US attorney Jack Thompson has criticised Buzz! The Schools Quiz, claiming teachers should concentrate on traditional teaching methods instead.
His comments were aired in British newspapers The Telegraph and The Daily Mail, which both questioned Sony's motives in selling the PS2 title to schools.
"Videogames have hurt far more people than they have helped," claimed Jack Thompson. "I don't see how they can be of any more benefit than normal teaching."
Educational psychologist Jane Healy agreed: "If you watch kids on a computer, most of them are just hitting keys or moving the mouse as fast as they can. It reminds me of rats running in a maze."
There are over 1.7 million user generated questions in the game Buzz.
I made 200 useless questions, myself. Just 25 sets of 8 questions (junk) for the silver trophy (and it was my final needed to platinum Buzzz). I imagine a HUGE number of the questions are similarly worthless.
Along with titles like EyeToy and SingStar, Sony's Buzz! line of quiz games for the PlayStation 2 have been part of a concerted effort on the part of the electronics giant to court a more mainstream audience with its gaming console. However, one company already well established in serving that sector's trivia needs thinks Sony's family friendly is a little too familiar.
Carlsbad, California-based Buzztime Entertainment has filed suit against Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in the Southern District of California, alleging that the Buzz! line of games and the "It's time to get buzzing" tagline violate several of its own trademarks.
That's just ridiculous, none of the trademarks were violated. They're probably just mad that they're losing business.
Finally, Jack ***hole Thompson revealed his agenda that he is against ALL games not just violent ones. Seriously, could this man go any lower?
Yeah, let's go back to chalk and slate. Technology -- hell, the future as a whole -- is just evil.
Educational psychologist Jane Healy agreed: "If you watch kids on a computer, most of them are just hitting keys or moving the mouse as fast as they can. It reminds me of rats running in a maze."
Wow, very insightful reminder there Jane. That almost proved everyone that video games are worthless for education, didn't it, Idiot?
Has anyone seen the new "white boards" which are full touch sensitive monitors here in the UK? they're amazing and much more useful for children than some poor quiz game.
So first JT was an "expert" on games and now he is so knowledgeable about the world that he is able to comment upon teaching systems around the world. As he can do this I am also now able to comment upon ambulance chasing shameless lawyers. Jack, shut up and stay quiet until you have something constructive to say that can be supported by real non discredited scientific research.
And that "educational pschologist" (how do you attain qualifications to become such an entirely not necessary job?) sounds quite useless TBH, I fail to see the difference between Buzz and the millions of books, DVDs and CDRoms sold every year under the guise of exam revision, not to mention the BBC Bitesize scheme.
A complete non story supported by stupidity, ignorance and the general desire among those mentioned to see there names in print.