This week, Nintendo once again topped the news in the world of video games, taking a risk with the exclusive release of a violent, Mature-rated game for the Wii, a console that generally supports wares of a more family-friendly variety.
Meanwhile, Take-Two announced a big loss for the first quarter of 2009, while Amazon, apparently eager to recession-proof its business, announced a new game trade-in program.
Tarnished Golden Boy?
The release this week of Sega’s “MadWorld” on the Wii has apparently not gone over well with the National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF). The game is the 22nd title with a “Mature” (M) rating released for the Wii console out of more than 500 titles currently available for the Wii.
With the launch of “MadWorld,” Nintendo has shed its family-friendly patina, at least as far as NIMF President David Walsh is concerned.
“The release of ‘MadWorld’ for the Wii brings violent video games to a once family-friendly platform. In ‘MadWorld,’ gamers use the Wii Remote to make the necessary physical actions to chainsaw anopponent in half, impale an enemy with a signpost, or decapitate a victim with a golf club. MadWorld is another reminder that parents need to make sure they watch what their kids watch and play what theirkids play,” Walsh stated.
“In the past, the Wii has successfully sold itself as being the gaming console for the entire family and away to bring family game nights back into people’s living rooms. Unfortunately, Nintendo opened itsdoors to the violent video game genre. The National Institute on Media and the Family hopes thatNintendo does not lose sight of its initial audience and continues to offer quality, family-friendly games,” he continued.
Gory Gaming
The ultra-violent game revolves around Jack, a mechanic and former Marine, as he participates in a violent television game show. In the title’s sparse black-and-white world, violence is punctuated by sprays of blood and stomach-churning sound effects as player earn points slashing, stabbing, maiming and killing other game show contestants.
Releasing the game as a Wii exclusive is an effort by the console maker to provide a game for the large number of adults who have purchased the console, Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group, told TechNewsWorld.
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Dear National Institute on Media and the Family. Yawn. Just don’t buy it. If you don’t want your kids swinging chainsaws or sign posts or golf clubs, don’t buy the game. Don’t even look at it. Simple right? As simple as turning off the television when you see anything offensive. Oh but you have to watch right? Cause if you don’t watch then what are you going to squawk about? If you don’t watch it who else is going to warn us about another nasty gaming company trying to turn our poor children into mindless killing machines. Who…DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN…who?