Now that Bulletstorm is on store shelves and spreading dicktits around the world, Epic’s Mike Capps has addressed the notorious FOX News report in which psychologist Carole Lieberman accused the game, among others, of encouraging rape. Capps said there were two ways of looking at it — one good, one bad.
“The first is what it does for Bulletstorm and the second is what it does for the industry,” he explains. “For what it did for Bulletstorm … yes, there were people who were very excited about any attention at all. For a game that’s over-the-top, they probably helped sell more units than they convinced people to pick at us. What was most exciting about it for me [was the reaction from the media in the industry defending us]. Every journalist said this Fox report is junk … It’s wonderful to see a media that’s defending free speech.
“As for what it does for the industry as a whole I think it’s terrible. There are people who really respect Fox News’ opinions and look at that and are [convinced that video games are bad].”
I have to say I disagree with what Capps said about the report being “terrible” for the industry. As Capps himself notes, Bulletstorm was a huge success, and he’s confident the game will be a million seller. FOX is popular, yes, but its influence is finite and temporary. People will read the report, be outraged for a day, and forget it. Only those that care about games really remember, and they’re not the ones believing this crap.
Short of a Catholic-grade pedophilia scandal, I’d say the game industry’s on pretty unshakable ground right now. Views like Lieberman’s are in their death rattle, as younger, game-savvy people rise up to take her place. The old and the increasingly irrelevant are the ones who insist on hating games, and their time is almost up. While we wait for them to finally shuffle off, I’d just enjoy the free advertising.
Bulletstorm Maybe Helped By FOX News Controversy [The A List, via GP]
