Jack Thompson: Mass Effect controversy 'ridiculous'

by Ross Miller { Jan 28th 2008 at 4:30PM }

Perhaps the most well-versed individual on gaming controversy (by merit of instigating many of them), Jack Thompson has found a way to make the Mass Effect Fox News report more ridiculous by defending the game. Unfortunately, weather.com has not updated the current temperature in Hell, but we'll let you know when we find out.

Responding to the latest press release, Kotaku's Brian Crecente asked Thompson what he thought about the Mass Effect story. Thompson responded, "The guy who shot his mouth off about it had no idea what the Hell he was talking about." (We assume he meant conservative columnist Kevin McCullough and isn't confusing Fox News guest Cooper Lawrence's gender.) Thompson later added, "This contrived controversy is absolutely ridiculous."

To catch you up to speed: just after McCullough apologized for writing about Mass Effect's "virtual orgasmic rape," Fox News' Live Desk with Martha MacCollum ran a similar, ignorant segment on the "Sexbox" (so clever) title that pitted Geoff Keighley against a child care author who openly admitted she never played the game. Publisher Electronic Arts demanded a correction, Fox countered, and Lawrence apologized after gamers review-bombed her book on Amazon.

Tags: bioware, ea, electronic-arts, fox, fox-news, jack-thompson, kotaku, mass-effect

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Moorio @ Jan 28th 2008 4:34PM

Wow.

I... I don't know how to respond...

hvnlysoldr @ Jan 28th 2008 4:35PM

You apparently did. (grumbles you got first post)

Moorio @ Jan 28th 2008 4:38PM

I don't know how to respond to your comment...

Trickob @ Jan 28th 2008 4:40PM

i think i summed it up quite well.

rv @ Jan 28th 2008 4:42PM

Jacks not that bad. He just doesn't want violent games for kids, which is ok. The way he goes about it is irritating and annoying, but his idea is right.
Him saying this shows that he is not on a crusade against games, which changes my opinion of him a lot.

Lone Starr @ Jan 28th 2008 5:04PM

Jack is being inconsistent. He went after "Hot Coffee" because it was a sex minigame (no nudity, wasn't normally accessible).

But Mass Effect has a sex subplot with nudity that rewards the player (Achievement Unlocked!), and he calls it "contrived?"

Don't be fooled. His credibility is falling. He's making small, inconsistent concessions now so that people won't totally ignore him when the big guns come out (pun intended).

Tiptup300 @ Jan 28th 2008 5:18PM

Was I being fanboistic against Jack Thompson?

Jack Thompson ftw? ftl? Jack Thomson, FUCK YEAH!

got it.

Psaakyrn @ Jan 28th 2008 7:13PM

He's being rather consisteny imo. He just doesn't like competition.

Poisoned Al @ Jan 28th 2008 7:41PM

How about

o_0

DWells55 @ Jan 28th 2008 7:47PM

Lone Starr, the difference is that this content is not hidden and is an acknowledged part of the game, and the game is rated accordingly. While I don't think there's a huge difference personally, these are cutscenes and content the ESRB was aware of when they issued the game's rating.

I really don't understand why Jack is defending Mass Effect though. Perhaps they ruined his chance to start stirring up controversy and draw attention to himself and he's jealous? Hell if I know.

Lone Starr @ Jan 28th 2008 9:40PM

@ DWell55,

I think that's a great point. I still wouldn't discout his obvious (and long-fought) moral crusade. By calling the controversy "contrived" and ridiculous," he sidesteps the fact that it carries the content he supposedly hates.

And I think the main reason he's saying this stuff now is because his credibility has been fried, especially after he's linked violence irl to video games unjustly.

bm @ Jan 29th 2008 1:37AM

"Jacks not that bad."

You apparently haven't read the forum comments he posted (confirmed real) on Joystiq, Kotaku and other sites. He really is "that bad". He's a troll disguised as a lawyer. And one lousy disguise it is.

Zeus.:God @ Jan 28th 2008 4:34PM

Well this certainly is different... Weather.com needs to get those updates up quick.

copa @ Jan 28th 2008 5:19PM

Nothing different here:

1. Brian Crecente of Kotaku actively solicits Jack Thompson for public comment on a story about videogames and society.

2. Chris Grant's crew over at Joystiq breathlessly reprints his comments, conferring additional artificial legitimacy on Thompson.

3. Mainstream media sees that Jack Thompson's opinions have great significance in the enthusiast press, and invites him to participate in panel discussions when they need a 'videogames-are-bad' viewpoint.

4. Joystiq, Kotaku, and other blogs wring their hands and ask, "Why does CNN let this craaaaaaaazy mother-fucker say all this stuff on the air? CNN is making us gamers look bad!"

5. Go to Step 1.

Naota @ Jan 28th 2008 5:23PM

Hell Michigan does exist, but it is surprisingly not on Weather.com

GreyFox @ Jan 28th 2008 4:34PM

Hooba jooba wha?!

varun @ Jan 29th 2008 2:31AM

Someone had their prescription refilled at long last? It's amazing what thorazine can do for YOU!

http://www.2spare.com/_media/imgs/articles/a147_a5.jpg

Double J @ Jan 28th 2008 4:34PM

*head explodes Scanners style*

Co @ Jan 28th 2008 4:34PM

Brilliant on Mr. Thompson's part. He's got to build a little momentum going into the GTA 4 release.

Trickob @ Jan 28th 2008 4:41PM

exactly

Korova @ Jan 28th 2008 10:24PM

Yep. Just staking his position on the totem pole of game bashers. Hey, Cooper, that's Jack Thompson's butt on your head. [Picture Cooper Lawrence with crookedly open mouth.]

Fatass of Kickassness @ Jan 28th 2008 4:34PM

OH SHI-

hvnlysoldr @ Jan 28th 2008 4:35PM

Pigs fly.
Hell hath frozen over.
Kirk gets a wife who doesn't die.
Pot kettle black etc.
Cats and dogs living together.

deaftly @ Jan 28th 2008 6:00PM

That dead satellite in space that was just reported will now fall into the ocean and awake a giant beast that will destroy New York, thanks Jack you jerk.

micheal82 @ Jan 28th 2008 8:50PM

That dead satalite was controlling JT once it died JT masters lost control over him.

NoHitHair @ Jan 28th 2008 4:36PM

Though clearly misguided, it appears Mr. Thompson has a streak of honesty and consistency as he is apparently unwilling to believe in the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" adage.

While I still recognize him as the raving lunatic he is, I do have to concede that he has ethics - at least some.

Trickob @ Jan 28th 2008 4:37PM

I knew jack thompson was going to do this as soon as the whole "mass hysteria" thing started!! he clearly isn't as stupid as these other pundits and as soon as he saw the uproar that was happening, he decides to side with gamers on this particular issue.

Now he can say whatever he wants about games like GTA and when we gamers role our eyes and say, "oh jack..." he can say "BUT I DEFENDED THAT OTHER GAME!! WHAT'S IT CALLED? 'MARS EFFECT'???"

StarFoxA @ Jan 28th 2008 4:38PM

Nintendo's stock slips... Jack Thompson is okay with an M rated game... EA did something right...

The apocalypse is nigh.

psychoticdream @ Jan 28th 2008 4:59PM

i'm scared!!!

zelderman @ Jan 28th 2008 5:12PM

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr.ESC @ Jan 28th 2008 9:16PM

And no one is doing jokes about how much kotaku sucks,man this is bad but Wait! There is still hope remember the world can't end until Nuke Dukem Forever hits the shelves.

"Next in Joystiq:Nuke Dukem Forever gets a release date".

Oh shi-

Mr.ESC @ Jan 28th 2008 9:16PM

fischju @ Jan 28th 2008 4:38PM

Hahahaha, he called Cooper Lawrence a man!

Zertoss @ Jan 28th 2008 4:39PM

Mind = Blown

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Jan 28th 2008 4:39PM

Just for that he goes up a notch in my book

That puts him at notch #165
right behind Hanna Montana

GoldenS1104 @ Jan 28th 2008 5:31PM

Are you kidding? Hannah Montana is #1 in my book (Miley Cyrus takes a close second, and Miley Stewart comes in at number 3).

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Jan 28th 2008 5:39PM

just for that GoldenS1104
you go down 2 notches

that puts you at notch #124
behind Fernando

Korova @ Jan 28th 2008 10:29PM

A genuine LOL for that, Tafka Jesus. Not loi, a real LOL.

Bravo!

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Jan 28th 2008 4:39PM

Some find that scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark where the open the Ark, please.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jan 28th 2008 4:40PM

Is it really 2012 already?

RudyHuxtable @ Jan 28th 2008 4:43PM

Yes, kids, it's the cleft-double chin again!

Ranko @ Jan 28th 2008 4:48PM

His vendetta is with GTA, not Mass Effect. But I suppose that his barring and some of the responses he's received over the years have finally gotten through to him; which is very important.

He's still a little crazy but I think the crazy has subsided a little.