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"Gaming is death" ad kicks up a row: Tiga files complaint, Sony considering legal action |
Listed in: Wii, PS3, Xbox 360 Tags: Atari, Sega, Sony, TIGA, UK
The recent ad from the UK government's Change 4 Life campaign that links gaming to an early death is attracting a lot
of hostility from the video game industry, and from where I'm standing,
only rightfully so. The UK and European trade body Tiga has joined the likes of Sega and Atari in criticizing the ad's unfair portrayal of video gamers. Says CEO Richard Wilson:
This advert is absurd and insulting in equal measure.
To imply that playing a video game leads to a premature rendezvous with the Grim Reaper is a non-sequitur of colossal proportions. Alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, obesity and involvement in violent crime are forms of behaviour that risk an early death.
In contrast, many video games are mentally stimulating, potentially educational and social and some involve physical exercise. Brain Training, Wii Fit, Civilisation, Singstar and Buzz are cases in point.
This advert is offensive to the 30,000 people who work in the UKÂ’s video games industry, particularly the 10,000 who work in games development. Game developers are typically intelligent, very qualified and creative individuals who work to produce high quality games for peopleÂ’s entertainment. They are not in the business of driving people to an early grave.
With nearly a quarter of men and women and almost a fifth of two to five year olds in England obese we clearly need to encourage a more active lifestyle and healthy diet. It should be possible to achieve this objective without misrepresenting a creative industry of 30,000 people.
Well said. Tiga has joined MCU UK in filing for an official complaint against the ad. On a related note, Sony is also considering suing the UK government over the ad for not being consulted when they used what looks like a PlayStation controller.
Related Articles:
- Change 4 Life ad supposedly links gaming to obesity
- ESRB: Utah Violent Game Bill will deprive parents of control
Via MCV UK
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Comments
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go suck a D change for life, glad i live in US where they aren't advertising this crap
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playing video games is something i do when i am bored, its not going to kill me
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theres very little in the scene and so is focus is put on the thing in the chids hand a controller
the should have made it a dark scene, with tv remotes beside the guy, a unbranded controller (we all know thats a ps3 controller now dont we), the child clutter with food and a bong beside him
not a blank white scene with only two things of interest
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[Picture] Guy reading a book [/picture]"
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does playing video games count as nothing? wow thats harsh
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But it does seem like alot of things in the media that pops up are attacking the gaming industry....watever happened to just plain crazy or stupid/lazy/ugly (lol)/fat?
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It's nothing but a government agenda that is why everyone is pissed. Some have the common sense to see it some don't. You fall in the latter.
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They'll stick any old idiot into goverment now.
Though Sony really is just pushing it. That won't get anywhere.
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So whilst the death by couch potato rate may drop, you'll probably end up being killed or at least robbed by your new enemy, Mr Wouldhavebeen Gamer.
Sony should bloody well sue, they'd make better use of the UK Government's money even if they threw it into their incinerator.
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Gaming doesn't kill people. It is the choice of the people to do what they will. Just like smoking. It WILL kill you once you have done it for a long time. Gaming may not kill you but if you don't take it into consideration you may end up in a deadly situation.
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