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ELSPA responds to Boris Johnson's acerbic gaming comments

Posted Jan 7, 2007 at 10:01PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, MMORPG, PC Gaming Tags: ELSPA, ESRB, Jack Thompson, Paul Jackson, SEC, UK

"Garotte the Game Boy and paralyse the PlayStation". Some of you may think that Jack Thompson uttered these words, but no, he isn't the one who said 'em this time around. These were the words of British Parliament member, Boris Johnson, in an opinion piece which got published on The Telegraph last December.
He also mentioned that kids who play games "become like blinking lizards, motionless, absorbed, only the twitching of their hands showing they are still conscious. These machines teach them nothing. They stimulate no ratiocination, discovery or feat of memory." Wait a sec! I certainly don't wanna be called a lizard!

Anyhow, these acerbic comments earned the ire of Paul Jackson, director general of UK's ELSPA (their ESRB). Mr. Jackson, through a statement issued at GamesIndustry.biz, said that he respects Mr. Johnson's opinion but he mentioned this:

The games industry is often a scapegoat for many problems society encounters with youths. But instead of placing blame where it should not lie, we need to educate parents and carers of the 21st Century child.

He shares that point of view with Connecticut Senator, Joe Lieberman. Aside from that, he also noted that games like Brain Training and Myst among many others is a "great source of education in their own right". As for the blinking lizards jab, the ELSPA head said that a large number of games require a huge amount of movement and social interaction - take for instance Wii Sports or Guitar Hero.

Mr. Johnson has gotta keep up with the times, it seems.

Via GamesIndustry.biz

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i am a little disappointed that the games industry has such a weak defense. they say things like 'games are bad' and all that videogames can say for themselves is 'no we're not'...

just look at the real VALUE myst or ico has... yes it's emotive or cerebral, but once you've finished playing it what part of you has improved? will you now be more likely to pass your gcses?

the point is that games are currently a waste of time.

i say this from an educated standpoint, and i am still playing games - having clocked over 80 hours on ff12 in the last 3 weeks - we need to consider that instead of simply denying games could be better we ought to try to change them.

what would be so wrong about lara croft jumping and twirling her way through historically accurate pyramids, finding real stuff out about the egyptians along the way?

videogames are not yet what they ought to be, there will be a time when they are both great fun and useful - then who could possibly complain?

in order to be accepted videogames need to be acceptable, currently they are just a frivolous luxury.

# ... — VgSlag 2007-01-08 01:51

Comedy, some things don't need to have an educational value.

Why don't Walkers crisps fill the back of the packets with information about the Irish potato famine? There's no need.

The inside of real pyramids isn't really good level design. I was under the impression that pyramids only had 2 or 3 chambers but I might be wrong.

There is a time and a place for everything. I'm not against educational value in games, but only where it's appropriate. A game is, first and foremost, an entertainment piece. Would Indiana Jones have been better if it had foregone the traps in the Temple of Doom for historically accurate temples of the time?

Games are no more a waste of time than reading a fictional story or watching a film.

Videogames are now acceptable, there are just a few outspoken people in the public eye that disagree. Disagreement gets more news than agreement when it comes to stuff like this.

I like Boris Johnson very much, he's a good character but clearly has no idea when it comes to his opinion about games.

# Always factor in the economy — Guest 2007-01-08 02:15

Once thats been factored in. its in the governments best interestes to allow these companies to remain open. Its the same with cigarettes, they may have to plaster anti-smoking ads on the boxes but they're still being sold.

# lol — Guest 2007-01-08 03:06

isn't watching a movie or tv just as bas as what he claims is "bad"?

# poor argument — Hoonatic 2007-01-08 06:37

I don't know a lot about Boris Johnson, but I have heard his name mentioned a few times and I get the impression he just seems to make controversial comments to stir things up a bit. While there is nothing wrong with that, he actually gives no solid reason for his thinking that games lead to illiteracy.

Even if he is partially correct, if I had children then I would rather them spend many hours playing games than watching television or movies, hanging around shops with their friends like a lot of the kids I see around, or getting into drink and drugs.

Children cannot be expected to be learning every waking hour, entertainment is a part of life. If children are spending too many hours playing games and not enough doing homework, then why is that Nintendo's fault rather than the child's parent's fault?

BTW - it is nice to see some intelligent debate in the QJ comments, rather than the usual one liners like "That Boris bloke sounds like a gay wanker!"

# Oh noes!!! Innertanemant teh suxxx0rs! — Guest 2007-01-08 11:31

"become like blinking lizards, motionless, absorbed, only the twitching of their hands showing they are still conscious. "

Boy, wait till this guy finds out about television, movies, music, books, the internet, and church -- his head will (hopefully) explode!

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