Ben Reid
16 Oct 2006 14:17
Controversy has been surrounding Take Two published video game "Bully" recently after veteran campaigner against violence in games and music Jack Thompson had brought a case calling for the banning of the game in Florida as a "public nuisance".
After viewing a copy of the game being played however, Florida Judge Ronald Friedman has said that whilst the game is of a violent nature, it is not a nuisance.
It was though that the title - in which the player becomes a new arrival who has to negotiate his way through the complex and sometimes violent world of boarding school - could have been banned in the US before its release, but the game is now expected to retail on 17th October.
Last week, much to the surprise of civil rights activists, Friedman ordered Take Two to demonstrate the game to him - despite recent legal precedent which does not support pre-publication rulings on material.
"There's a lot of violence. A whole lot. Less than we see on television every night," told Friedman, according to the Miami Herald. "Does that mean I would want my children to view it? No. But does it rise to a point that its a nuisance? The answer is no from what I saw."
In an interesting discussion with OUT-LAW Radio last month, Thompson shed light on his "public nuisance" debate, saying, "In Florida you have what is called a nuisance statute which says that a private citizen can get an injunction to shut down any commercial activity that is dangerous to the public, so I think that the statute is appropriate to apply to this game.. I filed the lawsuit to prevent the sale of the game to school age kids, because this is where the real danger is.
"No-one is trying to ban it outright, but as it stands now, regardless of the rating that the game may get, anyone of any age will be able to buy it and that is just very dangerous. America has become the land of the free and the home of the utterly depraved."
Friedman said that he would schedule a further hearing after the game has been released. However, Thompson is said to not be planning further pursuit of the case.
Sources:
- Miami Herald
- Out-Law