Senator seeks to ban "25 to Life"

i never knew about this game!! thanks...

"At any rate, the publishers must be excited about the buzz, as it will certainly help to sell units."

HAHAHA! The irony is comforting.

What an asshole. If the game hasn't gone gold yet (I know nothing about it), they should change whoever the final boss is into Schumer, and then allow players to kill him in a variety of entertaining ways.

I say we kill him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

There the Democrats go again. The party of "No" refuses to let adults make their own decisions on what they should or should not buy.

There's a reason our ancestors left Europe: socialism is not freedom!

"He says the game is so gruesome that it lowers common decency."

Hey, how did he get an advance copy? Lucky senators...

#4, yes because this is OBVIOUSLY a democrat/republican issue. *rolls eyes*

i go to school with his daughter (true)...ill ask her if she can tell her dad to chill out a little

#6, Schumer is a Democrat (and a big one here in NY), and everyone knows that Democrats favor big government regulation in all things. They aim to make it easier for Americans to make decision by limiting their options (universal healthcare, utility regulation, etc.). This is just another example.

#4 did you know that there are also multiple ways that the government can infringe on your privacy and freedom...the majority of the government are democrats right? (that was me being sarcastic, i want to make sure you know that because you are stupid you probably wouldnt be able to figure it out on your own)...silence yourself, for the sake of humanity!

It is strange how it's always the Democrats who want to make stuff like this "illegal." Somebody needs to make a game where you perform "virtual abortions" and challenge the Democrats to oppose it while they support the real thing.

well didn't expect to find a political discussion, and a retarded one at that. I mean OBVIOUSLY this administration supports small government and limited spending with the huge deficit and things such as the patriot act...

I second #6's eye roll...

You people are all insane. Democrats rarely ask for censorship. Its the Republicans that write letters to the FCC about nipples and Howard Stern. Get a clue. This guy isnt even asking for a legal ban, just a boycott from stores. Big deal. #10 Abortions? Are you saying living people are less wrong to kill than unborn cells? When does killing real people in games become offensive? When they are all Jews or Blacks or women an children?

You people are all insane. Democrats rarely ask for censorship. Its the Republicans that write letters to the FCC about nipples and Howard Stern. Get a clue. This guy isnt even asking for a legal ban, just a boycott from stores. Big deal. #10 Abortions? Are you saying living people are less wrong to kill than unborn cells? When does killing real people in games become offensive? When they are all Jews or Blacks or women an children?

Let me join in on calling out funkonaut on his ignorance. The republican party is the party of censorship. There's really no disputing that. They've been taken over by "god" and they're on their way to ruining many of the things we take for granted as a free nation. I think our government needs to focus on something other than religion as a driving force of the United States... like maybe doing a better job of educating our youth so they don't take these games too seriously and go on killing sprees. We should be increasing our collective intelligence rather than pandering to the parents who have been creating the unintelligent children who "don't know any better".

What I love about these politicians is that they don't realize one of the golden rules, there's no such thing as bad publicity. The more they bitch and moan, the more people are going to be interested in the game.

Second, there's no way they'll ever truly ban anything, the First Ammendment will make sure of that.

Lastly, we gamers need to make some more noise. Wherever you live, even if there isn't some form of ban being proposed, you should write to every elected official you can find and let them know what you think of bans/restrictions. They especially love hand written letters. Believe it or not, they do kinda care about what you think, because enough people complaining could mean his/her re-election.

to the people who are defending schumer cuz he's a democrat...

most pro-censorship politicians are republicans, but schumer is not, so we can't blame them for this one. like them, he's trying to score cheap political points at the expense of video games...i'm a democrat, and hate all the bible-thumping mind control crap coming from the republican party, but this is also bullls*** and we all need to call it out.

Just to level the ground here... both parties are pretty censorship happy.

Democrats were looking to clean up tv, radio, and recently games for a long time (whenever a senator is involved my first thought is Joe Lieberman). But now that Republicans have power, they have (surprise) jumped on the bandwagon. What do you expect? It gets votes.

Oh and though I know I'm not helping... this is a video game blog...

I have no idea what has happened on this thing but I could have sworn this was suppose to be about the game (which I thought looked pretty cool) not about the government and D's vs. R's.

I think it's safe to say that both sides have there share of assholes. The problem is that this ONE asshole in particular is trying to stop the release of what I think is/has shaped up to be a pretty decent and fun game. I'd like to see this asshole come up with something better. On second thought...........

The two big names on censorship are Tipper Gore & Senator Joe Lieberman. What party are they?? Please don't talk politics if you have no clue. This is not an issue about Republicans V Democrats. This issue is about our freedom of speech.

Sheesh. You Bash-bushers really are as dumb as I thought.

Republicans have a problem with nipples and Stern on the PUBLIC airwaves. They could care less if nipples and Stern are pay services (cable, satellite radio). If a minor can turn on any TV with rabbit ears or radio and hear/see those things then that child is vulnerable. No kid should be exposed to content meant solely for adults.

I challenge you Bush-bashers to name one way in which Republicans, and Bush in particular, have created "multiple ways that the government can infringe on your privacy and freedom."

Just saying they're "taken over by 'god'" is not a valid argument. I don't see the President mailing you video games that have you slaying Satan with crosses or that test your knowledge of the Bible. Republicans believe in letting the market, and the people, dictate industry.

I agree that gamers have to do something to stop the threat of cencorship. I live in Illinois, one of the states that has already made laws making it a crime to sell "innapropriate" games to people under 17. Worst of all, there is no definition of appropriate in the bill, and so that decision is totally left to the retailer... so the retailer can get in trouble for selling something that he doesnt find innapropriate.

Anyways, one thing I do know is that letters and proponents on CNN aren't going to help. If the destruction of entertainment on TV and radio are any evidcence, we need to go on the offensive. When Doom 3 was released, in retaliation for idiots saying how the earlier game contributed to columbine or lieberman crying about how it was corrupting our youth, there needed to be a level or minigame where you got to viciously murder people like lieberman or the president of the christian coalition or the president of mothers against videogames or whatever they want to call themselves. We need developers to get together and start a voluntary program where a certain percentage of videogame sales from participating companies would go towards a PAC that would hire lobbyists and pay for offensive TV spots that would compare videogame censorship to Hitler in some way.

It might start a culture war, but at least we'd be fighting. It would be a hell of a lot better than the slow, strangulating deaths that have come to "innapropriate" programming in the movie, television, and radio businesses.

I personally am ready to fight. After all, these are the people that are making me spend $13/month to listen to howard.

Okay... this is last thing I'm gonna say about this topic...

"Republicans have a problem with nipples and Stern on the PUBLIC airwaves. They could care less if nipples and Stern are pay services (cable, satellite radio)."

Just 3 months ago Senator Ted Stevens(R) told the National Association of Broadcasters that he would push legislation that would apply decency standards on cable and satellite TV (the same standards that apply to over-the-air broadcasters).

Really folks, this issue isn't party specific.

"I challenge you Bush-bashers to name one way in which Republicans, and Bush in particular, have created "multiple ways that the government can infringe on your privacy and freedom."

Not that I'm a Bush basher (or cheerleader) but... The Patriot Act



Anyway... I would like to thank Schumer for informing me of this game. The idea of seeing the story unfold either through the eyes of a gangster that wants to get out of the game or a veteran cop trying to clean up the streets is very interesting. My only hope is that the game play is decent and they give it a deep, convincing story.

I'm hoping for too much, aren't I?

#15, Since when is it the government's job to educate children? Last I checked that wasn't in the Constitution...

#4 Fuckonaut

You didn't pay attention in class did you?

"There's a reason our ancestors left Europe: socialism is not freedom!"

The Puritans left to escape religous persecution not Socialism you twit!

Dear Senator Schumer,

In a day when it costs $20,000+ to place a single add in a major gaming publication, we really appreciate your extra marketing push.
You've just launched for us, the greatest free advertising we could have hoped for.

Love,
Eidos

p.s. Looks like its working already...#4 with a bullet!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/movers-and-shakers/-/video-game/ref%253Dpd%255Fhp%255Fmsg/103-4492163-6979800

#21) The patriot act

"If a minor can turn on any TV with rabbit ears or radio and hear/see those things then that child is vulnerable. No kid should be exposed to content meant solely for adults."

Censorship is still censorship...kids have necks they can use them...better yet kids have parents that should not let children turn on the tv's and see such things if it is on the public air waves...

anyway, its a moot point cause this game looked like ass when I saw it at e3 one year ago...

the funny thing is this will never happen... as games are protected under freedom of speech so really there is nothing they can do to stop it from being on shelves..

#25, You mean we're all descendants of Puritans?! Wow! That's some serious breeding!

That also means my grandfather lied to me all these years when he said his family left Russia to flee Communism.

And it's Funkonaut.

Yeah, those damn communists/socialists, trying to tell grown adults what they can think.

Wait...who was McCarthy again?

Only the democrats have been trying to ban video games. In fact they have a long history of doing it. It has been really big in chicago right now, the police said they aren't even going to try enforcing the laws though. You can read all about this stuff on my site.

Not true, you cant sell NC-17 flicks to minors.

#12,23,27, Only one lone Democrat voted against the Patriot Act in 2001. Now that the Democrats have turned into the party of "No", they all say they oppose it. And it doesn't curtail your privacy or civil liberty. Not anymore than when Clinton's liberal government forced Body Count's album off shelves. What about my civil liberties to buy a record at a record store? I haven't seen any Republicans go *that* far, or did I miss something?

See, this is what's wrong with Democrats. You call them on something, and then they poke their finger in your chest and proceed to deflect their problems onto you. (The thought of Paul Krugman poking his finger into anyone's chest makes me chuckle. Wimp.)

Ex:

Me: Democrats are always trying to censor.

Dims: No way! Republicans want to put "God" everywhere! Eeek! Run away! Keep running! It's Gaaaaaawd!

Me: Democrats want the government to regulate everything.

Dims: As if Republicans don't control people's minds. Remember McCarthy?! Hey, this "god," can he read minds?!

Listen, if you want to debate, please do so intelligently. Don't try to deflect the issues each and every time or just say "No." Come up with some ideas instead.

You guys have it wrong on censorship.

Republicans are afraid of sex, Democrats are afraid of violence.

#29, Schumer isn't calling for a ban, he's calling for a boycott and for Sony and MS to withdraw their licenses from the game. That doesn't amount to an outright ban. Stores and game manufacturers have the right to pick and choose what games they carry and license.

By the way, did anyone hear this on the radio where they played Schumer's quote where he said that this game made "Grand Auto Theft (sic) seem like Romper Room."

funkonaut You might be legally retarded, was that a Faux News talking point? Repugs are the one's in control of the President, House and Senate they are the one's deflecting. Frist Delay GW and his brother fucked themselve by getting in the Schiavo case. Now they look like dipshits, They are the retards blasting Judges that didnt agree with them. They are the ones deflecting the Downing street memo's. They are the one's that hired Philip Cooney, a oil lobbyist to head and Edit Global Warming Reports. The Republicans are the one's trying to give the FCC the power to regulate CABLE AND SATELLITE WHICH YOUR DUNB ASS SEEMS TO IGNORE...So shut the fuck up. Both sides, Repugs and Dems are jumping on the video game censor bandwagon....But one of the lead retards pushing lawsuits and congress to censor is Jack Thompson who is also a repug.

But one of the lead retards pushing lawsuits and congress to censor is Jack Thompson who is also a repug.

LOL...And a lawyer to boot.

lol @ #36. Yes, he clearly knows what he's talking about and isnt just blowing steam out of his ass that an advisor told him to say [/sarcasm]

He asks for intelligent debate after insulting those he debates with... interesting.

He asked for an example of something that gives an opportunity to impinge on freedom, the Patriot Act granted the government several powers that could potentially be used to curtail freedoms. He deflects this by saying the Dems (who I wasn't defending in the first place) wanted it too and they did all these other bad things. Didn't disprove a thing.

Worse, he called me a "dim" when he knows nothing about me...

Intelligent debate indeed.

I am waiting for my beta/review copy to make it all the way up here for me to review. I am not expecting anything... I will play it and then I will judge it.
If I may throw out a question: When does a game go too far? Is there a posible negative outcome if a game is too violent? If a game is violent... how do we keep kids from playing it?

My understanding is that this is a gangwarfare game, playable from either side (gang/cop).

In case anyone missed it, the best quote from the whole affair:

Schumer: "Little Johnny should be learning how to read, not how to kill cops."

Every newspaper report I've read also corrects his "Grand Auto Theft" comment.

When will politicians understand that computergames are not the cause of all the violence in society?

funkonaut, don't try and be clever with a post unless you've got the time to think it through... if you make a claim to someone, you're not proven right just because they say something stupid. I'm not saying you're dumb or anything, but maybe you were in a rush to get your point across.

But more constructively - at least you yanks have the luxury of having 2 distinct parties and the lively debate and political interest that creates in both the general public and the people that get things done. I'm sure it leads to all kinds of awful kneejerk policies and stuff too, but spare a thought for us in the UK.

The gulf between our 2 main parties at the moment is so great, not just in support, but also in terms of, y'know, having a leader. For 8 years we've had virtually uncontested leadership, and with Gordon Brown set to take the reins from Tony Blair and the Conservatives still tripping over themselves it will go on. I'm not marking my territory left or right here, but the political apathy amongst brits right now is astonishing. The mood seems to be "what are they doing now? oh no... that's outrageous... well, might as well get on with it.."
which scares me.

Funkonaut, this is my first post and I just want to say that you just swayed me to
pro-choice and I think I am truly a Democrat now.

You are a genius. The best anti republican tactic is definately to act like a redneck ignorant one! If only Kerry would of had a debate with Funkonaut..what if...

Looky looky.

The Bureau of Justice statistics has something to say...

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/cv2.htm

Here are more things to look at

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance.htm#serious

AND for those of you with ADD take a look at this one in particular.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/offage.htm

The last one basically tells (at least to me) our parent's generation was worse than we were. If they made a graph that looked at the crimes/underage population it would look even worse. (since there are more kids now)

Games have just given people something new to bitch at and blame things on. Hopefully it gets old and we can move on to something else that is ruining our youth. HA!

Let me just say:

Schumer isn't trying to win political "points" with his consistuency - he won re-election in New York with 70% of the vote. I voted for him. That being said, I'm a little disappointed about this.

It really all comes down to parenting.

"If a minor can turn on any TV with rabbit ears or radio and hear/see those things then that child is vulnerable. No kid should be exposed to content meant solely for adults."

If a parent isn't responsible enough to watch their children and take control of what they watch, play, listen to, ect, then they should have their kids taken away.

Stop contridicting yourself. Socialism isn't Communism. Also,

I haven't seen any Republicans go *that* far, or did I miss something?

No you didn't miss anything. And that's the point. Before the Act was changed the goverment didn't have to let you know they were searching your library records.

BTW your name IS Fuckonaut

They should boycott the news too, there's way too much violence in the news for anybody to watch. We're all going to become killers now.