What were they thinking?

[Admiral Huddy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/6768695.stm

:(

This is outrageous and disgusting. What were the developers thinking of? So ok, they apologise but what was going through their minds in the first place. Surely they must have known that this would cause some upset and anger particular with the parents of James Bulger. This wasn’t just one person developing this game.. it’s gone through teams of people before it hit the shelves. Publishers, testers etc.. did not one person think “Hey, hang on a minute”? I’m baffled.

Games enthusiast for years have been defending that video games aren’t directly responsible for mindless acts of crime and extreme violence yet this only fuels the debate in favour of those who claim they do.

The reason I play video games is that the experience takes me to a fictional place away from reality knowing that no one will be hurt. Legacy have obviously felt they needed to push a few boundaries when in fact they’ve crossed the line.

[Haly]

That does some stupid, just seems so tasteless and thoughtless.

[Desmo]

As you say mate, surely at least ONE person must have thought "hang on a minute, we can't use that image".

[mejinks]

I was watching this on the news last night. Its absolutely horrible.

Then I read that the murderers were released after 8 years. Don't know whats worse.

[Garp]

I was stunned when I saw this on the news. Okay I'm prepared to allow people to debate about Manhunt 2 a bit, though I think its pushing the boundaries itself; but this is sublimely ridiculous!

[Garp]

in what way is it ridiculous Garp? The fact that they used the image or the fact that there's been such an outcry?

Sorry, should have been clearer in my post. Its ridiculous that it made it into the game. That some one, or at least several someones felt it was appropriate to include it. HOWEVER I do feel it has been blown a little out of proportion by certain high-horse loving media journos. It is just an image in the background of a scene, its not like the game is making it very clear, or encouraging anyone to go out and do it.

[Daz]

You have to wonder if they even knew what the image was. American IP, American developer, American publisher - the Bulger case wouldn't have had quite the media penetration over there that it did over here. Perhaps some noob developer simply Googled for a some sort of cctv child abduction phrase and had that returned?

It's right that it's been pulled, and the publisher needs to put processes in place to stop it happening again - but did someone or some people who knew what this image was sit round a table and decide it was ok to use? I doubt it.

[Desmo]

VERY good point Daz.

[Garp]

It's a fair point you made too Garp, but at the end of the day if it was your child, i bet you'd want it pulled and you'd not care who shouted about it to get it done. I imagine that's how Denise Fergus feels anyway :)

Oh yeah, no arguments there at all. I don't blame her in the slightest. I wouldn't even blame the journos for kicking up a fuss if it had been done in the right way instead of sensationalising it.

[Admiral Huddy]

Garp, I'm not sure if you remember what a stir this caused at the time. It wasn't just any abduction, it was an abduction by two children one of whom had a history of child abuse from their father. It made the whole country and the government realise that society wasn't as safe as we thought and something had to be done. I strongly feel that this was a turning point for our society. I'm convinced that from thenon, that we became more protective over our children. Some would argue if that's a good thing or not.

[JodieG]

I agree and was disgusted when I read about this. What happened to that poor little boy was horrendous, some of the things they did to him were just heartbreaking and I was shocked that 2 children so young could have done such acts to a toddler. I am fairly protective of my children and I don't feel that's wrong, I know the risks are small that they would be abducted but you just never know and I don't want to roll those dice. I don't feel I'm overprotective though.

[Garp]

Garp, I'm not sure if you remember what a stir this caused at the time. It wasn't just any abduction, it was an abduction by two children one of whom had a history of child abuse from their father. It made the whole country and the government realise that society wasn't as safe as we thought and something had to be done. I strongly feel that this was a turning point for our society. I'm convinced that from thenon, that we became more protective over our children. Some would argue if that's a good thing or not.

I only vaguely remember the actual incident occurring, I'm not sure if I've ever come across as trying to trivialise it in any way? If I have that's certainly never been my intention. When I'm talking about sensationalising it I'm literally referring to the stuff this week. I've seen media linking this game in with all sorts of crap, especially following so close on the heels of Manhunt 2, its that kind of sensationalising I have an issue with :) I think its only right that its been mentioned in the media, but as ever there are appropriate ways of doing it.

[Daz]

It was also a clue in the game I believe, not just a picture in the background. As for it being pulled by a N00b developer - it's possible, but surely they have to find copyright on any images used, and if they even began to start that process they would sure as hell know what it was.
So you believe some guys in this development company sat down and decided to fetch an image from the James Bulger case for use in their game? Personally, I dont see that as a likely scenario.

I'm with Garp on this, in that I dont think this deserves the media coverage it's received. A image was (in my opinion) unknowingly used in a game, this image has absolutely no place in any entertainment context (to quote his mother), and that's a universally accepted opinion (family, press, pubic, developer, publisher, distributor). The game was pulled, apologies were offered to the family, the developer explained that this is the first they've heard of the origins of the image and without hesitation have pulled it from sale until the image is removed. The correct outcome, end of story tbh. If you read some of the coverage of this post Manhunt 2's ban, you'd think this developer is arguing the point.

[Daz]

Bah, I feel back in SC again :D

So you believe some guys in this development company sat down and decided to fetch an image from the James Bulger case for use in their game? Personally, I dont see that as a likely scenario.
Substitute 'fetch' with 'use' in my post, that was an oversight in my proof read, apologies.

So, having clarified my point - that I don't believe some people sat down around a table and decided to use(not fetch) this image, knowing what it was and where it came from - I stand by what I said. The end of your comment ("but surely they have to find copyright on any images used, and if they even began to start that process they would sure as hell know what it was.") implied that in your opinion this was the case, and that seems like a very unlikely scenario to me.