Who knew: Publishers don't like being called child killers [update]

O Really?

I agree with the game companies. That hypothesis sound completely far fetched.

"but parents and children need to be aware of the benefits of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle."

Exactly. So why don't you guys STFU and let the parents be parents. You're not helping anyone with your worthless ad.

Maybe if Sonic would put down the crispy cremes and the Game Gear he could get up off his ass and just stop lying around. Yeesh.

"He said that a 'poorly informed advertising agency' must be responsible for an ad that singles out gaming instead of more passive media like television, music, and reading."

Owned much?

No one ever complains about the physical laziness that is reading :P

Seems like it`s easy to be a douchbag parent these days, everyone can blame their child`s bad behavior on video games!

Is your kid a bully?: Blame video games!
Does you kid that swear a lot?: Blame video games!
Has your kid run away from home and froze to death: Blame video games!

Video games are the new pot and rock and roll!!

I blame video games for my early death

I think these ad's should have shown a kid telling their parents what they want to do rather than the other way around.

That is the cause of this child obesity problem, too many parents have only had kids to get a flat / bigger house here in the UK, now these kids are being essentially neglected by parents who are not capable of bringing up and supporting children. People who didn't decide to have children for the right reasons, and as a result, "can't be bothered" to argue with, encourage (as in sports) or discipline their kids.

I think short of parenting licenses (i would fully support) we can't do much about this problem, we are now set to have a future generation of selfish, spoiled, fat, young adults, who know nothing of discipline or respect other than getting their own way.

This advert completely misses the point and demonises a harmless, brain activating pass-time. It's been proven recently that playing games delays the set in of dementia, yet the main activity of under stimulated kids is sitting in front of the advert box staring at the same shit day in day out.

I've complained to the ASA, hopefully you'll do the same.

The other thing (excuse the fanboyishness) is that there are a huge amount more Xbox's than PS3's in the UK. Why the hell is that kid not holding an Xbox controller? Surely more parents associate the white controller with their kids than the black one??!?

My main point is that there are a hell of a lot of STUPID parents in this country, our government encourages stupid people to have kids and intelligent people don't have time! The ad company knows this, and takes advantage of their stupidity by scaremongering like this.

Appauling.

The Department of Health issued a statement in defense of "Change4Life," saying that it is "not saying that children shouldn't play computer games or eat treats, but parents and children need to be aware of the benefits of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle."

^Bullshit. If you're going to make a shock tactic poster, you can't just claim "actually, games are fine in moderation".

they just need to get a nice collection of photos of athleticly built people who played video games and put them side by side with the overweight morons from the pre-video game era, preferably photos of politicians that support this (gordon brown is asking for it).

"want to blame your kids poor health on someone other than yourself and your lazy parenting? just do nothing, we will blame video games for you!"

Sugar coat it however you want folks, but the fact is that everyone who ever played a video game will eventually die. You just can't hide from those kinds of statistics.

"...but parents and children need to be aware of the benefits of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle."
But what does this have to do with video games? The mentioned benefits can be achieved even if you're an excessive gamer. Not to mention that watching TV all day doesn't make you athletic, either.

Which one sounds like propaganda created by a crappy campaign?
a. Video games kill your children.
b. As a parent you should be sure to promote a healthy diet and active life style for your children.

Instead of allowing your children to do more sedimentary activities, try doing shit with your own children. you know, go outside, toss the football, kick a soccer ball around. god, parents today are terrible and if their child dies from "video games" its their fault for being a bad parent.
my mother (single parent) always let me buy and play games, but she also encouraged me to play soccer, and other sports at school, or outside of it. if i went outside after school, i could start my homework later, but if i wanted to play video games, i had to do my homework first.
im just so tired of seeing all of these things blaming video games, while i wonder what the fuck are the parents doing? whose buying them the games they shouldnt be playing? im 20 and i still get carded when buying gears of war.

If that kid in the ad was really sad and depressed playing video games, then there either has to be other things going on at home, or he's playing his brand new CD-i.

If you could die from doing nothing I don't think there would be anyone left to buy weed

Kid in the ad is saying, "So, this is all there is to Little Big Planet?"

Governments should stop getting themselves sued.

I notice the kid in the ad is not "eating treats".

VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS STRIKE BACK!!

Disgraceful.

Idiots - where are the attacks on eating, driving, sitting, reading, watching tv? In fact we should never stay still because we could DIE.

I hate the government.

"Fuck the children." - RIP George Carlin

Replace that controller with a book and ready the uproar. Why is it that games are always the ill? Sedentary life whether studying math, the Bible, or reading a novel is equally bad for the body. I would LOVE to see that controller replaced with a holy book... the ad agency would be fire-bombed. Ha!

"Codemasters' CEO Rod Cousens said that 'Governments have a unique ability to get it wrong.'"

Ahaa, that's awesome.

The sad part is that I agree with the reasoning of the campaign (exercise for children). But the people that made this ad really messed up. Instead of saying "Hey, here are healthy fun things you kid can also do", it goes for the "games kill you" view.

I play games and practice sports. And I consider DDR exercise as much as a game. That`s why the ad shouldn`t attack activities such as gaming, navigating the net or reading (fact: the ad was printed on women`s magazines).

I just ask for the makers of the ad to focus on stimulating healthy activities instead of attacking other hobbies. I do believe that children should practice sports they like, and also that games don`t interfere on that.