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'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Tue Mar 22, 2005 at 11:58:43 PM EST
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Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is angry at video game makers. So he's timed the promotion of his legislation that would ban the sales and rental of sexually explicit and violent video games to minors with the release of the new game "Narc."

"These kinds of games teach kids to do the very things that in real life, we put people in jail for,'' Blagojevich said during a news conference Monday at Glenview's Springman Middle School. "Just as we don't allow kids to buy pornography or alcohol or tobacco, we shouldn't allow them to buy these games.''

The governor and other legislative backers of the bill showed a taped promo for "Narc,'' an M-rated game that features various fictitious characters of the drug demimonde, including narcotics officers faced with its temptations. Midway, the Chicago-based maker of the game said its dark look was influenced by films such as "Traffic," "Training Day" and "Rush."

The game sounds like a law enforcement officer's wet dream--pure proselytizing from beginning to end.I wouldn't be surprised if there's an unethical defense lawyer at every court hearing. Dick Wolf must have been a consultant (no offense, Mr. Wolf, I know you're a true believer, just like me.)

The game, to be released today, has automatic weapons, gore and the fictitious officer Jack Forzenski, who spits out lines such as "You have the right to shut the hell up.''

Players can become "narcotics officers'' who arrest dealers and use confiscated dope to change the look and speed of "Narc'' to score more points. Pot slows the game; LSD changes the appearance of characters to better distinguish enemies and crack increases the damage players can inflict.

Why couldn't they make a well-rounded game? Why can't players become a defense attorney and score points when they get evidence suppressed because the cop lied? How about players choosing to be judges who score points when the case is thrown out for entrapment?

Anyway, the Governor's "Safe Games" legislation passed the Illinois House last week 91 - 19, but it may not survive a court challenge:

Similar moves in other states have been thrown out by courts as threats to freedom of speech, said Jason Della Rocca, executive director of the International Game Developers Association.

A spokesman for Chicago's Midway Games said "Narc'' is targeted toward the same adults who enjoy shows like "The Sopranos,'' "Deadwood'' and "C.S.I.''

Why not Law and Order fans? [link via Drug War Rant .]

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    • 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire | 15 comments (15 topical)
    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 12:07:05 AM EST
    Well all good and well, but what is he talking about real life?, is it the myth of a normal life? and as far as the system is and is not; nothing is real to kids because adults act like kids and kid see the world in its real light without understanding what is what. so go for it but the kids will just become lawbreaker with long political criminally long records for not following the leadeds.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 06:00:05 AM EST
    A disgraceful abuse of the great name of NARC in video games. Oh, how I remember playing that game over and over in the arcade, driving my red sports car over ferarris and shooting infinite numbers of drug dealers who attacked you by hurling syringes at you. Remember how hard it was to get to the level where you had to blow up all the pot plants? God, I loved the 80's.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#3)
    by kdog on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 06:11:26 AM EST
    There is no law stating parents must buy their kids video game consoles and adult oriented games. Just another smokescreen, while REAL problems are ignored.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#4)
    by pigwiggle on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 06:20:15 AM EST
    Well, lets get common the common sense crap out of the way. As the volume of video games, and particularly violent games if you believe the National Coalition on Television Violence, increases monumentally by the day, violence perpetrated by children has been dropping. Kids are generally more likely to be arrested for theft, drugs, DUI, whatever, then for violent acts. If games were as influential as the folks engaged in mass histrionics would have you believe the streets should be running with the blood of out of control kids. Anyway, I guess the real heart of the matter is why congress is getting involved in an issue of parenting. I was in the video store the other day and some guy was successfully policing the games his kid wanted to buy; ‘quit asking, you know you can’t play M rated games’. Good enough.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 06:47:46 AM EST
    Good enuff for Pig, good enough for me. Big Brother is starting to personify in the form of Tom DeLay.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 07:07:56 AM EST
    Video games don't make kids violent. They make them sedintary and fat..but nimble-fingered. =P

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 07:43:10 AM EST
    It seems parents are basically telling legislators..."Raise my kids...Please!" Otherwise, how do these dolts get elected?

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 08:15:20 AM EST
    Kdog... Otherwise, how do these dolts get elected? Bloggo got elected do to a backlash of voters ticked about the last Dem Gov. (Ryan) commuting all the death row inmates sentences. Ryan is a crook and will soon be in jail himself. Don't worry, Bloggo is a one termer. BTW - I agree with your comment - "It seems parents are basically telling legislators..."Raise my kids...Please!" It sure does!

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 08:34:58 AM EST
    Narc was indeed one of the great arcade games of the eighties. Up there with Final Fight.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#10)
    by kdog on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 08:46:04 AM EST
    BB...when it comes to freedom, there should be no partisanship. It seems we are agreeing quite a bit on these types of issues. It reassures me to know that people on polar opposite ends of the political spectrum, like you and I, can always agree on that. Cheers to you, fellow patriot. For all of our supposed love of freedom in this country, we sure do rush to restrict it at the drop of a hat.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#11)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 09:34:11 AM EST
    I have an idea for a new game. It's called "watch commercials for Grand Theft Auto and see if you can find any white car thieves"

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 10:05:28 AM EST
    Hey! That's my junoir high, class of '84. Big Jim Thompson never told me what video games to play, although all I had was an Odyssey...

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 06:55:27 PM EST
    I have an idea for a new game. It's called "watch commercials for Grand Theft Auto and see if you can find any white car thieves" Um, you do realize that the protagonists in all the prior GTA games were as white as Wonder bread, right? (In fact, the protagonist from GTAIII makes a cameo appearance in GTA:SA.) And I love how everyone loves to critique GTA:SA, but never mention that the main story is based on the largest scandal in the history of the LAPD...

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 24, 2005 at 07:02:51 AM EST
    B.B., George Ryan was the last Gov. of Illinois and he is a Republican, not a Democrat. Bloggo may be a one-termer, but only if the state Republican party can find anyone who wants to run against him. Most of the local conservatives want a "real conservative" not a moderate like Ryan to run. It may be a repeat of Obama/Keyes next year.

    Re: 'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire (none / 0) (#15)
    by Adept Havelock on Thu Mar 24, 2005 at 08:54:33 AM EST
    After we finish going after videogame manufacturers for all the violence in society, let's go after the Automobile industry for all those car accidents!

    'Narc': New Video Game Draws Ire | 15 comments (15 topical)