I have to defend Xam on this one, we are getting into Jack Thompson territory now. what makes rape any different from the murders we commit in games? games are a virtual reality, just because we shoot someone in Uncharted, or FarCry 2 doesnt mean we are going to go out and shoot someone. same thing with the game at hand. just because we experience it in a virtual reality environment doesnt mean we are going to do it, there has been rape, murder, ultra violence in movies for decades, look at "A Clockwork Orange" Its a great movie dealing with the above arguments.

Times are changing, from back 50 years where a man and a woman could not be in the same bed on TV to where we are with blood, gore, severed limbs, sex scenes and drugs. times are changing, deal with it

To the disagrees: dont anonymously disagree, share your argument

Excited to see Xams response, I'm sure he'll come up with something decent in his defense.

Would you rather be murdered or raped?

Agree for murdered, disgree for raped.

People seem to be missing the point of this whole thing.

Yes, rape is horrendous and those who do it should be castrated without anesthesia. But to say THAT crosses the line in gaming and taste when, in another context, you'd lambaste and shout "free speech" at certain governments for wanting to ban violent games like Manhunt (which depicts gruesome executions and is nothing more than playing a snuff film) is extremely hypocritical.

The truth is, you cannot separate the two and say one is right or wrong in the context of gaming--no matter what justifications you try to use. Both are horrendous acts. The only difference is that one has gone "mainstream"- through various other mediums--to the point where we are desensitized.

And no one is forcing you to buy the game. Just because it exists doesn't mean YOU have to play it.

Without saying I agree with either arguement I'd just like to put this out there.

When an ambitious director by the name of George Romero was questioned about what he thought about people who say the gore in his movies might cause peope to commit acts of murder he replied he actually thought the opposite might be true. He felt seeing the graphic acts might act as a fuse for someone who was already having these criminal impulses and actually stop them from doing it.

Now I dont know if thats right or not. Likely it would be true for some and not for others.

But certainly theres alot of uptight people in the world. They would probably argue that protitution is a bad thing as well and should not be condoned. But what if you have someone walking the streets, horny as hell, with bad ideas in his head. He could either get a pro or rape someone. Certainly everyone would agree the former is the better idea.

Could this game, act as a fuse and stop behaviour like this or just incite it? Again likely it would get a couple ticks in each collumn. I dont know.

Just wondering what people thought about that.

yes, you kill/mame people in games, but they are the bad guys and you are saving the world. (most of the time)

raping a woman is disturbing any way you look at it - even if you are using the innovative F*ckIT controls (it is literally point and penetrate).

I've heard that in japan that you can go to theme brothels eg. one might be set like a public train, where you can play out one of your repressed rape fantasies. the problem is right there.. this is the society we live in. censoring/banning games is not the answer. it's education in respect and emotional involvement that will help the human condition.

maybe in the next game you play, you will be put in jail for shooting someone. Ironically, in jail you become Frank and Bubba's double adapter.

what is wrong?? lol.. xbots still buying the broken console even they knew the problem.. they can't think and make the wrong decision to buy the s!ht

Hell as long as people keep that stuff private I dont really care if they play it. It might even keep them from raping real women.

You want history? Here is history. Way back before the dawn of time, back when humanity was just getting started, rape was the only way to go. Monogamy is a very brand new thing to us humans. It is actually very unnatural for us to be with only one person for a lifetime.

It is basic survival of the fittest. There is an attractive girl in the group, me and three other guys want her, so we fight to see who gets her, than we have to fight with the girl to make sure that we actually do get her. The winner is the one who is able to over-power her and rape her. This ensures that only the strongest genes are passed on.

Now here is the problem. Rape is no longer a necessary because "survival of the fittest" no longer applies to us humans. We have grown beyond the need to rape and have found better ways to satisfy our sexual needs. There is no reason for rape, but because it was so important to us the need hasn't gone away completely and it will be with us for a long time.

The problem with this game is that it does nothing to help us grow beyond our basic needs. There are more than few ways to satisfy ourselves, we don't need a game like this. And that isn't even considering wether this game glorifies rape or not.

Whats so wrong about rapelay? I need to see some videos to see what are they talking about.

The people calling for this game to be banned simply on the premesis that it is rape are just as stupid as the people defending it.

Firstly, you need to understand why this game is more disturbing than a game with murder like say GTA. Its because this game is intended to be erotic, the people who play this game for sexual reasons are to some extent replicating the feelings that a rapist feels. Now I don't think for a second it is likely to make these people run out and start actually raping people but people who frequently get off on fantasies like this are clearly very disturbed people and for their own mental health something like this shouldn't be encouraged.

While all this is true, this doesn't mean it should be banned totally. Something like this is no different to certain pornography and material like this should only be distributed behind closed doors and definitely shouldn't be available on a popular site like Amazon.

I actually thought about this for awhile. This game is no different then some guys standing in the bar encouraging someone to rape an innocent girl. I wouldn't see anything wrong with this game being banned. Also that raises the question to me.. Why ban rape and not ban the ability to kill innocent people in video games. This issue bugs me because I love killing innocent people in video games lol.. But in real life I would never think to shoot a guy just walking down the street. Something is just different from killing a innocent person then raping them.. Something tells me someone would be more would be more infleunced to rape someone. Because sex is a more common desire then killing. Which now all makes since to me as to why they should ban this game.

The Mortal Kombat controversy wasn't enough so they released Grand Theft Auto. Now that violence is accepted as a form of entertainment medium let's just get with the downright disturbing crap. Big breasted, halfnaked women in video games have finally evolved into the next best thing. Why look when you can rape them and experience the thrill yourselves? Heck, just skip the aggressive sex. That's too common. Just jump right in and force her against her will.

"NO!NO!STOP!"

Good thing this isn't a Wii game. I don't want to even think about the Wiimote. Seriously, though, this is the worst idea for a video game. Go out and get a girlfriend.

Dude you really are a dummy for writing this article. Whether you agree that rape is good or bad (which we all agree is bad) is irrelevant.

Just like porn, movies, or books with rape....if you don't wanna see it, don't buy it. Not everything in this world is pretty. Video games should be able to express that just as freely as any other form of entertainment.

Your argument that games are a completely "different medium" hurts us as gamers. It means the double standard will always be there.

As I said before, if you don't like it, don't play it. No one should tell or force anyone how to live, breathe, express or act morally until it directly affects someone else. YES you are entitled to your OPINION...but at the end of the day, this is the free world baby.

I'm black, and if the KKK wants to march down the street and express their beliefs, guess what, they can. I don't have to agree with it, but guess what, this is a democracy, not 1856.

I'm done.

I think the dude is just lame lol... "but the first and only time I killed a bystadard way back in GTA San Andreas, I actually felt bad!" Come on now if you seriously play GTA trying to avoid ever running someone over, or hit them in crossfire. You are a certified pikachu pillow hugging b&*^*! You yourself makes me wonder whats wrong with gamers today. Did you hold an ingame funeral for the first innocent person you killed in GTA?

The only thing I will say in defense of this decision is that, in America (I assume it was made in a country that has free speech or something similar), as much as we are disgusted by this, the people that published it have every right to publish it, unfortunately. We can choose not to sell it or whatever, but no one can tell these developers that they cannot make a game featuring rape in a good light. As long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others, then they cannot be denied any right.

I know that sounds really sick and all, and I don't think making such a game is the right move (so don't think I'm saying this in a means to CONDONE the act of rape or the making of such a game, though I know this might be taken the wrong way), but they ARE still protected under the First Amendment (or whatever it would be in their home country) to develop such a title).

That picture is hilarious.

Ahhh haha ahahaha ahaha...

Hm?

"killing and stealing cars isn't necessary to the games"

Can you name one person who has actually played GTA without killing or stealing? We all know GTA is giant sand box pedestrian/cop murder simulator. Go watch any GTA vid on Youtube.

Oh, and killing IS necessary to progress in GTA4. I remember playing a section of the game where I was given the choice between killing guy #1 or guy #2, ether way I had to kill somebody.

People can pick up a hooker, then after she gets out of the car they can kill here to get their money back. Why is no one upset by this?

"Xam, games can stand on their own without dealing with rape"

No sh*t Sherlock. And use my full name when you talk to me, it's only 3 more letters. Oh and you misspelled it too. >.> jackass...

I just don't see how they can allow it in Film and literature, but not allow it in a video game. Double standards are not cool. I don't care about the actual nature of the game, it could be Farting in the Popes face or giving the president the finger. If they allow it to be in books and movies, why not in games?

i threw up in my mouth a little when the writer said the only time he killed a bystander in gta, he felt bad

Rape in a movie: No one ask questions as why to it is there?
Rape in a Book: No one ask questions as to why it is there?
Rape on TV: No one ask questions as to why it is there?
Rape in a video game: Questions coming in from all direction as to why is it there?

Is it there for entertainment, Story telling or Human emotion purposes? Surely it can't be there because someone thought it was cool. But does that make rape okay for the other reasons? Hmm?

You can't condemn one form of entertainment to be wrong, while not doing the same to others. I don't care if you are interacting or not. The human mind is stimulated by seeing first and then reacting second.

I find the game bad because it is a simulation of rape (Key word Simulation) and in my eyes, simulation are to teach. Why would someone want to teach others how to rape? I mean really what was this person thinking?