The Mass Effect SeXbox Controversy
January 25, 2008 - Games - Politics
In case you haven't heard of the recent scandal involving Kevin McCullough, Fox News, and Mass Effect, let me give you the quick summary. First, conservative columnist Kevin McCullough wrote an article about Mass Effect in which he said players could "hump in every form, format, multiple, gender-oriented possibility they can think of." Holy inaccuracy, Batman. he also said that the game featured "the most realistic sex acts ever conceived" and claimed that players could customize an avatar's body and breast size. I'm not sure where he got all this, but not a word of it is true. He apparently received numerous emails, and has since removed the original article and posted an apology, but this is where Fox News picked things up.
Fox aired a news segment in which the anchor says the game is "leaving nothing to the imagination...", and has the "ability for the players to engage in graphic sex". She goes on to say "the person playing the game gets to decide exactly what's going to happen between the two people, if you know what I mean..."
To me, the anchor and the uninformed "expert" speaking out against the game came off as complete idiots, whereas Geoff Keighley, the Spike TV game expert who told them all that their statements were completely incorrect, was continually cut off. This is the saddest thing since the rating on Oblivion was changed due to user modding.
More recently, Electronic Arts has asked Fox News to correct their errors. Electronic Arts VP Jeff Brown stated that anchorwoman Martha MacCallum and guest Cooper Lawrence were dead wrong in their characterization of the game as, essentially, interactive porn. And on Amazon, Cooper Lawrence's book was spammed with poor reviews. Watch out for the internet. It retaliates.
As of this writing, the most recent news is that Fox has said "Fox News Channel has extended several invitations to EA through a company representative to appear on 'Live Desk With Martha MacCallum' to discuss 'Mass Effect' and the segment which aired on Monday. We have received no response." EA responded "Not much to say other than there's no interest here in another debate with an 'expert' that will say anything to sell a book. They need to step up and correct the record." So looks like each party is waiting on the other to take a next step. So I'm guessing this is the end of the story.
Anyway, the original Fox News segment is pretty outlandish. You can watch it online if you like.
Similarly, your "experts" obviously never bothered looking at the game.
My point--there is no shortage of self-proclaimed experts in the world.
Years back, when Disney re-released "Bambi," there was a spread in the McNews (a.k.a. USA Today) where some woman in a man-styled suit proclaimed that HER daughter would not be permitted to see such a "violent" movie. If you've ever seen "Bambi," my point is made.
I think these people should get a life, or at least look at something before publishing a review.