Jack Thompson is at it again!

[corruptrelic]

Jack Thompson, a disbarred lawyer who has vocally decried violence in video games, said he will try to stop the release of Electronic Arts' upcoming video game, "Medal of Honor Limited Edition".

Thompson said he sent a letter via fax outlining his opposition to the game to Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense. He also criticized the U.S. military who allegedly participated in the design of the game.

The new "Medal of Honor" game is scheduled to be released on Oct. 12 in North America for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. The new version will be the first time that the series has been set in modern-day Afghanistan; it previously has been limited to scenarios during World War II.

Thompson's objection is fourfold: that the game itself used U.S. Special Operations soldiers as consultants, which would provide enemies a "powerful and useful training tool to rehearse killing our soldiers"; that the game allows players to play as the Taliban; that EA is allegedly allowing anyone to preorder the game, regardless of age; and that school massacres have been linked to "military killing simulators" like the "Medal of Honor" game.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2368824,00.asp

[corruptrelic]

"With all respect for everything else on your plate, but as someone who has represented the surviving family members of such videogame-caused massacres, I personally urge you, as Secretary of Defense, to do what is necessary, proper, and legal to stop the release of Medal of Honor on October 12 on the basis that it poses a demonstrable danger to our troops by providing a training tool for those who wish to kill them," Thompson wrote. "I would also strongly suggest that the Defense Department find out who these Special Ops people are who have acted so foolishly in this regard [by consulting on the game]."

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103328-Jack-Thompson-Vows-to-Stop-Medal-of-Honor

Pretty frightening to think that the Taliban will be loading up Medal of Honor on their PS3's and Xbox 360's as a training tool to kill our troops.

[USMC Kato]

"With all respect for everything else on your plate, but as someone who has represented the surviving family members of such videogame-caused massacres, I personally urge you, as Secretary of Defense, to do what is necessary, proper, and legal to stop the release of Medal of Honor on October 12 on the basis that it poses a demonstrable danger to our troops by providing a training tool for those who wish to kill them," Thompson wrote. "I would also strongly suggest that the Defense Department find out who these Special Ops people are who have acted so foolishly in this regard [by consulting on the game]."

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103328-Jack-Thompson-Vows-to-Stop-Medal-of-Honor

Pretty frightening to think that the Taliban will be loading up Medal of Honor on their PS3's and Xbox 360's as a training tool to kill our troops.

LOL at Thompson trying to get the Spec Ops consultants in trouble

[Caine]

i thought this guy was out of the trouble making business?  oh well, we'll just have to go back to ignoring him.

[Toe]

i thought this guy was out of the trouble making business?  oh well, we'll just have to go back to ignoring him.

What i find amusingly ironic is that the only result of his actions is to give the game more media attention which will translate into more sales of the game. Well done Jack. Keep up the good work.

[CeeKay]

"With all respect for everything else on your plate, but as someone who has represented the surviving family members of such videogame-caused massacres, I personally urge you, as Secretary of Defense, to do what is necessary, proper, and legal to stop the release of Medal of Honor on October 12 on the basis that it poses a demonstrable danger to our troops by providing a training tool for those who wish to kill them," Thompson wrote. "I would also strongly suggest that the Defense Department find out who these Special Ops people are who have acted so foolishly in this regard [by consulting on the game]."

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103328-Jack-Thompson-Vows-to-Stop-Medal-of-Honor

Pretty frightening to think that the Taliban will be loading up Medal of Honor on their PS3's and Xbox 360's as a training tool to kill our troops.

LOL at Thompson trying to get the Spec Ops consultants in trouble

maybe some of them could 'correct' the situation 

[Sarkus]

It's not related to Jack's actions, but the military has announced that they aren't going to allow the game to be sold on any bases.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012840092_apusmilitaryvideogame.html

[Blackjack]

I went to school on army bases in Korea in 1979-1983. But I gotta say, chances are most soldiers order their games over the Internet these days, not at the base PX or BX. AAFES is not as important as it was 30 years ago.

As I've blabbed in the PC Medal of Honor thread, maybe ANY publicity for the game is good publicity at this point (even Jack Thompson being his usually "never played this game, don't know shit about it, but I'm unemployed and I need to be an ass again" self ), and will help ensure it isn't just COD:Modern Warfare XVIII roadkill.

I guess I can't talk about my brief stint in the MOH beta, so let's just say that I've heard that no, in fact there is no "Taliban campaign" in the game and no, there are no "Taliban specific" objectives in the multiplayer game. You just hold your objectives when you play as them, or you assault the U.S. soldiers' objectives. Does that sound scary? Is that going to turn us all into horrible terrorist monsters? If playing as Nazis in umpteen WWII shooters and playing as terrorists in umpteen modern combat games hasn't turned us all into horrible traitor monsters, then chances are very good Medal of Honor won't either.  

And dear Jack, for the love of God, go back to school and find something to do with your life that you're competent at, cause clearly Law is not your bailiwick.  

And actually, I have little interest in MOH's multiplayer at all. I'm eager to get the game and spend a campaign kicking Taliban butt. To get in the mood go watch my The Movies presentation from 2005...   I recommend it to Jack too...

The Rescue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYm4U6zvdno

[Eel Snave]

At this point, I wonder if Jack Thompson isn't just a character, like Kevin Butler. Someday he's going to reveal that he's Ted Mellmer, insurance salesman from Skokie, Illinois, who's been pulling an Andy Kaufman level of acting for the past twenty years.

[Roguetad]

EA hired him as part of a viral marketing campaign.  He will be an unlockable character in MP. 

[Sarkus]

I went to school on army bases in Korea in 1979-1983. But I gotta say, chances are most soldiers order their games over the Internet these days, not at the base PX or BX. AAFES is not as important as it was 30 years ago.

I'm going to assume that soldiers are following general trends and are most likely going to play MoH on a console, not download the PC version.  And console games means they are going to be looking to buy a physical copy.  So that's where this is relevant.  And soldiers overseas aren't necessarily going to have a lot of immediate local options.  Not that it will stop them from getting the game if they are so inclined.

[Razgon]

If people are really frigthened or find this to be distatefull, they should instead try taking a good look at the general level of violence in games these days, and the desentizivizing(sp?) effects it may have on younger audiences.

There's plenty to gripe about in the games industry, but like everything else, they are a symptom of the times and not the root of the issue.

[ericb]

It's not related to Jack's actions, but the military has announced that they aren't going to allow the game to be sold on any bases.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012840092_apusmilitaryvideogame.html

I don't understand this...I read two weeks ago that gamestops, etc were not going to sell the game on bases.  Why this big cry now about a ban when it was already not going to be there?

[Hamsterball_Z]

I went to school on army bases in Korea in 1979-1983. But I gotta say, chances are most soldiers order their games over the Internet these days, not at the base PX or BX. AAFES is not as important as it was 30 years ago.

I'm going to assume that soldiers are following general trends and are most likely going to play MoH on a console, not download the PC version.  And console games means they are going to be looking to buy a physical copy.  So that's where this is relevant.  And soldiers overseas aren't necessarily going to have a lot of immediate local options.  Not that it will stop them from getting the game if they are so inclined.

I think you can order a physical copy from Amazon.

[Turtle]

Not to mention that these games are probably the military's best recruiting methods, hence why they're willing to let such special operatives get involved in the making of these games in the first place.

Call of Duty and the like has probably done a lot to get people enlisted, though not in the right frame of mind.

It's really just a token move to try and stem any backlash, rather than real concern.

[Bob]

Cracks me up the only difference between this and any other shooter set in modern day is that MOH actually called the enemy Taliban instead of some made up terrorist faction.

So depicting the "Red Hand" killing British soldiers is okay, but depicting the Taliban doing it makes it a "tasteless product."

Also "role-play" as terrorists in the MP? Please.  As if anyone cares whether they are a terrorist or just blue team. My team. Not my team. That's as far as the thought process goes.

[morlac]

I went to school on army bases in Korea in 1979-1983. But I gotta say, chances are most soldiers order their games over the Internet these days, not at the base PX or BX. AAFES is not as important as it was 30 years ago.

I'm going to assume that soldiers are following general trends and are most likely going to play MoH on a console, not download the PC version.  And console games means they are going to be looking to buy a physical copy.  So that's where this is relevant.  And soldiers overseas aren't necessarily going to have a lot of immediate local options.  Not that it will stop them from getting the game if they are so inclined.

My observations are that this is not true.  A gaming laptop is much more portbale than an xbox + hi def TV.

[Larraque]

Also "role-play" as terrorists in the MP? Please.  As if anyone cares whether they are a terrorist or just blue team. My team. Not my team. That's as far as the thought process goes.

This.

[Gratch]

I fully support Jack being the public face of the anti-gaming crowd.  The dude is obviously nuts, and anyone with half a brain can tell he's completely full of shit.

I'd hate for someone who was actually competent and sane to lead that particular charge.