Manhunt 2 was taken off store shelves due to a possible code hack that showed violent gameplay. And while Don Reisinger can see why Target did it, he doesn't understand why a company should be playing parent.
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Oh, and don't underestimate the technical proficiency of kids...Maybe not 10 year's old, but 14? I can see 14 year olds doing just what you said.
Finally, I suppose you haven't been 14 for a long time, but I remember the way it was with dirty mags (and a bit later dirty websites), and just one was enough to go around. So, all it takes is a smarter kid or an older cousin to spread a game such as manhunt 2 throughout a school. Are you comfortable with THAT?
if target is going to give their two cents and do something to warrant a little "parenting" of their own, then i say "go for it". many of those same parents are applauding for a reason, and it's because they know they need some help.
Because Target is trying to be a family store. They're using this to their marketing advantage. And it's probably a winning move. How many hardcore gamers really go to Target to buy their games? I would say very few. Most either go to Gamestop or buy online. Target probably wouldn't have sold very many of Manhunt 2 which is a crappy game anyway. So they don't really lose much in revenue from the game but garner goodwill towards their primary soccer mom customer.
"Suffice it to say that I'm a man who enjoys freedom and would do everything in my power to promote it. Along those lines, I don't believe Target or any other retailer should be allowed to take a game off store shelves to save children from themselves."
You dont make clear in your article WHO you believe should not allow Target to stock this game. I think Target should stock this game because customers DEMAND that this game be in stock, not because some government entity forces them to stock such a game. Target should have the right to stock anything they wish. Just as Nintendo should have the right to censor the games that get released on its platform (and face the consequences). Think about when Nintendo released "mortal combat" with no blood... and then people went to vote with their dollars for the the SEGA version because it had blood. We have the power with our dollars to change this.
Target Won't Carry "Manhunt 2" - Ashley Phillips, ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3828417
Target stores won't sell 'Manhunt 2,' ABC reports - Daniel Terdiman, C/Net News.com
http://www.news.com/geek-gestalt/8301-13772_3-9812246-52.html
Site to give parents a play-by-play of the action their children see - Alex Pham, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-play12nov12,1,3134212.story?coll=la-headlines-technology
As a game retailer, implement a policy that requires any person, ANY person, who purchases an M-rated game to sign a waiver accepting any and all responsibility for people exposed to that content. When parents buy the game for their five-year-old, who then accidently kills another kid, the game store can dig out the waiver: "Sorry, they knew what they were doing when they bought the game."
Also, this neatly wraps up the fears of parents afraid their children might play it at their friends' houses; in that case, those parents (or persons) are responsible for ANY exposure of the material to any other person, and are thus held liable.
This kind of thing has been basically in place with pornography for years. If you're a parent, and you show neighborhood kids pornography, you're going to get arrested; this is meant to be a form of built-in protection all parents have that their child is not exposed to offensive material. Granted, we don't make adults sign waivers to purchase porn, but I feel like it would be a fantastic wake-up-call to parents who believe that the fact that the word "game" is used to describe the product doesn't mean it's kid-friendly.
tl;dr: People pay attention when they're asked to sign. Make them sign when they buy M+ rated games. Everyone wins. Why are we not doing this already?
"Along those lines, I don't believe Target or any other retailer should be allowed to take a game off store shelves to save children from themselves. Sad as it sounds, it's not Target's call to make."
Maybe you should get your mind out of virtual reality and read what you wrote.
OF COURSE it's Target's call to make of what they stock or don't stock. OF COURSE they should be allowed to take ANYTHING off their shelves for ANY reason they want.
Are you accusing them of censorship? Did you skip your civics class trying to pursue your high score? They're not ran by the government.
The games you like are violent and stupid, and the difference between games and films is that you're doing the killing.
Your indignation is entirely unfounded. Get real.
Putting his ad hominem comment of "the games you like are violent and stupid" aside, he has a point in stating that Target can do as they please.
Bottom line: Target can do whatever they want, it's a free market and they made this move to garner brand loyalty for those who disapprove of violent games. Go buy the game elsewhere if you want it. This game is rated MA and by that guideline only adults are able to purchase it and only adults should play it. Responsibility of what kids play, watch, etc belongs solely with the parents. Blaming society or wanting to censor everything is an abdication of that responsibility. Although hotmeteor really had a point in his/her post about most parents needing help.
everything I want them to carry! Not only that, they are giving me a legitimate
reason why they aren't going to carry it!
How can anyone possibly say that a retailer doesn't have the right to NOT
carry something that they feel goes against their company image? Yeah, I
hear the whole "but movies are violent too" argument, but games are
marketed to KIDS! By the author's argument, they should sell porn because I
want them too, and they have no right not to. For that matter, I want a flame
thrower as well.
Target has a corporate image to maintain, and potential lawsuits to avoid,
and they have every right to carry, or not carry whatever they feel like.
Target has no morals or ethics, they don't want to be sued and thus lose MONEY. C.R.E.A.M. never forget that.
- You're kidding, right
- by likeabite November 17, 2007 12:51 PM PST
- Target has the right to do as they please because they are a privately owned company. That has to be the most ludicrous counterargument I've ever heard. We as humans have privacy rights as well but that doesn't give us the right to do everything we want, like steal, kill or even make certain comments. If a rated R movie can be sold why can't a rated 17 video game? Last time I checked rated R was higher than NC-17 and neither is meant to be sold to kids so if target cannot control their clerks and have these items sold to the right age group then none of them should be sold, period. People always make this asisine argument about you doing the killing. It's called a game for a reason...that's like saying because you flew in the game you will relay that to real life and go jump out the window and see what happens. It is fictional and visual is visual. You see death in a game the same as you would in a movie. However, in a movie it is even worse because it is not animated...the blood is realistic and so are the people. So for Target to pull such a bone-headed move and receive support in this blog is well beyond me. Grow up people and take care of your own damn kids. They are called your kids for a reason and it is no one's responsibility but yours. If you can't do it then don't have kids or give them to somebody who can. This is a prime example why America is in shambles and getting worse...smh
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