The UK Government has never really been an institution known for meddling in the affairs of games and game censorship. We’ve had newspapers (and ill-informed media watchdogs, don’t forget those) try to interfere with how games are being represented in the public, but the government, so far, has had the good mind to stay far away.
That’s all changed, and boy does this new situation suck big time. So much, in fact, that some of the industry’s biggest players have been leaning in to have their say.
It all kicked off with the UK Government’s introduction of a “healthy living” scheme titled Change4Life. The initiative is obviously targeted at those with an inactive lifestyle and will be encouraging would-be slackers to get off their ass and do some exercise. There’s associations with various heart disease and cancer charities. This is all fine and understandable.
What’s not understandable is why games are especially being targeted in this initiative. A TV ad (running since January) depicts a plasticine child playing a Space Invaders clone and getting progressively more unhealthy as they play until the screen flashes up “Game Over”. The poster advertisements show a kid slouched with a PS3 controller under the headline “Risk An Early Death, Do Nothing”.
I’m not sure about what you guys think, but I think most of us here don’t spend all of our time slouched on a sofa playing games, and I think that we’re hardly risking an early death by having some harmless fun on our consoles and PCs. Is laying around, watching TV for several hours any better? Heck, even sitting still and reading would produce the same results. Wouldn’t they put us at risk of an early death too, since they don’t involve moving around either? Time to ban books!
Evidently, I’m not the only one that’s pissed, as some industry bigwigs have been speaking out against the Government’s new campaign. Development trade group Tiga, publishers Atari, Sega, Konami & Codemasters and magazine publishing group Future have all criticized the initiative’s “crass and misleading” poster campaign. Sony are even considering legal action because of the use of a PS3 pad.
It makes you wonder why games are still such an easy target for “healthy living” campaigns such as this one. It’s probably because they’re still seriously misunderstood as an art form and as a serious market & industry.Maybe the video game industry is an easy target? The thing is, sitting still and playing a game is just as bad, as I said above, as sitting prone and reading a book or watching TV. If anything, it’s a degree more involving because you’re affecting what’s happening on screen.
You can only hope that the UK Government has the sense to either revoke the poster campaign or supplement it with similar posters featuring some of the other wonderful things you can do while being a lazy fatass on your couch. We all know that playing games for far too long can have a pretty bad effect on your health, but so can a lot of other things.
Government attacks ‘deadly’ games – MCV
Sony considering legal action over Change4Life ad – MCV
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Gamers should be considered an ethnic group. That way we could try and take down these people for racism.
Also because I would love to knock out the next person who says “since your good with a joy stick you can operate this here loader”
I don’t sit in my sofa playing video games, i sit in my chair!
I usually end up so pissed off racing in Burnout Paradise that I’m always on my feet anyways. Take that!
Of course I guess all the stress will give me a heart attack anyways. Oh well…
That is a great point about reading books is just as lazy as watching T.V./playing games Yamster! i never though of it like that. (I suppose they don’t mention it because the screens/monitors produce eye strain more then a book would.)
Yeah, and I’m sitting on a modified Ford Escort seat, nice ‘n comfy, which makes me think. . What about JOBS that are bad for health in a similiar way, like being a taxi driver? Yeah they move their arms a bit more. But it cant be too good for you either, lets have a go at them drivers out there too! (NOT)
@outcast6 The only reason the Government isn’t targeting books is because if they did, everyone would moan, from newspapers to writers to moany, moany people in general.
With games, it sucks that there’s not such a public backlash.
@Yamster: Gamers are too laze to actually get into a group big enough to be noticed and not ignored. Hence no public backlash. We should do something about that….
It’s not just that but the general association of education that comes with books and the presumption that games are a waste of time. Old-fashioned standards really prevent much controversy from being generated outside the domain of gamers.
I hate these ignorant people… Video games are way better then TV because you use that brain thing in your head. A fat smart person is better then a fit idiot(probably playing some sport).
I beg to differ.
Put a gamer kid and a bookworm in the ring for a deathmatch and see who comes out alive!?!
Wait, there’s only one kid there… doh!
This type of campaign isn’t new. I recall an ad in the US that had a fat kid about my age then (say 16) who was playing a generic loud video game. He beat the game and was so excited he jumped up and started dancing around for 10 seconds before running out of breath and looking all pathetic. It was a ‘public service’ ad to lead a more active lifestyle.
Games are an easy target simply because there is still misunderstanding about it, it is the newest kid on the block, and games are already under scrutiny for causing violence, anti-social behavior, laziness, etc. And yes, if a person sits on their bum all day playing video games then they are very likely to get fat and unhealthy.
But any number of things could also make a person unhealthy, from not being active enough to working out too much. Smoking in unhealthy, as is bad food.
Should we totally stop using cars to get around so we walk more? Should we all become Amish so we can all live a more healthy lifestyle?
In the end the problem is in moderation. If a person spends time playing a game but takes the time to do other activities, like walking for 30 minutes (while listening to Sarcastic Gamer), they should be healthy enough. Eating well will also keep a person healthy.
Excess in any activity will lead to health issues. Games are not immune to this, but they are also not alone.
yeah, like i care what the others would say!
and if you guys think that an ad is an outrages act of them haters, what would you call a government that “band” games like (God of War) and (Call of Duty 4) for no reason, and give a lame excuse for doing so!!
((still, getting any game was not a big deal even with the band, there are some people that stick to the cause of video gaming and find there way to bring them to us!))
This is so stupid, I DO consider it racism. I’m under 16 and I game ALOT and I’m as skinny as a stick, but also (just backing my opinion not bragging) probably stronger than Any bookworm or someone that plays sports as much as I did a few years ago. Gamers are AWAYS moving, and we Do jump up and down and swear at the tv when we are about to beat a hard level. And is is a fact that gamers have stronger thumbs than nongamers. This also means we have more control over controling things with your thumb, yep better driving. Also we are smarter in life/death times. And we can test things out in games so that means less crimes because we don’t need to know what it’s like. We also can handle more taunting via xbox live. I don’t know one fat person that’s a real gamer.
Gaming is also a good way to get rid of anger. Just battle cry and shoot some zombies.
Sorry about grammer or spelling, I just go crazy about this subject.
We CARE because it’s like racism, they’re making fun of us as a whole. This is our hobby. For example this site they made this for games. Without games we wouldn’t know each other. We care because its just like saying your not allowed to talk. What would you be doing without games? Not much it’s winter.
Wait this is more than a hobby it’s a lifestyle. It’s a very important thing that we don’t let people try to take this away from us.
It dosnt matter how fat a gamer is, all that means is they should work out.
By the way major nelson heard the people in the white house were gamers and he sent them a xbox.
Totally agree about the sitting around and watching TV etc. Although at least my parents have a good reason for limiting games and not TV time, which is the filth of the internet. Also, even if I wasn’t a gamer, I would probably do the same amount of exercise (not much, I’m fairly overweight)
I’m a gamer. I’m also a pilot in the air force studying for my masters in aerodynamics. The minority of gamers may be lazy, but I bet the majority lead a more active life style than most of the beurocrats who thought up this campaign. Who are they kidding? Change4Life? Is the lack of spaces and the use of the number 4 meant to connect with gamers lol. If a ministry came out with a campaign like this in my country some ones head would be on the chopping block
Does it surprise you as much that these people don’t play video games? To critisise something you know nothing about is insulting. I noticed Yamster said gamers don’t moan as much but i moan just about all the time. So i always insult the daily mail on their own website for critising video games.
As for this new strike at gaming this time it’s just pathtic, their actually persernally insulting us! it couldn’t be more insulting unless they put “5 IN EVERY 5 GAMERS ARE FAT-ARSES AND WILL DIE OF VIDEO GAMES!”
White night is right those guys just sit at a table spin a spinner thing and if it lands on games, well they’ ll just say we are all fat. All they do is sit at least were learning things and doing somthing and 1 out of ten gamers are fat. Alot of gamers have lots of energy. That means more exercise.