Gamertell

Just as we thought the Manhunt 2 issue was over, Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) have cooperatively written and sent a letter to the ESRB president, Patricia Vance, on November 21, 2007, concerning the Mature rating assigned to the revised version of Manhunt 2.

No surprise since these four particular politicians have been attacking the videogame industry since 2005. Brownback’s pending legislation to the senate to mandate that the ESRB play the game to its entirety before giving it a rating and Lieberman, Bayh and Clinton’s unsuccessful Family Entertainment Protection Act all sounds like nothing more than drudging up old news, polishing it off and putting a new spin on the sex and violence in videogames issue.

Did I mention this may be a political move on Clinton’s part? She is of course a presidential candidate *shudder in fear* In the letter, the senators basically state that they advise the ESRB to raise the ratings for Manhunt 2 and goes into why the British banned the game. The issue is over the Wii version of the game is the best I can figure out reading the letter.

The letter reads:

Dear Ms. Vance,

We are writing to suggest that it may be desirable to revise or enhance the current ESRB rating system. We continue to believe that the ESRB takes seriously its responsibility with respect to the ratings and their enforcement. However, we believe that a number of issues have been raised regarding the release of Manhunt 2.

As you know, in June 2007 the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) refused to rate Rockstar’s Manhunt 2 video game, effectively banning its sale in British stores, stating that it contains “unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone… which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing.” The BBFC Director concluded that any other action “would involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors.” Consistent with your British counterpart, this version received an “Adults Only” (AO) rating from your Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).

In October 2007 the BBFC again refused to rate a revised Manhunt 2 stating that “[t]he impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient. There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the ‘execution kills’, but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature.” Other countries agreed and have also banned the game.

Unlike the British Board, the ESRB reduced the revised version’s rating to “Mature” (M) effectively opening the door to its widespread distribution and its licensing approval by game system manufacturers Sony and Nintendo. And, while significant progress has been made, the FTC reports that 42 percent of unaccompanied children 13 to 16 years of age can still successfully purchase M-rated games meaning that the practical difference between an AO and M rating affects more than simply 17-year-olds. ...

Then, near the end of the letter, the foursome chided the ESRB’s capabilities of reviewing a videogame, which is funny since Clinton and Lieberman both congratulated and applauded the ESRB for their rating systems in 2006.

...Further, do the same reviewers view the original and the revised version of a game after an AO rating is received? How frequently do you use more than your minimum of three reviewers when evaluating a game? Are three reviewers adequate for the more violent games? How often do your reviewers disagree in their initial ratings and how frequently is the final rating a majority opinion rather than a consensus?

In sum, we ask your consideration of whether it is time to review the robustness, reliability and repeatability of your ratings process, particularly for this genre of “ultra-violent” video games and the advances in game controllers. We have consistently urged parents to pay attention to the ESRB rating system. We must ensure that parents can rely on the consistency and accuracy of those ratings.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Joseph I. Lieberman United States Senator

Sam Brownback United States Senator

Evan Bayh United States Senator

Hillary Rodham Clinton United States Senator

Read [Video Business] Read [Game Politics] Site [Senator’ Lieberman]

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When wealthy Texas businessman, Richard H. Collins, decided to campaign against Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, he began creating anti-Hillary websites. With Thanksgiving coming up, he also included an interactive Whack-a-Turkey Flash game featuring Clinton as a pilgrim bopping presidential candidates on the head, a la Whack-a-Mole.

“While there is a place for negative advertising, we’ve heard so much of it that we’re almost immune to name-calling. But we’re always eager to hear a new joke. Humor can be an effective political tool,” Collins said.

Collins is so concerned about Clinton’s presidential bid that he has created StopHerNow, an anti-Hillary website that features news, humor and public views about Clinton. The free Flash-based game allows the player to controls Clinton, dressed in a pilgrim outfit, who bops a variety of pop-up presidential candidates with a virtual mallet to scores points. Former president Bill Clinton will earn the players double points when whacked. In fact, when Bill is whacked the animated Hillary shouts “Hit Bill Again!”

Collins, a community newspaper publisher and online education entrepreneur from Dallas, has raised millions of dollars over the past three decades for Republicans such as conservative icon Jesse Helms to establishment favorite Kay Bailey Hutchison. He claims that when Clinton complains about a conspiracy against her that she’s talking about him, stating, “The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is alive and well and flourishing in Red State America and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Collins said he hopes his humor will be strong enough of a potent weapon against Clinton to knock her out of the running since most of the younger viewers favor getting their political news from comedians Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, that the game and his humor will be more effective than negative information or name-calling.

“No profanity,” he said. “Chelsea is off-limits. No gay-bashing. And Bill’s womanizing is OK, but we don’t name names unless they’re public knowledge. Hillary has used the woman-as-victim routine throughout her career. She claims she’s a woman. We say she’s the front-runner, no different than anyone else.”

While Collins acknowledges that some Republicans remain skeptical of his approach through comedy and games, the Democrats don’t mind because they feel this approach will only create more sympathy than antipathy for Clinton. Collins and his comrades feel humor is the best cure for the public who is tired of watching negative ads.

“It’s easy to be mean,” Bell said. “It’s hard to be funny. It’s even harder to be funny and clever.”

Clever, as well as fun, is what this game is about.

Read [The Houston Chronicle] Site [Stop Her Now] Play [Whack-A-Turkey game]

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Paul Levinson, a published author and professor of communications and media at Fordam University in New York, NY, called out Senator Hillary Clinton for her views on the regulation of videogames.

After reading an article by Bobbie Johnson of The Guardian, a British online e-zine, Levinson said he was reminded of how Sen. Clinton had targeted videogames in previous years along with other politicians and celebrities.

Levinson said 2008 Presidential contender Hillary attacked…

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