Jackie T takes on Billy G

[Wondermonkey]

Sent to various press outlets yesterday...

Bill Gates
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington
Re: Halo 3
Dear Mr. Gates:

As you know, the Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly found that games rated “Mature” by the video game industry-captured Entertainment Software Rating Board are routinely sold to kids under the age of 17 despite the age rating. The most recent failure rate of the ratings on “Mature” games, according to the FTC, is 42%. The entire rating system is a fraud, and “broken,” the latter description aptly provided by Senator Hillary Clinton.

As you also know, Lee Boyd Malvo trained on Microsoft’s Halo to further enable him to become the remarkably efficient “DC Beltway Sniper.” That was reported by NBC News at the time and was noted in Malvo’s criminal trial.

You appeared on CBS’ 60 Minutes II and rather revealing and usefully noted that “the cool thing about these games is that they transport you to a world you think is real.” Precisely. Capcom has recently disclosed to investors that your video game industry’s violent games, sold to children, pose a real hazard to the health of the industry. Right on.

The hyperviolent Microsoft Xbox 360 game Halo 3 is scheduled by your company for commercial release in September of this year. The Beta version that was released last week shows us all just how violent the game is and how inappropriate it is for play by anyone under 17, as the “Mature” rating it will surely receive indicates.

Here’s the deal, Mr. Gates: Either Microsoft undertakes dramatic, real steps, through its marketing, wholesale, and retail operations to assure that Halo 3 is not sold, via the Internet and in stores, directly to anyone under 17, or I shall proceed to make sure that Microsoft is held to that standard by appropriate legal means. I have done that before successfully as to Best Buy, and I shall do so again as to Microsoft and all retailers of Halo 3.

Regards, Jack Thompson

I frakkin love this guy. "Here's the deal, Mr. Gates."

[Peench]

I think maybe he should play some video games so they can transport him to a world he thinks is real. Because he clearly ain't livin' in the real world.

[Wood Ghost]

You guys with pre orders better hope you can get your money back after MR. JACK THOMPSON goes after Bill, since Bill will surely fold now.

[Woundup]

I am so tired of hearing how video games and the companies that create and sell them are responsible for creating murderers. How about all the parents of these kids step up and be parents. My opinion is its the parents fault. I have been playing video games since I was 5 years old and I have never even thought about killing someone. The problem is parents now days have know time for their kids and just arent involved enough in their lives to take notice of issues they may be having that would push them to the limit of actually killing someone. Start being parents and stop blaming someone else for your lack of responsiblilty.

[KEEZY]

I was riding to work today, and these two kids couldn't have been older than 6 or 7 were walking to school, alone. The neighborhood wasn't the best, and the road was a very busy road. This is a perfect example.

Oh Jack. He really needs to mix up his vocab too. Every time I read about him, kids are "training" on a video game.

Unfortunately, MS is not a store front. They cannot control (at least not to a high degree) who buys their games. They could avoid stores that sell M-rated games to minors, but that is kind of hard to enforce. That is up to the govt, and it seems no govts want to have anything to do with that, as all of the failed video game bills point out.

Did Jack distribute this to the press, or did MS? If he did, somebody needs attention pretty bad, yes?

[Quo]

Originally Posted by KEEZY

IIf he did, somebody needs attention pretty bad, yes?

Yes.

On the training thing, that cracks me up. I've been "training" on how to run over someone in my car since I was sixteen-- sometimes up to 8 hours a day. When I finally get up the gumption to run someone over, maybe he'll lead in the fight to ban cars.

[Lord Sam]

Wouldn't it be cool if you are playing a video game and get down to the end boss and it was none other than Jack Thompson? You know, a kind of game where the end boss is the last person you would suspect, like the president being the leader of the underground revolution. And with a maniacal and sadistic laughter Jack Thompson screams, "It was me all along, muhahahahahaha!"

Then you blow the crap out of him.

Wouldn't that be cool?

[Nolimit4show]

you Guys should all be Ashamed, JACK THOMPSON is standing up for our Kids since the Parents of the world can't stop them from Buying $62 games with mature ratings. Thompson if your Reading this, I appreciate all that you do for the World and its kids, Even thought i guarantee when your backing your car out and the kids are in the Street you get pissed and honk your horn while yelling GET OUT OF THE STREET YOU LITTLE BRATS! I bet his son has both GTA and Halo preordered like a champ. IF I even have to look at this from Jack's Point of view I'D be blind. Seriously If Id have to pick Id rather have my kids in doors playing Any video game they wanted rather than be outside kicking it, chillin, and partying. I heard Nerds love video games, I heard they love to Read and study, I also heard they end up Shooting schools. Ban outcasts, nerds, Books, video games, and music is the plan.

Posted by The Lord

maniacal and sadistic laughter Jack Thompson screams, "It was me all along, muhahahahahaha!"

Then you blow the crap out of him.

Wouldn't that be cool?maniacal and sadistic laughter Jack Thompson screams, "It was me all along, muhahahahahaha!"

Then you blow the crap out of him.

Wouldn't that be cool?

Cant you SEE thats Exactly what he wants, IF you give in, JACK WILL WIN!!!!!!

[BrewCityUpstart]

I will attest to the fact that GRAW2 dramatically improved my paintballing. No lie!

Maybe Halo should be used to train snipers in the military-everyone would wanna be a sniper and enlist.

[pickleL7]

Originally Posted by Woundup

I am so tired of hearing how video games and the companies that create and sell them are responsible for creating murderers. How about all the parents of these kids step up and be parents.

Man i'm telling your mom that you still dress like BATMAN

[AZRaiderH8r]

I'm not a big fan of kids playing "M" games, but I agree with Woundup. This is a parenting issue much more than a government issue. But I think he's going after Halo because MS is a huge name. As far as "M" games go, I think Halo is pretty tame. Not a lot of blood, you look like a rag doll when you die, etc.

I think his stance would have more steam if he went after the truly mature games, like Manhunt or something like that.

[Quo]

Originally Posted by AZRaiderH8r

I'm not a big fan of kids playing "M" games, but I agree with Woundup. This is a parenting issue much more than a government issue. But I think he's going after Halo because MS is a huge name. As far as "M" games go, I think Halo is pretty tame. Not a lot of blood, you look like a rag doll when you die, etc.

I think his stance would have more steam if he went after the truly mature games, like Manhunt or something like that.

I totally agree. Him going after H3 is lame. I sat down and played H3 last night for a round or two with my 9 year old son and didn't think anything of it other than "I better keep the foul-mouthed idiots on my headset instead of the TV.***" There's virtually no bloodiness... when someone dies it's almost comical, becuase the body usually flies somewhere.

***Non-PGL... while you guys are a bunch of foul-mouthed idiots, this was a different set...