There’s a lot of sensible gamers out there. People like you and I. We’re able to string together coherent sentences packed with thought, genuine points and a good, healthy understanding of the other side’s point of view, all the while making our points seem all the better. We can be as mature as the next person, while having a wholly immature interest in videogames.
Well, most of us are anyway. mediawatch-UK (intentional lack of capitalisation..damn minimalist logos), a British media watchdog, has complained about the number of abusive emails they’ve received following their comments on upcoming Wii slasher MadWorld, making us gamers look like arrogant morons and making Jack Thompson look right about us. Which won’t do.
It makes you wonder: are some gamers really that stupid? Hit the jump to read more, and to let us know what you think.
As you might remember from back in August, the Daily Mail (everyone’s favorite newspaper – the equivalent of Fox News in print) got together their most uninformed writers and angriest, grumpiest old men and ladies to write bad things about Sega’s upcoming Wii game MadWorld. We had a little giggle about it, I made a satirical movie poster where videogames went around and killed everybody, and then we left it alone, assuming that nothing would become of it and that gamers would just sit back, relax, and prepare themselves for the game’s release.
Unfortunately, some of us can’t let things lie. mediawatch-UK, who initially complained to the Daily Mail (and inspired the crass, uninformed scribbles the newspaper likes to call ‘journalism’) have dropped another bombshell, revealing that they’ve been on the receiving end of a barrage of abuse from angry gamers who weren’t too pleased at their attempt to censor the game.
John Beyer, head of the organization, complained that gamers told him to “shut the f*** up” and that, in essence, he and the watchdog as a whole were horribly, horribly wrong in trying to censor the game. Back in August, Beyer claimed that MadWorld would tarnish the Wii’s “family fun image”, and it’s here I’m beginning to see why he was on the receiving end of some pretty rough words.
As much as it pains me, I’m defending Nintendo again. While there’s a heavy lean towards a number of casual games (if you want to count Wii Music as a game) there’s still plenty out there on the Wii for the traditional gamer to savor. Just look at Resident Evil 4, No More Heroes and the like; there’s violence everywhere! Why didn’t mediawatch-UK pick up on this?
While I can see why gamers got a little irritated, I can’t see why they went on the offense in such a drastic manner. A bunch of kindly, balanced emails would have done the trick. Pouncing on Beyer and pouring liquid abuse down his throat didn’t, and all it’s done is made us gamers look bad.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it was all over the Daily Mail tomorrow (or maybe even today, who knows?) that gamers are a bunch of ignorant fools who can only deal with any sort of threat to their hobby by swearing and shouting a lot; you and I both know that’s just not true at all.
Do these people think before mouthing off all over a nice, clean Gmail message? Do they perhaps stop and think “ooo-err, this isn’t really going to help MadWorld at all; it’ll just make the people who’re going to play it look terrible”? We know what the answer is, and we can guess what the consequences will be: mediawatch-UK and other, “traditional” organizations will get the same, bad impression of gamers and we’ll be helpless to try and change it.
If you need any more proof, look at the comments on the article below on CVG. They’re all arrogant, shouty and completely, unnecessarily, aggressive towards the media watchdog. Not exactly going to make us look good, are they?
There’s a lesson then, folks; if you’re going to complain, make it dignified. Be logical, be reasonable, be understanding of your opponent’s cause. But still, try and put your own point across, and make it sound just as valid as the one you’re trying to attack. Just be nice about it; shouting never got anyone anywhere.
I’ve sent a (nice, polite) email off to John Beyer to see if I can help repair our shattered reputation; if he gets back to me, I’ll let you all know.
UK watchdog got “hostile e-mails” from gamers – CVG
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Unfortunately, some folks forget how powerful a well communicated statement is, not to mention proper spelling and grammar. I find bashing folks or cursing at them often does more damage than good.
Well there are certainly some stupid people, even here on the SG Staff. Namely the ones with usernames about perennial herbaceous vines that produce starchy tubers.
OMFG STFU NOOB! meediawatch deserve to BURN like the nubs they r!
Haha, just kidding. Some people can be pretty stupid. You have to wonder what those people who had an outburst would have said if they were asked about this in real life. I guess they think the internet gives them the ok to be douchebags. Oh well, not much we can do.
I agree yammy. I get really fed up with the maturity level of a lot of gamers. I’m really not surprised to hear this. It’s still too bad though
Does that mean that when Viva Pinyata went on the Xbox 360 that “mediawatch-UK were surprised by its family fun nature, and lack of violence.
“Back in August, Beyer claimed that MadWorld would tarnish the Wii’s “family fun image””
The Mail is always ranting about asylum seekers and illegal immigrants anyway.
I think that perhaps part of the problem here is that some of our more vocal defense seems to come from teen and pre-teen males. Not exactly the smartest most eloquent of our species. We need to have spare girlie magazines on hand to throw to them when things like this happen. While they’re distracted the adults can take care of business….Wait…Maybe not, that might create an even worse mess to clean up.