmm..

Reminds me of Kansas 2 years ago. Passed an act allowing concelead weapons but had a huge lawsuit over the state legislature even looking at CONSIDERING allowing Intelligent Design being taught in private/public schools.

@ Stranger:

He's referring to the people of Kansas finding Intelligent Design to be dangerous to children while having no problem passing a law to allow concealed weapons (infinitely more dangerous than ID).

@ Munin

No ones bashing air soft guns(well I am not)

It's just being noted that the site that bashes Bully wrongly and states more than a few false claims about the violence in the games, then advertises for something that really is violent, and has hurt people.

It's not a bash on air soft its just showing the irony of the situation

A final thought:

Airsoft and video games share a lot of common ground. Both are very misunderstood and misrepresented by those not familiar with them. Both have lawmakers salivating at the chances to do away with them "for the sake of the children". Both have had the actions of nutjobs and idiots misrepresented as typical of the community. Both have been accused of being "violence trainers". Most importantly in both, the only thing hurt or damaged at the end of a match is the losing teams ego.

Interestingly enough, when we have Halo parties, most of the airsoft team is also in attendance. That's no coincidence. Airsoft, like FPS games, has all the copetetive elements that a real war would have, but none of he violenece. That's why people like games, because real violence isn't fun.

The irony of it is that some people on this site, sympathetic to the plight of the game industry under attack from media and government, buy into the propoganda that airsoft is a dangerous and violent sport. It's sole purpose is to allow you to fight without any real violence or threat of injury.

The biggest difference between them is that gaming has millions of people backing them, and due to that following, has some protection from government. Airsoft does not have that kind of following, making it a much easier target (and has been under much heavier assault than video games, since laws banning airsoft generally pass and aren't struck down).

I realize there is not a purposeful effort to attack the sport, but the context in which it is being used here is harmful and negative, as if airsoft guns are something that should be looked upon more scornfully than gaming.

They are both great hobbies that allow participants a great experience of an ultra-competitive, yet safe, environment. Both feature that main thing that draws a distinct line between reality and game, respawn.

adblock, will you?

I am more disgusted by the promotion of so many cheap chinese crap guns (JG/Echo 1/etc) than the supposed hypocrisy.

JG and Echo 1 internals (hell, even Classic Army if you ask me...) are iffy. Tokyo Marui and the like for life.

http://www.alphamatte.com/hosted/airsoft/Left_Side.jpg :)

On a more serious note, I am distressed by the gamers on here who fall right in line with the same fear mongering that attacks gaming, but is much more acceptable when directed at a little known hobby like airsoft.

@Shidarin
that may have been the case a year or two ago, but (and I have a well-experienced airsoft smith behind me on this one) Echo1 has really turned the airsoft market upside down. Now, if you want everything to remain stock, I can see how a TM would be a solid bet for you, but if you're a custom whore (like me), and Echo1 is as solid a base as any I've ever seen.

@Ebonheart
what does intelligent design have anything to do with this?

@Steve
"The irony of it is that some people on this site, sympathetic to the plight of the game industry under attack from media and government, buy into the propoganda that airsoft is a dangerous and violent sport."

Again, you're a mind-reader.

Only in America can kids can buy Airsoft guns without ID (Federal Law classifies them as toys) but need a parent to buy an M-rated videogame. It's a miracle Jack Thompson hasn't gone after them.

I really don't like airsoft, and not for the usual reasons.

However, im willing to bet that the article is context based and they have no control whatsoever over the actual ad that appears.

@Kincyr and @Necromancist

With all do respect, no one's head explodes, showering blood in every direction in an airsoft game. Those things DO happen in an M-rated game.

Remember when- before video games- kids used to go outside and play with toy guns?

edit to my comment:

A google ad is certain code put into the page that allows google to display a random ad. This site was just a victim of an unfortunately placed random ad.

No hypocracy going on here.

If you want more proof, you can probably find an anti-smoking story somewhere and sooner or later, come up with a cigarette ad. Its the way google markets.

Please mention this in the story so no one is blamed of sheer coincidence

While taking a look back in your archive I found this...

Pokémon: First Seizures, Now Armed Robbery?
February 9th, 2008

The kid held up another kid with a gun, want to guess what kind?