GamePolitics Responds to Bogost’s Charges

Earlier this week I featured a well thought out if disturbing article Designing For Tragedy by Ian Bogost on the controversial V-Tech Rampage and Super Columbine Massacre RPG games. Another article written in the spirit of debate now answers the charges leveled by Bogost at GamePolitics. Here is a quick summation of the finer points.

GP admits to finding V-Tech Rampage in poor taste and that he did say the game will be used by some video game critics to support their anti-game agendas which, he points out, they already have in NY and elsewhere.

However, GP does not feel he supports “the industry over the medium”. He simply voiced an opinion that the industry should have been more proactive about V-Tech Rampage and Super Columbine Massacre RPG (SCMRPG) and on what they should have done in response. Also he admits that SCMRPG is better technically than V-Tech Rampage and was probably created without malice, he still doesn’t like it because it “creeps him out.”

He also says he would not banish games such as V-Tech Rampage and SCMRPG, but he does reserve the right to voice his hatred of them.

GP also believes that Bogost’s challenge to the industry to create a game on the V-Tech tragedy would be a really bad idea both from a sense of poor taste and business. he issues a responding challenge to Bogost.

If a commercial Virginia Tech game is such a great idea, put your money where your mouth is. Make the game yourself and see if the New York Times – with which you have a groundbreaking partnership deal – will run it.

This is a well thought out response to the article and is worth a read, including the comments made by Bogost himself. Feed your brain. Check it out.