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PETA parody 'Pokemon Black and Blue' fights for fictional animal rights

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST

In celebration of Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 launching yesterday, animal-rights group PETA today released Pokemon Black and Blue, a parody game with the tagline "Gotta free 'em all." Pokemon Black and Blue has players embody Pikachu as he fights against trainers for liberation from what PETA sees as a torturous, imprisoned life.

"Much like animals in the real world, Pokemon are treated as unfeeling objects and used for such things as human entertainment and as subjects in experiments," PETA writes. "The way that Pokemon are stuffed into pokeballs is similar to how circuses chain elephants inside railroad cars and let them out only to perform confusing and often painful tricks that were taught using sharp steel-tipped bullhooks and electric shock prods."

This isn't PETA's first foray into activist gaming; in December 2010 it released Super Tofu Boy, a parody of Super Meat Boy. Team Meat responded to PETA by including Tofu Boy as a playable character in a Steam update of Super Meat Boy.

Pokemon Black and Blue demonstrates that while it's terrible to punch, kick, cut or hit fictional animals with bats, it's perfectly acceptable to electrocute humans. Also, words can hurt just as much as quick attacks. And hugs. Give Pokemon Black and Blue a shot in the embedded game below (Warning: It has music and will auto-play).

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PETA parody 'Pokemon Black and Blue' fights for fictional animal rights originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PETA plans on making more games to spread message

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:40:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

PETA intends on creating more games to raise awareness about practices within the meat industry. The organization states that its recent Cooking Mama game wasn't an attack on publisher Majesco, but a way of getting its "Meet your Meat" video -- an unsettling "undercover video" of a corporate turkey farm -- in front of fresh eyes.

Speaking with GI.biz, a PETA spokesperson said the organization uses games to raise awareness in people who "may be turned off by more direct appeals." It originally turned to games to attract young males, but has since learned the demographics are much wider. The group believes Majesco took the parody in the way it was intended, which seems like a reasonable assumption considering the publisher's lighthearted response. Despite all the joking, PETA does hope that Majesco makes a Cooking Mama: Vegetarian Kitchen "one day."

Source - PETA: We'll keep using games "to spread our message" [GI.biz]
Source - Cooking Mama Responds to PETA Parody [PETA]

PETA plans on making more games to spread message originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA knocks Activision/Vivendi for leaving ESA

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

EA's VP of corporate communications, Jeff Brown, says that Activision and Vivendi pulling out of the ESA shows a "lack of leadership" from the two (soon to become one) large publisher. Brown tells GI.biz that EA has no plans of leaving the lobbying and business affairs group, expressing that a big company like EA has a "responsibility to consumers" to work on policy issues and it should be done through "industry consensus."

EA will not be leaving the ESA, but Brown urges the organization to make a strong case to remaining members. He insists that it's the ESA's job to "prove" that membership is for the good of the publishers, but believes with Activision/Vivendi leaving, along with LucasArts announcing its departure last week, that the organization will be proving itself more. Now, whether that proving is in the public spotlight or behind the scenes (which is normal for a lobbying group) is something the ESA is going to have to work out after these very public publisher exits.

EA knocks Activision/Vivendi for leaving ESA originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 May 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PETA's fur-hating, law-skirting, super-cute animal game

Kyle Orland — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Online, Casual

Spurred on by the apparent success of anti-KFC game Super Chick Sisters, PETA is once again entering the Flash-based interactive activism arena with Bloody Burberry: The Fur Fighters. This time, the action focuses on controlling cute animal critters who are trying to raise awareness of the cruel, fur-coat-selling ways of the Burberry clothing stores. They complete this goal by freeing caged bunnies, protesting at fashion shows and spray-painting coats, all while avoiding some shadowy, black-clad security agents.

You might think a game that encourages spray-painting private property might be a little irresponsible for an activist group, but an in-game disclaimer notes that it's all right because the animal characters are "not subject to human laws." It's like the ultimate diplomatic immunity! This gives us an idea for a crime spree involving trained penguins that the courts can't touch ... but perhaps we've already said too much ....

PETA's fur-hating, law-skirting, super-cute animal game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McDonald's in serious games hoax

Jennie Lees — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Simulations, Business

"Today I'm going to tell you the story of a game so serious that it changed the direction of a company."

Grave words indeed, delivered at the International Serious Games Event on Monday. However, as Water Cooler Games explores, the delightful speech about games causing environmental change was, in fact, a set-up.

Related to the anti-McDonald's game we reported on back in February, the hoax presentation is a subtle and brave attempt at needling a large corporation, although others at the Serious Games Event may disagree with the choice of platform. Regardless of its (lack of) authenticity, the closing remark from the speech is a noble sentiment: serious software can change the world.

[Via Wonderland]

McDonald's in serious games hoax originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jun 2006 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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