Houser: Freedom of expression 'easier' in games

Well, especially in a place like Liberty City... you get all the freedom you need.

seewhatididthere?

I do believe that with each year that goes by consoles, games and the gaming industry continues to grow in stature. I believe with the success of the Wii and games like GTAIV people from around the world that wouldnt normally jump into a game, for whatever reason, have taken to either peer pressure or lust at such aspects of the computer games industry and now it is being seen as "cool" to own or play games consoles. This industry is growing fairly rapidly.

http://demonjsblog.wordpress.com/

Huh, i always figured games were still more restricted. You can tell stories in a different way that might be more immersive, but you simply can't touch certain subjects like they have been touched in every other media. Video games are still very much a commercial enterprise, and because of it's unique structure, it's hard to effectively break that mold. Certainly indie games can touch any subject they wish, but it's going to be a long time before indie games can reach the levels of immersion that really take advantage of the aspects of this medium

Plus the fact that this is Rockstar talking. They're controversial because it makes them money, they don't make money because they're controversial

Let's hope video games "grow up" more like movies than comic books.

American comic books became so focused on one genre - super heros - that it retarded their growth. Video games risk following the same path - Sony, Microsoft, and the gaming press are so focused on shooters that it could hinder the growth of games:

- After many decades, comic books still don't have the respect of movies. Comic books as a medium is not taken seriously because the super hero genre is not taken seriously. Likewise, video games are not taken seriously because critics think they are just about shooting people.

- Comic books appeal to a narrow audience: super hero fans. Likewise, Sony has designed their console to appeal to a narrow audience: hardcore gamers. In comparison, Japanese manga spans more variety and is subsequently read of a larger portion of their population. Likewise, Nintendo was reached out to a broader audience and is subsequently selling the most consoles. We may not read Japanese romance manga or play Nintendo kids games, but they are good for business and help make all manga/games more accessible.

- Comic books that attempt to break out of the super hero mold don't reach their potential audience because you have to walk into a store with a life-size poster of Spiderman's crotch on the door to find them! Likewise, most video game stores and video game news sites are plastered with images of Master Chief, that are not welcoming to casual gamers.

However, the most worrying similarity is effective CENSORSHIP. The reasons comic books were limited to superheros is because the COMIC CODE restricted them from portraying more serious subject matter. Likewise, the ESRB is restricting video games from depicting serious subject matter. If you can't include sex, it limits the variety of stories that can be told.

But the videogame industry has become very structured too.
Shouldn't he know that? It wasn't too long ago his company tried publishing an AO title on the consoles.

How did that turn out again?

Oh yea, they had to censor it. But those with modded consoles were still able to pirate and play the original version.

Then again from what I've heard, we shouldn't be too surprised that Houser's short term memory is shot.

The best part about games is that their is two genres to care about. With a game you could have a romance RTS or a comedy RPG or a film noir sports game. The two genres are completely independent. So when they are respected it will be based not only off of what the script says but how you interact with it.

If I were him, everytime I call someone on the phone I would have to say, "Howdy, strangah. Dis is Houser!"