When Beer Pong: Frat Party Games was announced for WiiWare, many Wii owners protested it based on its stupidity. We should have guessed, though, that some people would actually protest the software for moral reasons.
The problem here lies with the games ESRB rating, which is T (13+). Lisa Lombardozzi of the Greater Herndon Community Coalition is concerned that Beer Pong will encourage children to play the game in real life. In fact, many college students who partake in the activity (which is also called Beirut, depending on who you talk to) are not even of legal drinking age. Since the United States' drinking age is 21, activists claim that the game will promote binge drinking ideals to youths.
JV Games' response to the issue was more dismissive than eloquent. Company spokesman Vince Valenti said, "We are not advocating drinking any more than watching cartoons or watching the TV show Cheers, or even going bowling or to a baseball game ... If anything, you're going to be drinking less, because you are too busy playing the game, trying to beat your opponent, to be constantly picking up a beer and drinking it."
We doubt parents and community members were soothed by this response.
[Via Game Politics]
Reader Comments (13)
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 2:17PM (Unverified) said
Thats the greatest response ever!!!! "Hey your kid will be drinking less because he will be trying to make some other kid drink himself to death!" Awesome.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 2:48PM fyian said
I don't think that Timmy's dad needs to see an AO rating to know that Beer Pong: Frat Party Games might not be appropriate for his child.
I also doubt that people who really play beer pong will play this game. We can't all be tennis stars, nor do we have the time and equipment to play golf, which is why Wii Sports is fun, but it's not like beer pong is hard to get into or takes Olympic-level skill.
I also doubt that people who really play beer pong will play this game. We can't all be tennis stars, nor do we have the time and equipment to play golf, which is why Wii Sports is fun, but it's not like beer pong is hard to get into or takes Olympic-level skill.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 3:04PM TurboFool said
Pathetic, stupid, knee-jerk reactions. Rear your kids properly and you won't have to worry about outside influences like this. It's not like if your kids are capable of taking an interest in real drinking games that they won't know about it without this game.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 3:37PM (Unverified) said
Im against the ignorant in society that labels games as bad... however, a game about drinking beer competitively is not something that should be marketed toward anyone underage. Who the hell wants to play a game about drinking beer when you can do the real thing? I can seriously see people playing this game but with real beer to go with it. Ultimately, it will the up to the parents to make sure their kids are playing the right games. But that gets difficult with Wiiware games. Anyone can buy a points card and no one is checking IDs on WiiWare downloads. People talked about drunken Wii parties before but I think this is just ridiculous.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 6:51PM Larz said
Well, for one, "underage" has different definitions depending on where on the globe you're standing.
Secondly, I don't see how a make-believe beer game is a big deal for a teenager. If you feel that way, then you must think that killing anything in a game is completely inappropriate for people of ANY age.
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Secondly, I don't see how a make-believe beer game is a big deal for a teenager. If you feel that way, then you must think that killing anything in a game is completely inappropriate for people of ANY age.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 8:48PM Author X said
I'm sorry, my eyes glazed over at the word "marketing" there. There's a difference between "accessible to" and "marketed to" - I'd have objections too if JV Games were actively trying to sell this game to teenagers, but the fact that it's out there doesn't mean that.
While most of the statement only serves to make the guy look like a jackass, some is true - alcohol itself shows up, and is even glorified in all kinds of media. You'd have to put a ban on that like they did with smoking before you could really complain about one (crappy) game.
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While most of the statement only serves to make the guy look like a jackass, some is true - alcohol itself shows up, and is even glorified in all kinds of media. You'd have to put a ban on that like they did with smoking before you could really complain about one (crappy) game.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 5:16PM (Unverified) said
I dunno, I see a light in both cases. On one side it would be cool to play some Beer pong with my bud in Chicago (Im in Washington) like we used to only this time across the net. . . . assuming it has Wifi. If not I do not see any reason a game like this would be played as like stated, its not a hard game to get into in real life.
About kids playing it. If a kid doesnt cant read the title and connect the dots as to the content they are in for a sucker-full life ahead of them. If a kid DOES pick up the title and wants to play he/she knows what its about and . . . oh my gosh . . . prolly drinks beer as well! Hell, they prolly where playing the real game the night before downloading this one hahaha.
Kids are gonna drink with or without movies, music, and games. If your monkey kid sees you or any adult drinking and its slightly interested, its going to drink at some point. Give your kids the information about it if it IS interested and tell them that "hey, untill 21 your walking on thin ice if you drink, you could screw your life up pretty bad for a night or two of partying." or something along those lines.
If your kid goes out and drinks and does something bad well sir, you have a stupid ass kid. Sad I know but, such as life.
About kids playing it. If a kid doesnt cant read the title and connect the dots as to the content they are in for a sucker-full life ahead of them. If a kid DOES pick up the title and wants to play he/she knows what its about and . . . oh my gosh . . . prolly drinks beer as well! Hell, they prolly where playing the real game the night before downloading this one hahaha.
Kids are gonna drink with or without movies, music, and games. If your monkey kid sees you or any adult drinking and its slightly interested, its going to drink at some point. Give your kids the information about it if it IS interested and tell them that "hey, untill 21 your walking on thin ice if you drink, you could screw your life up pretty bad for a night or two of partying." or something along those lines.
If your kid goes out and drinks and does something bad well sir, you have a stupid ass kid. Sad I know but, such as life.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 5:31PM teamsammalone said
Man, I love Cheers... But, then again, I am a bit of an alchoholic.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 5:36PM (Unverified) said
well , who said that the game could have real beer in it , it could be fake
(lol) , but in reality , beer bong is fun and it doesnt take alot of skill , i love the game , exept at keggers when drinking games and beer bong taps the keg to fast , but anyways , i played virtual beerbong games before , just go to the national beerbong website theres a flashgame , where you can play your friend , heck me and my roommate between classes or even in classes would play it against each other for something to do.
(lol) , but in reality , beer bong is fun and it doesnt take alot of skill , i love the game , exept at keggers when drinking games and beer bong taps the keg to fast , but anyways , i played virtual beerbong games before , just go to the national beerbong website theres a flashgame , where you can play your friend , heck me and my roommate between classes or even in classes would play it against each other for something to do.
Posted: Jun 12th 2008 8:50PM Author X said
I've got it! Just change the name to "Non-alcoholic Beer Pong"! Problem solved!
Posted: Jun 13th 2008 1:04AM (Unverified) said
I suppose both of your comments are correct. I recall when PETA made a stink about killing dogs in Wolfenstein but no one care about the killing of people. And if the kid is stupid enough to use real beer in the game theyre probably already drinking.
I still think the game is stupid. But I'm a light weight and don't care much for drinking games anyways.
I still think the game is stupid. But I'm a light weight and don't care much for drinking games anyways.
Posted: Jul 7th 2008 1:22AM (Unverified) said
First of all to play the game does not promote drinking, just like guns don't promote killing. If a kid has a Will and plays the game its not like some virtual college frat kid is going to jump out of the screen and had someone underaged kid a beer. Only one to blame are those old enough to sell alcohol that sell it to someone underaged kid or parents that leave their kids at home with a fully stocked bar. The negative comments in this blog are basically saying that if you give a kid a pilsner glass to drink koolaid out of he is promoting underage drinking. That can only be said by a somebody that has no control over their own household or thier kids. Do us all a favor go find a book on stupidity and study about yourself and maybe you will wake up!!!
Posted: Jul 14th 2008 5:51PM (Unverified) said
You can tell you had a few to many, and I don't mean kids!!!!
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