The controversial Hizbollah game has received various reviews being positive from the supporters, Islamists; and negative reviews from the moderate conservative. The situation has reached the on-line petition stage as per the GDN today.To properly analyze the situation, a review of the background “is a must” to be able to reach an understanding and ultimately a conclusion. If you ask me, there is just too much hype surrounding the whole deal. The game just like any other computer game of the same caliber is the after-sales complimenting a movie, modern day war, an event and so on… No one disagrees (even the Israeli government) with the unexpected battering by Hizbollah. The game is even reviewed by on-line magazines; take PC-World and Digital Battle (to name a few).
Remember 1991 the Coalition Forces with their Desert Storm, games such as Desert Storm 1 and 2 made huge success in the computer games industry. Films such as Rambo, Die Hard, Navy Seals, Get Away and Auto-Grand Theft Series (just to name a few) have been undoubtedly popular amongst the younger and older gamers. These games display an undeniable amount of profound foul language, teaches violence, knowledge of weapons and their capabilities, and finally it allows you to splatter your opponent through graphic images.
These games by law have the obvious warnings and ratings displayed to advice parents prior to purchase. Unfortunately, these warnings are not taken seriously in our part of the world. Youngsters can purchase violent games, and rent and buy pirated DVD’s without a word of caution or advice from the seller.
If a campaign is to be started to activate proper regulation of the above (all games), then I am definitely game, otherwise we are wasting our time and energy, as all that hot air will take us nowhere. What will ultimately happen is that some will consider this action as being one-sided; i.e. just because the game is a Hizbollah (Shia) product, and believe me that this could turn out into a compounded issue that has no answer, we will end up with another Sunni/Shia issue that has no beginning or end.
On the other hand, if banned and to be realistic we all know what will happen… Just like everything else the game (cracked version) will be downloaded off the internet, and distributed like-wise through illegal and unregulated trading.
The funny side to all this is that the Israeli’s have not reacted the way we have, and I have the tendency to believe that they accept criticism or just prefer to ignore the whole issue as being trivial. Arabs are portrayed as terrorists, just as Blacks are portrayed as criminals, and it’s a stereotype.
It’s high time the Ministry of Information did their job more professionally, by implementing strict guidelines and regulations on the purchase of all violent games, films, and other materials/products where a parent is held responsible to decide, rather than a teenager who knows no better. If you live in a glass house, you better not throw stones.
The way it is…..
26/8/2007 Capt. Arab
1 comment:
We have never had a history of regulation when it comes to following the age guidelines, whether its for games, movies, cinema, or anything else. If we are to adhere to such a concept, serious action needs to be taken from the ministry, and clamp-downs need to be made on the specific outlets that provide these games/movies etc, with heavy fines to discourage them from selling them to anyone to make some extra profit.
Unfortunately, even if laws are placed, the demand from the side of the youngsters is still going to ensure black market supply for underage gamers. The word illegal really doesn't have much strength in our countries.
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