"We are going to destroy Rockstar"

[CptStern]

news of the link between the murder of Stefan Pakeerah and Manhunt:

"The game was present in the victim’s home, not the killer's"

yet the lawyer for the family of the killer said:

"We are going to destroy Rockstar, you can count on that... [ESA head] Doug Lowenstein makes Saddam Hussein look like a post-reformed Pinocchio."

links

fire and brimstone lawyer (http://biz.gamedaily.com/features_new/jack_thompson/)

story (http://www.mcvuk.com/html/news/story.jsp?newsId=1928139)

[bliink]

"We are going to destroy Rockstar" - destruction ahoy! seems quite peacefull for people advocating against violent games..
I remember someone saying "Creators of those games should be taken out and stoned in the streets" -they werent making a joke, and yes, they meant with rocks- stoning with rocks :)

EDIT: another quote from this lawyer:
GD: Thanks for your time Mr. Thompson and good luck in your struggle.

Thompson: Thanks. We don't need luck. The vectors are locked in, these people are dead meat.

gah!

[Roland Deschain]

You cannot blame Hitlers parents for what he has done, everybody has to accept responsibilty for his own actions, and I find it rather degrading and manupilating that the lawyer it trying to draw away the attention from the murder of an innocent human being just to get the murderer off easy

[A True Canadian]

The media are having a field day with this story.

I still think drugs and prostitution played a bigger part in the murder than a video game.

[Bling]

wow, what a douche bag

"We are going to destroy Rockstar, you can count on that... [ESA head] Doug Lowenstein makes Saddam Hussein look like a post-reformed Pinocchio."


he can go to hell.

rockstar will win the case, with their millions and millions and hired lawyers.

Bling

[redundant]

I find it rather degrading and manupilating that the lawyer it trying to draw away the attention from the murder of an innocent human being just to get the murderer off easy
took the words right out of my mouth.

the fact is that there would be hundreds of murders every year involving teenagers and young people, the only reason we don't hear about them all is that people don't care if they can't blame it on something else.

even if this kid was influenced by manhunt, he shouldn't have been anywhere near it to begin with. if this lawyer wants to sue someone for giving him access to it, why are they suing rockstar, and not the point of sale.

it's all just sensationalisation. he's trying to play into people's fears who are ignorant about video games.

[B_MAN]

the parents are simply looking for a scapegoat
instead of taking the blame as they should

[Feath]

I'd like to point out that it's the Victim's mother who is blaming Manhunt. So it's not some stupid woman trying to get her son off the hook.

It's an ignorant woman who's overcome with grief and someone should tell her to calm down.

[ASnogarD]

All these studies and counter-studies but not one link to see how they actually conduct the study... I mean I would get murderous if someone locked me up in a room for 48 hrs with only solitaire to play, would that be a effective study ?

Not to mention the one undeniable factor - there are millions of gamers that play violent games, why are there not millions of cases similiar to this 'Manhunt murderer' ?

[Adrien C]

Humm, I'm Ok with game that are violent but have a story, but stupid and free violence like manhunt, postal etc etc ; is plain stupid and pointless. (exept GTA)

[Feath]

All these studies and counter-studies but not one link to see how they actually conduct the study... I mean I would get murderous if someone locked me up in a room for 48 hrs with only solitaire to play, would that be a effective study ?

Not to mention the one undeniable factor - there are millions of gamers that play violent games, why are there not millions of cases similiar to this 'Manhunt murderer' ?

All studies have yet to find a link between violent games and violent acts. The only link is that 7 year old children tend to copy actions they've seen in the game. But the same can be said about any medium such as films or tv. And the fact remains this is an 18 game.

[bliink]

Humm, I'm Ok with game that are violent but have a story, but stupid and free violence like manhunt, postal etc etc ; is plain stupid and pointless. (exept GTA)

that may be your opinion (mine too with manhunt) but i dont think it's my right, or yours, or the governments to control what they think i should be able to do on a computer, or the kind of software someone else can create on theirs.
I dont know why that lawyer seems to think this isnt a freedom of speech issue, when it so clearly is. this should be thrown out of court.

[EYEconfide]

Am I the only one that thinks that interview is fake..?

[Shuzer]

Humm, I'm Ok with game that are violent but have a story, but stupid and free violence like manhunt, postal etc etc ; is plain stupid and pointless. (exept GTA)


This is the most hypocritical thing I've heard all day. If you're going to be against one game having no story and just "free violence," you need to be against them all. You can't exclude GTA, 'cause it's hypocritical (I don't care either way, just saying.. your statement sucked)


Am I the only one that thinks that interview is fake..?

My thoughts exactly.

[Feath]

Am I the only one that thinks that interview is fake..?

I'd be surprised if it isn't. I mean the comparing Rockstar to Saddam Husseine? And the way he talks.

[Raziaar]

There's a HUGE difference between violent, for no purpose games like the person above person was talking about, and games which tell a dinstinct and interesting story that isnt just a half-assed means for continued violence.

You see... history on world has been very violent. People seem to forget that violence does not only exist in video games. Books have long since contained violence far more extreme and in detail than we have seen in games, yet most of them are viewed as art and an expression. Murder mysteries, horror stories, etc. These things serve a purpose, and not just to display random acts of violence like games such as Postal and Manhunt. I haven't played either of these games, and i'm not judging... i'm just pointing out what Adrien C was saying, and agreeing with him.

[Venmoch]

Humm, I'm Ok with game that are violent but have a story, but stupid and free violence like manhunt, postal etc etc ; is plain stupid and pointless. (exept GTA)

Uh there is a genuinely good story in Manhunt that many of the media people don't tell you. Their pointing it out as a "Just Killing For Fun" well no, your not.

The guy you play is only killing the other people in order to say alive himself while being goaded on by the director (a la the Running Man). Then when Starkweather goes and not only kills your family and then betrays you by not giving you your freedom Cash then goes on a revenge trip and tries to expose Starkweathers activities. Leading to the very cool finale at the mansion (inside and out). Yet they fail to mention this at all. Which is the thing that makes me irritated.

Its not quite as paper thin as most people are setting it out to be. OK so perhaps the story could have been fleshed out a little more but there is a story to explain it all. Unlike Postal 2's no reason whatsoever. And actully without the violence Manhunt would still be a damn good game. (Its one of the most suspenceful I've played nothing beats hiding from a guy with a Shotgun while hiding in the dark.

[Dalamari]

Rockstar has taken on bigger people than that, this should be an easy one, they just want cash outa this whole thing, they could care less.

[CrazyHarij]

I want to rip the heads off and pee in the throats of these people

[Diablo2k]

3 August 2004 by Tim Green
The story of the “Manhunt” murder case took another twist with the revelation that the game was present in the victim’s home, not the killer’s.
Narinder Pooni, media services officer for Leicestershire Police, told MCV: “Apparently the game was found but it was in Stefan Pakeerah’s bedroom.”

Pakeerah was murdered by his friend Warren Leblanc in February.

While this fact does not in itself undermine the allegation made by Pakeerah’s mother and the Daily Mail that Leblanc was influenced by Manhunt, it does make the issue more complex. It also raises questions such as whether the 14 year old victim owned the game. And if so, who bought it for him?

As for the link between Manhunt and the crime, the police are clear. Pooni said: “We haven’t connected the game with the murder and we’ve already made that statement, but some sections of the media chose to ignore it…the motive was robbery.

http://www.mcvuk.com/html/news/story.jsp?newsId=1928139

[Synthaxx R-or]

Couldn't we as gamers just as simply gang up and "Destroy the lawyers"?

A lot of people would thank us, especially the American people (http://www.power-of-attorneys.com/index.htm).

[C-O-N-Spiracy]

Thats so retarded to go after Rockstar for an unfortunate murder of a person who played the game... out of how many people that play Manhunt that you know of get murdered?

WTF??? It confuses the shit out of me... what about the killer? THE KILLER ISNT ROCKSTAR!!!

Reminds me of that "Run Away Jury" Movie with Dustin Hoffman.. A woman's husband is murdered but instead of going after the son of a bitch that murdered her husband, she goes after the manufacturers of the gun used... Thats absolute horse****!

These women have something in common and Im gonna come out and say it... whether one was in a movie and one is real is irrelevant, They both want money and thats all it is.. the woman in the movie didnt love her husband, just money... same goes with this woman trying to "Destroy Rockstar."

STUPID PEOPLE I SWEAR.. *Huff!* *Puff!*

... okay i'm done :)

[Sui]

The ignorance of some people is astounding. i find it ridiculous that these people have overlooked that GTA:vice city is one of the most controversial games, that allows you to kill anything, ANYWHERE, and it is one of the top selling games ever. MILLIONS have been sold on every format. murders linked with all of these millions of copies of the game? ZERO! If these peoples accusations are true, and games make you run out and kil people, then all the millions of people who have bought vice city would have killed their entire block by now. or there would be at least ONE case like this, but involving GTA.... but no! there isnt!

co-incidence that vice city has caused no murders? is it fluke that hundreds of cities dont lie dead due to underage teenagers? no! its because (strangely enough) the game doesnt make anyone want to go on a killing spree. you'd have to be a demented, drug influenced phyco with shit parents (like the one in this case) to brutally murder a 14 year old freind for cash...

[Dalamari]

I can tell you what is gonna happen, Rockstar is gonna win the case and charge 2.5 million in court fees, that will show that bitch.

[Onions]

It may sound harsh, but the complaining family will be put through even more pain if that c^nt of a lawyer wins. I hope we deport the tw4t :)

[AcousticToad]

What next?

Lets end Activision!!! Spider-man 2 made my suicidal depresent son jump from a building!

Pathetic really.

[Link]

Rockstar will win for the following reason -

The game is an 18. Even if it was the cause of this murder, the fault lies with the person that supplied it to the 17 year old, not with the people that made it or the game itself.

Done, dusted and kicked in the arse.

[~thE LOcuSt~]

" Thompson: There have been dozens of murders that have been tied to their products throughout the world... "

Religion related murders............ we stopped counting at 3 billions.
BAN RELIGIONS!

[Raxxman]

Yeah, the Crusades, when a game gets a huge mob of people to charge across the pond crusading through the holy land killing thousands, then I'll accept games are bad.

I'm not saying Religion is bad, I'm just saying Religion has been used an excuse to kill millions.

[sHm0zY]

You cant blame a video game for murder, you dont see me goin around hackin people with a crow bar. im smart enough not to.

[Onions]

the kid in question was obviously a bit of a retard, probably got it from his parents.

[C-O-N-Spiracy]

What they wanted to destroy Valve for Half-Life 2? I'd go to war!

[Mr.Magnetichead]

The funny thing is that the victim was 14.

I don't know any games store in the UK that doesn't check for id.


So who bought him the game? Oh why it was the parents ofcourse!

[CptStern]

blame the parents on both sides. The american lawyer is an anti-violence in games crusader that probably has support in high places. Good thing it'll play out in the UK and not the US; they tend to rule in favour of the victems.

[Razor]

People are just looking for scape goats, out of all the studies that have been done on violence in video games, not a single one, as far as i know, proves any direct link between a violent computer game and violence in society.

However, i do find it strange that families of victims sue games developers for hundreds of millions of £s, yet families of people who have been killed by drink drivers don't sue the brewerys? Alcohol has been proven hundreds of times for thousands of years to be responsible for a huge proportion of crimes, from murders and robberies to assaults, etc. Yet not a single brewery has been sued.

[Kangy]

Oh this is ****ing crazy.

No disrespect to them victim, but frankly, these people (lawyer included) should have been exterminated at birth. I mean, who bought him the game? The parents? Yeah, I think so.

Stupid inbreds.

[EYEconfide]

You know what's funny? This whole murder was over a drug deal, and yet everyone seems to overlook that fact and go after video games... some people were just born stupid I guess.

[Sai]

GD: Is there anyway to find out how Warren Leblanc acquired the game? Or is that not the point here?

Thompson: It doesn't matter.

that made me laugh

[Bio]

They only make shit games anyway, besides max payne and dont give me the gta loving shit.

[Subz]

gta kicks ass.

p.s. these kids are using this as a scapegoat to get less jail time.

[Bio]

Yeah if you are 10-12 years old.
Nothing bad about being 10-12 years old but they like shitloads of blood voilense.

[Sui]

i love GTA, its such a free-roaming game. its just fun.

[Feath]

They only make shit games anyway, besides max payne and dont give me the gta loving shit.

Have you played Vice City?

[Gajdycz]

u have to admint, it may have been the game that set him off, but that could be siad about anything he was obessed about ex:

he may have like baseball, and he beat his friend to death with a baseball bat, SUE THE BASEBALL COMPANIES BEFORE THEY DESTOY the world!

and, yeah, there suing fo rmoney, but they are also trying to show that the blame wasnt on the kid, so that they could limit his sentencing and maybe declare him insane

also: plety of people get shot, bu no one sues the gun companies, or the store

the store in this case, is at fault

[Adrien C]

Imagine if they sued our asses because some kid killed his friend, and a "Hl2 modification " was found in his room. Damn, we better be carefull.

[Black-Falcon]

Good ole' sue crazy society...
And yes, the parents are at fault. How would they not know that their son is a druggie? And I've been to the UK once, and when I bought a game there, they did check my ID, so both parents are at fault. And to the dumb f*cknut lawyers that want violence gone in games...f*ck off I mean jesus go be a lap dog for microsoft or somthing :borg:

[staddydaddy]

this is why lawyers suck

[Raziaar]

Someone needs to create a game where lawyers are set out to destroy innocent company's reputations and buisness based on dumbass reasons... that way we can sue back when it happens!

[Mechagodzilla]

Newsflash:

Child Owns Videogame!
Film at eleven.

I mean, cheesus. Millions upon millions of kids own videogame systems. I'd guess 80% own at least one game that contains violence.

So if the majority of children play games, then of course this one murderer will be a part of this majority!
It's called statistical probability.

It's like blaming potato chips. I'd bet every child who has commited murder has eaten chips. Let's destroy Lays!!!

Pants: Every child who has commited murder has worn pants. Let's destroy Levis!

Water: They all drank water. Let's blow up the ocean!

Who knew there were so many motives for murder?

Wait, he killed the kid in order to obtain drug money?
Well, obviously there is no connection between drugs and violence so, therefore, videogames and pants must be the cause.

[Dr. Freeman]

wow.. and i thought the thread with "Doom3 is evil" was bad
pathetic that pple blame games for their own mistakes.

[C-O-N-Spiracy]

I'm gonna rob a bank, whack a few people in the process, Take hostages and battle a whole Police force..

after all, Doom 3 made me do it.

[EVIL]

You cannot blame Hitlers parents for what he has done
We can't?
/me stops kicking hitlers parents

[Moto-x_Pat]

Counter-Terrorism game causes murder.

A 13 year old boy murdered a chicken in Italy with his knife. People are blaming the video game "Counter-Strike" for this murder. The boy's mother had this to say:

"My child would play Counter-Strike every day and he always told me that he's l33t. I walked in on him one time while he was playing a level called cs_italy. He pulled out his knife on this game and stabbed a chicken near a fruit market. With the chicken's last breath, it said "buuuck" and proceeded to explode into a puff of feathers. This is definately the cause of this murder.

My son is innocent. He was simply brainwashed by the evil people at Valve software, such as founder Gabe Newell who eats children and steals people's babies. I say we all go to Valve Software in Seattle and burn down their building and spit on its ashes. Then we should kill the company using violence. This game caused my son to commit this crime. It is Valve's fault. Every violent video game should be banned. I'm a soccer mom."

:afro:

[Raziaar]

LOL Moto. That's pretty funny.
With the chicken's last breath, it said "buuuck" and proceeded to explode into a puff of feathers.

[Sprafa]

Just this is enough for me to feel rage.

He had savagely beaten his friend with a claw hammer and stabbed him repeatedly after luring him to a local park to rob him.

It reminds me of the South Park movie and that whole "Blame Canada!!!!" stufff....

[jord]

I think Rockstar should be out of business for making medicore games.

Some reason, though...They sell like hot cakes...

[ACLeroK212]

http://pc.ign.com/articles/536/536072p1.html

from what I got from this interview, it sounds like the press went a little overboard with this story at the start.

[CptStern]

UPDATE:

ELSPA press release on media frenzy and accusations (http://www.elspa.com/about/pr/pr.asp?mode=view&t=1&id=468&ref=home)

[Feath]

In April 1999, eight days before Columbine, Jack Thompson appeared on national television to identify the role that shooter video games, specifically Doom, would play in future school shootings. A week later in Littleton, Colorado, Klebold and Harris, who obsessively trained on Doom, killed thirteen.

Am I the only one having problems imagining how someone could be trained to kill on Doom. Do they have any evidence that they were trained? Did the killers not look up and down and just kept the guns hel right in front of their nose?

[ComradeBadger]

Right, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to a remote facility on mars, to act out my space marine fantasies on Beagal II

:)

Who's got me BFG?



On a more serious note, there is no way this is going through, the UK won't have it.

[lePobz]

Wouldn't it be a bitch if HL2 was banned in the UK due to bad parents blaming games for their insane kids.

Would be worse if it was banned the day before it was due to release.

That won't happen though, will it??

/me touches wood

I think i've just jinxed it, sorry lads ;(

[Fat Tony!]

God damn what about the millions of people playing sims.....and you know what happens on the sims, bordom. So well all build little houses where we lock up our sims and then we get the to launch fireworks in the house and rub magic genie lamps getting bad things to happen until they die. WHAT IF THIS BECAME REALITY? BAN TEH SIMS AND ITS VIOLENT POTENTIAL!!!!!!!!!

[CptStern]

Wouldn't it be a bitch if HL2 was banned in the UK due to bad parents blaming games for their insane kids.



move to canada, we allow everything :thumbs: