EA to Fox News: 'correct the record' on Mass Effect
by Ross Miller 
{ Jan 24th 2008 at 11:50AM }
Shown in excerpts of the letter, Brown cites specific lines from the segment (hint: something to do with "full digital nudity" and sex) and explains why they were wrong -- and if you've played through Mass Effect, you know full well how wrong they were. Cited, too, are comparisons to the more sexual content found in less-castigated primetime television such as Fox's own Family Guy and The OC.
Said Brown about the four people who concluded the show: "They have had zero experience with Mass Effect and are largely ignorant about videogames, the people who play them, and the ESRB system that governs their ratings and sales." Watch the video again and see for yourself.
The letter concludes, "This isn't a legal threat; it's an appeal to your sense of fairness. We're asking FNC to correct the record on Mass Effect." Niceties aside, it's great to see EA stand up for the industry and flex its muscle. Gamers have shown much less restraint, bombing segment specialist Cooper Lawrence's book into low ratings oblivion on Amazon.
[Via GameDaily; thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
KushielsScion007 @ Jan 24th 2008 11:57AM
But WAIT A MINUTE...
I thought EA was EVIL. Those horrible bastards and their multi million selling games...and "monopoly"
A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jan 24th 2008 1:11PM
Hah, your post made me think, and this is a bit of a tangent, wouldn't it be awesome if there was an EA monopoly? Go around the board buying up developers you land on! Houses will be replaced with "imposed deadlines" to maximize profit for the financial year, and hotels will be replaced with rich, lucrative "movie lisences". Ohh, it all fits so well in my head.
But on topic, an angry email is going to Fox outlining my boycotting of all of their news services unless they suddenly gain a more balanced view. I mean, that supposed 'panel' consisted of 4 ignorant people who had never played the game and yet are making these horrid statements.
baby sea tuna @ Jan 24th 2008 1:25PM
Dude, you should have been boycotting Fox News for years now, just on basic principle.
DemonGSides @ Jan 24th 2008 3:15PM
I'm republican and even I hate fox news.
Lars @ Jan 24th 2008 4:30PM
People watch the news?
bm @ Jan 25th 2008 12:11AM
People watch TV?
Mike @ Jan 24th 2008 11:58AM
You probably won't hear/see me say this again, so soak it in - Good job EA! I've been saying for a while now that when something like this comes up in the media, the publisher should take the bull by the horns and issue a formal notice of the inaccuracies displayed in the offending "news" piece. I'm glad a publisher finally did just that... even if it was EA.
dan stabbingworth @ Jan 24th 2008 1:16PM
The video game industry makes so much money. You'd think they would be lobbying and throwing their weight around a little more.
Mike @ Jan 24th 2008 1:21PM
Actually I've heard that they will be lobbying in the near future - and, frankly, good. Technology is the future. The Luddites in power currently just don't have a strong enough understanding of it to legislate it properly. I'm personally terrified that some law censoring, banning, or taxing video games will get passed that has a very broad definition of "video game". What happens when that broad definition is used to cover some form of physical or mental therapy that happens to share common attributes with a video game? Now, I know that's sort of a worst case scenario, but that doesn't make the ignorance of public officials any less scary.
La li lu le lo @ Jan 24th 2008 10:49PM
"I'm glad a publisher finally did just that... even if it was EA."
Well, you know, how more cheesy would EA look if they wouldn't have stepped up to the plate after gamers tore the place up for Mass Effect just on principle?
"The letter concludes, "This isn't a legal threat; it's an appeal to your sense of fairness".
So in conclusion, EA's guest appearance on this Mass Effect incident equates to EA scribbling on a brick wall 'I Wuz Here'.
Altairio @ Jan 24th 2008 12:05PM
Those Amazon reviews are full of win.
The pictures aren't bad either...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-images/1599211793/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0/002-8926759-0841614?ie=UTF8&index=0#gallery
Jerk Face @ Jan 24th 2008 1:00PM
Ha ha.. that is absolutely brilliant. Leave it to gamer assholes like us to do something like that.
Farseer (GDI) @ Jan 24th 2008 1:11PM
I think that the time I just spent on Amazon was the best half hour I've had all week. Kudos to to the Amazon bombers.
dan stabbingworth @ Jan 24th 2008 1:27PM
"This byach is a liar"
classic
Farseer (GDI) @ Jan 24th 2008 1:29PM
I think that the time I just spent on Amazon was the best half hour I've had all week. Kudos to to the Amazon bombers.
h2c @ Jan 24th 2008 2:08PM
Amazon 1 star comment that summarizes things nicely:
It may be true that I haven't actually read this book, but after watching her bash a really good game[,] I realized that people don't need to actually play, read, or watch things to review them.
AwesomeTown @ Jan 24th 2008 2:13PM
Man, I hope that there's more customer images soon. They really do kick some ass.
GreyFox @ Jan 24th 2008 2:26PM
Aw all the reviews are gone! Fuck I missed the comedy!
Korova @ Jan 24th 2008 2:31PM
Not to worry. She has at least three other books on Amazon that are beginning to get bombed.
finnith @ Jan 24th 2008 3:04PM
Am I crazy or did all the comments/pics get deleted?
La li lu le lo @ Jan 24th 2008 11:34PM
@Farseer (GDI)
"Kudos to to the Amazon bombers."
Roger that, Rocket One!..
Killjebus @ Jan 24th 2008 12:07PM
Golf clap for EA. It is about time that these Big game companies stop the witchhunt on videogames. I say, sue those Fox bastards, go after them HARD and make it hurt. Make every single "News" station think 2wice b4 slandering videogames again.
The TV stations are scared, they are scared of losing valuable advertising revenue to videogames. For every hour an adult (avg. gamer age is 28) spends playing videogames...its 1 hour less they spend watching TV.
That is why TV is slandering videogames, NOT because they are worried about the kids, no no no no no no no,
they are worried about losing the only thing the care about MONEY.
Just like the Drug War the Video Games ar bad mmmkaay War is just another WAR over MONEY.
GO EA, sue those Mother Fracking Josef Goebles of broadcast news whores pants off.
jorojoserojas @ Jan 24th 2008 3:39PM
Hey killjebus, just a question; where did you get that average gamer stat?
I'm writing a report on peoples' misconceptions of video games (and believe me, I don't think I can fit this neatly into a 30 page report) and I'd love to be able to use that stat.
KayRazy Ken Kutaragi @ Jan 24th 2008 4:21PM
That stat is from 2004. I got it from the managers conference for Gamestop. There are many different classes and meetings that managers and DM's have to attend. There was a class on the growing concerns that the Mainstream media was placing on videogames and corporate had a speaker in one of those classes and during a slide presentation that stat showed up. I might add that there were many other stats too that directly contradicted all of the witchunt crap the Mainstream media is slinging toward the videogame industry.
Here is another article that may be of some use to you.
http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/violence_and_videogames
Good luck and let me know if you have anymore questions.
Cyro @ Jan 24th 2008 12:10PM
I am so happy that she got what she deserved. I hope she doesn't sell a single book! That Fu*%King Bitch.
Maybe next time she can do some research before talking so much crap.
ComicShaman @ Jan 24th 2008 12:10PM
An appeal to the "sense of fairness" of FOX News is quite the longshot. Good luck, EA.
copa @ Jan 24th 2008 12:48PM
Not true, ComicShaman. Live Desk agreed to air a 60-second apology for the gross inaccuracies in the Mass Effect segment.
Unfortunately, the apology got bumped because they needed the time to cover new evidence that Hillary Clinton killed Vince Foster.
Rodan32 @ Jan 24th 2008 1:24PM
Now, please send the same request to Time.
kip @ Jan 24th 2008 3:14PM
No "sense of fairness"? But I thought Fox News was not only *fair*, but *balanced* as well! How could this be?!
naxe @ Jan 24th 2008 12:11PM
They shouldnt hold their breath's.
by now i'm sure you all have heard the about the untimely passing of actor Heath Ledger.
Fox News Talk Network host John Gibson mocked the actor with audio clips from Ledger's movies.
my point is the Fox network are spineless. egotistical. sociopath's. who get turned on by hearing their own voice.
I doubt that they will issue an apology or (correct the record) on the mass effect slander.
Nick the Hero of Canton @ Jan 24th 2008 1:17PM
Not only that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gibson_(media_host)#Controversies
Antonio @ Jan 24th 2008 3:21PM
I was about to post that. John Gibson is an asshat.
kbomb1upc @ Jan 24th 2008 12:11PM
The MAN giving it to the MAN... very weird. I still like EA and hope they will do big things in the future. Like "Black 2: Even Blacker".
Xantar @ Jan 24th 2008 5:47PM
Raise your hand if you think Fox will even acknowledge the possibility that they may have misrepresented things.
No? No one? Yeah, me neither.
Dacool561 @ Jan 24th 2008 12:13PM
This is awesome and i put in my 1star review because i felt it was my duty =p. but you all know what will happen. She will come on again and say look at how evil and crazy these video gamer players are and how this only further proves her right.
Deck @ Jan 24th 2008 12:20PM
EA you are my new hero.. for the day at least! Great job, this made my day to see you defend my favorite newer game on the market! Way to go and keep it up!
Oh and her book ratings on Amazon, ftw!
tmacairjordan87 @ Jan 24th 2008 12:21PM
great job EA, you guys just moved up a few notches on my respect meter and actually just passed faux news. Keep it up!
the most insane part about this is when keighley asked her if she played mass effect and she scoffed at him, like doing research before running her mouth was a new concept for her. Faux never fails to shock me with their stupidity
Korova @ Jan 24th 2008 1:15PM
Yeah. That was a classic reaction: "Hell, no, I did not even touch the subject I am talking about. Its bad cause I am republican and I know whats right socially without having to learn anything. Learning is for liberals."
And then they have two other windbags sitting here talking nonesense that has nothing to do with Mass Effect. Why did they have to name Mass Effect at all? Could have just said all electronic media (except FOX channels) is bad and kids should go hunting with their dads!
And one of the windbags said something about the good old days of Playboy, when mom's were at home! Wow! What is she and the two other women doing on TV then?!
Thank you EA for exhibiting a measure of sanity and speaking out.
a_p77 @ Jan 25th 2008 11:06AM
just got done watching the video and looking at the reviews
Good job guys(too bad theres no 0 star rating, someone who can claim to be an expert by just relying on other's research should not be allowed a book. I have never heard an expert answer a question with a sarcastic laugh followed by a NO on a topic that they are arguing. A REAL psychologist would have played the damn game and rather done a study on how kids get M rated games.
What a bitch
Chad C. @ Jan 24th 2008 12:31PM
Kotaku had this posted like last night and has over 3,000 diggs. No credit to them?
Nigeria @ Jan 24th 2008 12:46PM
When you click the "read" link it links to Kotaku.
Christopher Grant @ Jan 24th 2008 12:47PM
Read the citation in the first paragraph, the Read link, and the link on the entire post image. Thanks for playing!
Mike @ Jan 24th 2008 1:02PM
You'll also note that the Kotaku story cites a segment of the letter from EA that references another Kotaku story. Where's the love joystiq?
Mike @ Jan 24th 2008 1:03PM
oops, my bad - I seldom click the "read" link, heh, sorry.
Chad C. @ Jan 24th 2008 2:19PM
Sorry, I usually don't click or hover on the "read" link.
What I saw was the "via: Gamedaily"
bobartig @ Jan 24th 2008 2:49PM
That's because the 'read link' is an impossibly obtuse, terrible standard practice for web page layout. It is unintuitive, non-constructive, poorly conceived, and should be abandoned.
There's little reason to think to click on the image associated with a story, since often the image is only tangentially related to the story. Why would a press kit image of Mass Effect link to Kotaku? It should go to bioware, mass effect, EA, MS Game Studios, but wait, which one? Unfortunately, noone, even the editors, has any clue how someone even 'could' use a 'read link' effectively. This is made much, much worse when there is no equivalent link to the 'read link' within the article body, which often happens.
Once you know to click on the image, you still don't know where it will take you because there's no consistency in how the 'read links' are used, and there isn't enough contextual information from a picture that's (somewhat) related to a story to determine what sort of content it will lead to.
Sometimes its a very related link, sometimes its entirely unnecessary. So even if you are in the habit of using 'read links', you still have no idea what the read link will yield. And there's my rant.
Edog Lost @ Jan 24th 2008 12:28PM
I can't watch that video again. The ignorance of those people make me sick.
FidliousWong @ Jan 24th 2008 12:31PM
Umm, good luck on this EA. You forget, Faux News was the ONLY affiliate ever to essentially get the courts in Florida to agree to reporting falsified news due to "freedom of speech."
http://www.projectcensored.org/Publications/2005/11.html
Fox won't budge on this issue and if EA sues, Fox will win claiming "freedom of speech." I mean, seriously, those are some slimy fucks.
Derevartives @ Jan 24th 2008 1:14PM
so using the "freedom of speech" excuse i could go down to the lobbyist at work and tell her "you have a fine ass and when i get of work I'd like to take it home and plow the hell out of that thing!" then when she sues me for sexual harassment I'll just use freedom of speech as my excuse and win? ...man I'm glad i don't live in America (no offense) :P
Anticrawl @ Jan 24th 2008 1:29PM
I'm sorry but slander and liable are both illegal and there is little chance Fox could win a suit from EA if they ever decided to press charges. They estimate the billions of dollars of damage these morons did by teaching "the american people" that games are the devil and well then we have Fox on it's knees begging, crying, and offering sexual favors.