Today I was privileged to read this article on the Daily Mail from jolly ‘ol London.
The short and sweet of it is that mega-giant video game publisher Sony is under fire for a promotional stunt to build media hype for their new game, God of War II. Touted as one of the most visceral games ever made, GoW2 features Greek anti-hero Kratos as he battles through enemies to save the world. Sony decided it would be a fun trip to mimic an ancient Greek activity of eating the still-warm intestines from a freshly-slaughtered goat bought from a local butcher shop in Athens.
Not exactly my bag, but OK, I get the concept. It’s clever and fun and I’ve certainly seen worse in my history as a video game journalist. In the 1990’s, I took part in developer Running With Scissors’ media event where members of the press were invited to shoot off a variety of firearms and other live weapons to promote their ultra-violent game, Postal. (Coincidentally, there’s a Postal 3 under development for Xbox 360… I can’t wait.)
But I digress.
It appears that you can’t even eat freshly slaughtered goat intestines in Greece without pissing off a few nut bar animal rights activists these days.
Here’s my take on it: So what?
Really, so what? Would it be better if the goat was first deep-fried and served by pimply kids who asked “would you like fries with that?” Considering this type of food–and, to be sure, much more unpalatable fare–is still eaten in some parts of the world in precisely this fashion, why are we vilifying Sony for this?
Look, I don’t condone animal abuse (which I believe has a very narrow definition). But this isn’t abuse or exploitation. It’s food. It’s entertainment. That’s what food is in most productive lands. It’s entertainment. Hell, we have entire cable TV stations devoted to it. This is nothing new. What’s got all these activists’ panties in a bunch is that (a) it’s SONY, a mega-powerhouse, (b) it’s a VIDEO GAME, which is, of course, the root of all evil in society (/sarcasm), and (c) because it’s something these butt-pampered whining babies aren’t used to, and so thus because it is unfamiliar, it must be wrong.
Here’s a few quotes from the article, and my very opinionated retort to these morons:
Critics condemned the entertainment giant, which produces scores of Hollywood blockbusters each year, for its “blood lust” and said the grotesque “sacrifice” highlighted increasing concerns over the content of video games and the lengths to which the industry will go to exploit youngsters.
First off, let’s get something clear. This game has an 18+ rating and is NOT being marketed to “youngsters”. Commercials for this game do NOT appear during Spongebob. And unlike credit card companies (a much more sadistic evil entity), Sony is not visiting your local middle school trying to sell video games at the pep rally. This game is FOR adults, and it is marketed TO adults–persons mature enough to recognize fantasy from reality.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare said it was “outrageous” that the animal’s death had been used “to sell a few computer games”. A spokesman said: “We are always opposed to any senseless killing of an animal and this sounds like a gruesome death. We condemn Sony’s actions. It is stupid and completely unjustified.”
Sell “a FEW” computer games? Hate to break it to you, but GoW2 is going to sell at LEAST a half-million copies. Jealous yet? It’s the sequel to 2005’s Game of the Year. Ever bother to do some research before you criticize something? Saying this was a stunt to sell a few games is like saying Microsoft’s Windows Vista ad campaign was a stunt to sell a few operating systems.
And as for the “completely unjustified” part, I hope whoever this schmuck is remembers that comment next time he eats a steak, or puts on his leather shoes, or eats an ear of corn, because corn has feelings, too. I’m being totally sarcastic here to expose the hypocrisy of it all. Everybody’s gotta get their 15 minutes, including members of the IFAW. Guess what? They didn’t even mention this “spokesman’s” name… nice job, retard. Now who’s stupid?
Former Minister Keith Vaz, Labour MP for Leicester East and a long-time campaigner against violent computer games, branded the stunt “distasteful and irresponsible”. He said: “The slaughter of animals is not something that should be done to advertise a product.”
McDonalds. Wendy’s. The USDA. A1 Steak Sauce. Tyson Chicken. Do those names ring a bell? Aren’t these companies slaughtering animals to promote their product? Why is it only OFFENSIVE when we actually SHOW the animal that has been slaughtered? And let’s remember kids, this goat wasn’t slaughtered by Sony. It was bought at a local butcher shop and the offel (the intestines) was prepared separately and stuffed inside like some sort of Thanksgiving turkey (which many people in the US hunt, kill, skin, dress and bake without any hoopla every year).
Secondly, let’s please recognize that this guy is a “former” MP and also a campaigner AGAINST violent video games. The fox is in the hen house here. These are obviously biased quotes, but let’s continue, shall we? It’s fun to pick this guy apart.
Keith Vaz continues: “Sony as a global entertainment company has a social responsibility. At this event it failed in that responsibility. I think people should think very carefully before bringing games like this into their homes.”
He’s absolutely right here. Sony does have a social responsibility. To entertain. If you were at this event and were not entertained, you could leave. But let’s be honest: the press at this event probably LOVED this concept, because it’s outside-the-box creative and certainly unique. (I’d also wager the half-nekkid girls with body paint didn’t hurt, either.) Notice how there are no quotes from the members of the media that were there. Hmmm… odd. Maybe that’s because they didn’t have any quotes that didn’t fit with the anti-Sony slant this article reeks of?
But Vaz is also right that people SHOULD think carefully before bringing games like this into their homes. I have three small kids. They’re not playing violent video games. They don’t watch daddy play them on his Xbox 360. In most cases, they aren’t even aware I own them (which I do… just bought Gears of War). Why? Because I’m a responsible parent. Key word: RESPONSIBLE. If I don’t want my kids exposed to something I think is objectionable to their age group–video game or otherwise–they aren’t. But I am not a minor, and I am allowed to play whatever games I damn well please. I’ll certainly think carefully before I bring a game like this home… as in, think carefully about where I’ll get the best price!
Vaz further inserts foot in mouth: “I would understand if customers wanted to boycott other Sony products such as their televisions because of this controversy.”
Really?!? Because I wouldn’t! Seriously… what a tool. Because that makes ZERO sense. If you object, then quietly object. Voice your opinions on a blog (like here), or tell your neighbors at the block party. But don’t go giving quotes to major media outlets about a topic you know nothing about, or haven’t thought through with any level of intelligence.
Sony’s video game division is only one facet of a MASSIVE global corporation, totally unrelated to their televisions, music, movies and electronic products. It’s also worthy to note that this whole party was probably coordinated by a public relations firm hired by Sony and acting autonomously. It’s not as if the Sony execs were flying in from Tokyo to sacrifice a goat in honor of some dark Greek god. And best of all, if Vaz had his head out of the sand long enough, he’d realize that the FASTEST way to draw interest in a product is NOT to have voluptuous women serve you grapes and dead goat at an obscure party in Greece; if you want “youngsters” to get interested in something, PROTEST IT. It never fails to sell more copies.
Here’s the truth of it: violent video games do not make people violent. People are already violent, as a matter of human nature. You can either control yourself and subdue those emotions like a grown-up (in which case, go ahead and play these games), or you can let it get to you and become a whacked-out nut job that commits terrible atrocities trying to act out scenes from movies or games (in which case you’re in the minority and those same movies or games are the LEAST of your overall problems).
The other truth of it is that this animal suffered no more than any other beast that is used for food. Just because you disagree with the way it was used for consumption or the fact that it was done as part of a PRIVATE party doesn’t make it wrong. It doesn’t make it inhumane. It doesn’t mean the goat has feelings and deserves to live. (See afore-mentioned reference to corn.) It’s part of the food chain, and every living thing on this planet is a part of it and has been since before you bleeding-heart idiots coined the phrase “vegan”.
Speaking of “food chain”, let’s face it: in the end, this is just a ridiculous attempt by a few small-minded people to try to take a nibble from Sony’s table. It’s not that they want people to stop killing goats. They want Sony to stop killing goats to promote video games that will make them hundreds of millions of dollars. There’s a term for this. It’s “envy”. See, “jealousy” means “I want what you have.” But “envy” means “I don’t want you to have what you have.” No matter what, they’re both deadly sins by most authority. So now who’s so righteous?
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