| Mail |
You might also like: WoW Insider, Massively, and more

Reader Comments (195)

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 5:07AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
if games make us prone to violence then one of us would have beaten the shit out of jack or worse he wouldve been the victim a hyper reality glock spray

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 5:23AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I much prefer our way of selling games in Britain, independant group decides what age it should be sold to (they are very good at that in my opinion) and then shops just refuse to sell to anyone younger than that age. It means usually the children have to get their parents to buy the game for them so it makes it the parents fault.

Plus it cuts down on the 13 year olds playing Vegas on Live... Please... Develop your adam's apple before joining a server!

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 7:44AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I don't see a problem.
I'm from England and my 8 year old Son is allowed to play most games with exception to a few.

He is allowed to play Crackdown and has almost completed it.
He is NOT allowed to play BioShock.

The game ratings here in Britain are excellent and I set the Xbox 360 to a 16+ rating so he just cant load 18cert games.

I know hes only 8 but I find even 16+ games are ok.

The rating systems WORK, It was just a mistake that the clerk did'nt check for ID.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 7:49AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
The stores have an 80% success rate, don't they? Thats what the ESRB claim, and this doesn't prove otherwise, so it doesn't prove they are commiting fraud.

He should send the kid to 9 other stores.. if 5 or more sell him the game then he's got a point.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 8:11AM ashleydb said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
What isn't clear is if he would have sent out a statement if his son had been unsuccessful getting the game, meaning the system worked.
For all we know he did this every day for a month until one day they let him have it.
Alright, he should never have got it that one time, but this story implies that every kid gets every game every time.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 8:13AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I will buy anybody a copy of both Manhunt2 and GTAIV if they assassinate Thompson.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 10:59AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
throw in Bioshock too, he sure has one hell of a vendetta against it
Reply

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 8:14AM ashleydb said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Maybe Jack was with his son, so the clerk assumed it was cool.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 8:28AM galfridus73 said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
How about this, guys: The next time Jack Thompson pulls something like this, don't pay attention to him.

How's that for original? if you don't feed the troll, he'll move on.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 8:39AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Yeah, I'm quite sick of reading about this asshat and crafting an angry response about him. Honestly nobody takes him serious anymore so the only thing you're doing is feeding the troll. Can we stop posting about every little asinine threat he makes? I just assume not have to read about it...

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 9:20AM SirUrza said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
You know, maybe if sites just blacklisted Jack Thompson news, he'd go away. It's like he's seeking attention with these kinds of stunts.

Whenever you say his names 3 times, he appears.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 10:01AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Can someone please make a UT3 mod (when game comes out)
where we can kill a model with this jackasses face on it?

Then he can complain...but its the fanbase that doing this to him..and not Epic!

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 10:10AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I think some parents need to take note of the ratings for games they buy there children. My son is 6 and I only allow him to play E. I see in some of his friends game collections M rated titles like Halo! I think some parents use games as baby sitters, but don't bother to notice what the games are or how violent they are.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 10:23AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
What a goof. I have a beard and I've been carded for M rated games in the past. It's nice that he's using his kid as a guinea pig, as well. That kid must be the unhappiest kid in the world.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 10:24AM S4Rs said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Ok, So his son bought the game. Now when he goes home and tries to play it, It shouldn't load because Jack should of set the parental controls properly on his sons system. Looks like there is no issue to report.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 11:21AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Just to clarify things a bit:

A) It is NOT illegal in any way to sell a Mature rating game to a child in the US

B) Thomson sent his own son to buy it, thereby giving PERMISSION to his son to purchase an M rated game.

No laws broken, and express permission given to buy the title... why would anyone be fired or even in trouble?

Discussion over. Jack loses.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 11:53AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Please, Joystiq, please stop giving The One Which We Do Not Speak Of more attention. Let his publicity die in a fire. Kthx.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 12:49PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
If I was Jack Thompson's son I would have killed myself a long time ago. But then again maybe he's been brainwashed.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 2:53PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Doesn't this statement mean that Jack Thompson gave permission to his son to purchase an "M" rated game?

I draw two conclusions, one is that the video game industry did what they said they would... because the "responsible" adult gave permission for the purchase. Also, this must mean Mr. Thompson is a hypocrite as he supports his son's "M" rated purchase.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 3:20PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Who knows how many stores he tried before finding the one that did sell it to him... He should do this the right way, and show all the necessary statistics...

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 3:52PM Nailio said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Whats funny is he has a son. That means hes found some woman that will sleep with him.

Eww.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 7:55PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I honestly believe Jack Thompson has mental problems.

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 10:47AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I honestly don't care if the Best Buy employees deny sales to minors of M rated games. As a parent, those ratings are for *me*. They aren't for the Best Buy employees or anyone else. Why it is that everyone blames outsiders when the only person inevitably responsible for raising children is their parents. If a parent doesn't monitor their children and their media consumption, they are an irresponsible parent, pure and simple.

I don't think Jack Thompson is an evil man, but I think his persistence would be better spent trying to encourage parents to take an active role in raising their children.

Posted: Sep 14th 2007 10:27PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Jack Thompson is the biggest joke ever. Who the hell even gives this creep the time of day?? And what he did with his own son and sending him to best buy for a so-called sting operation....Thompson should lose his right to be a father. NOW.

Posted: Sep 17th 2007 12:48PM Hatchet said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Well I think they should just throw out the whole Rating system all together. I mean When I was playing games at age 5 no one cared what the fuck I was doing. it was great. I mean I probably woulndt have been able to play such great games if "They" regulated what was "appropriate" for me to play. Ya just everyone go to hell and let yer son or daughter play some kick ass games, fuck, pick up the controller and play with em.

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 2:46PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
"you don't need to be bloodthirsty or a zombie to want to overthrow the government."


no but it sure helps!

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 1:32PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
what i am wondering is if he let his son keep and play the game, or did Jack take it away and say he can't even get it after he turns 17

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 2:09PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I just feel sorry for his son. Having that guy as a father... eek.

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 2:29PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I grew up watching horror movies and playing violent videogames and I can't even bring myself to kill spiders. My neighbor grew up watching Family Channel and listening to Christian Rock. He enjoyed pulling the legs off of grasshoppers and burning ants with his magnifying glass and beating up his sister.

More kids should watch horror movies, less kids should listen to Christian Rock!!!!

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 3:36PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
thats such bull. me and my friend went to purchase a compy of halo 2 because he lost his and when we got there the guy asked us to show our id's because the game was rated m

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 8:54PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
rockstar isn't indicative of take two.

Will he do the same thing for Halo? A game that serves only 1 purpose to destroy...rated M, inter-nationally know. He is targeting take two...whats next is he gunna say checking nhl2k is pure violence?

Bioshock has the potential for good and evil pathways depending on how you decide to play. A choice which is given to people every day (though in less isolation)

So unpolished polygonal sex hidden to save dev time (and of course carnage in manhunt) vs. giving little girls the chance to live a real life and shooting bees at demi-human character madels

It's apples and oranges...but then again I don't really expect that he would know the difference between the 2.

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 11:26PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
If you take his comment:

Thompson finishes by saying, "The entire video game age rating system is a fraud perpetrated upon American families from sea to shining sea." We should keep that in mind the next time we recruit our own child into a crusade.."

Ans substitute the phrase "Video game age Ratings system" with "IRAQ" i might agree with him.

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 8:38PM davemode said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
so let me get this straight, once again jack thompson just supported his biggest enemy by purchasing a video game they made? what exactly does he do with all the copies of violent video games he buys anyways? burn them?

Posted: Sep 15th 2007 8:45PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
the best part is that when I'm 19 and when I bought Bioshock @ bestbuy last month I was carded, which was completely unexpected

Posted: Sep 16th 2007 2:51AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
well Im glad everyone is such an expert despite never doing any studies. Video games do in fact affect your brain like all media and they can make a person with psychotic tendencies act on them if they contribute to an extreme high stress situation.

I think we should have a minimum iq for having kids and it ought to be 10 points above average.

Posted: Sep 18th 2007 2:45PM Duke said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Lets see that PhD of yours!

Actually, I would imagine there is truth to that, but not to the extreme he would like to claim.
Reply

Posted: Sep 16th 2007 12:19PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I'll bet Thompson's kid gets seven shades of shit beat out of him at school. A LOT.

Posted: Oct 6th 2007 3:30PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
He should make out with the Governator.

Posted: Sep 19th 2007 8:42AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
15 Year old kid ey? I feel so sorry for this poor kid!

Posted: Sep 17th 2007 2:00AM Some Guy said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
am i missing something?
because last time shit fell down, take two had nothing to do with rockstar, and the game was developed by irattional, now take two australia and (maybe) france.
go die, jack.
in a fire.
not in a big one.
a slow smoldering one.
like having a coal inserted into your digestive system, that never gets cold, so it gradually burn trough your stomach.
guess where i got that one from, jack.
book!
kids book!
called Eragon.
so go die, in a damp cave.

Posted: Sep 18th 2007 11:41AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Sorry if this has been posted but I have grown up watching goodfellas and the godfather and a clockwork orange etc. and I have never been at all in any trouble or touched drugs. In europe (I live in france) I bought saints row and gta and I am 14 and they said NOTHING!Games don't make kids violent. BAD PARENTING DOES!!

Posted: Oct 25th 2007 8:52PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Who let this man have a child?! Honestly, there are some people who should NEVER be able to have kids (thier own or adopted), and Thompson is one of them. This man loves nothing except the odd satisfaction he gets from sucking as a lawyer. Bullet => Head.

Posted: Oct 30th 2007 4:31PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
But... by sending his 15 year old son out to buy the game, isn't he giving him... permission to buy the game?

This Jack Thompson guy is a menace to society. He's pure evil, a genuine monster.

I'm 22 and I frequently buy and enjoy violent video games. I met my fiance because we shared a similar interest(violent video games) and we play these violent video games together all the time. Violent video games brought us closer together.

I've also never ever been carded for video games. I'm rarely carded for alcohol, and I've never been carded a day in my LIFE for an R-rated movie. EVER. I was renting R-rated movies when I was 10 years old.

The carding thing has nothing to do with the game makers or the ESRB, just the employees who don't feel like carding the people. it's the individuals faults for this.

Grow up Jack Thompson.

You are acting like a spoiled child who didn't get his way Jack Thompson.

Nobody likes to Jack Thompson.

Stop bothering us gamers JACK THOMPSON!

Posted: Oct 30th 2007 4:22PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
" Is there anybody out there that actually takes this guy seriously?"

Actually I showed my mom one of the news casts where Jack Thompson was talking as an "expert" to get a laugh from her and then she turned around and said that she supports Jack Thompsons cause and thinks that it really does make people violent.

My own mother is one of them. I'm so incredibly ashamed.

Posted: Oct 30th 2007 8:58PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Someone should seriously murder him so that all this bullshit can go away!!! Be a hero, kill Jack Thompson!

Featured Stories

Engadget

Engadget

TUAW

TUAW

Massively

Massively

WoW

WoW