A trailer for Rockstar Games’ Bully is out – just in time for the protests to really heat up.
The game has yet to even arrive in stores around the world, and it’s already gathering tons of negative press from opponents who say it will cause children to “act out” what they see on the screen.
UK-based Bullying Online, a nonprofit organization, is calling for the game’s ban. The agency recently sent a media release to Igniq.com.
“We’d hoped that Rockstar had ditched this game following our complaints about it a year ago,” said Bullying Online director Liz Carnell. “We don’t think this game is likely to leave players with a warm and fuzzy feeling.”
That sentiment is echoed by Labour MP for Leichester East, Keith Vas, who has championed the Video Games Bill and has called for the banning of Bully. The Miami-Dade School Board is urging retailers to refuse to sell the title. And others are lining up to oppose it.
Based on the trailer that’s out, I’m not sure Bully is worth all the hype. While I still think it would be fun to stink bomb a bully, the game doesn’t look like my cup of tea, personally. But, I find it incredibly hard to believe it would have children all over the UK and abroad trying to beat each other up any more than they already do.
I’m not saying that bullying isn’t a serious issue in schools and life in general. I’m also not saying that school officials shouldn’t take bullying seriously. I’m a parent of a school-aged child and a toddler, so the topic concerns me, too.
But, bullies have ruled playgrounds since playgrounds were created. I have no doubt that will continue with or without Bully making its way to retailers.
As for the impact of what kids watch molding their behaviors, shouldn’t we be more worried about the current state of international affairs and the negative impact that can have on our children? I can’t turn on a television lately without seeing scenes of war raging and hearing about terror plots and mass destruction.
Not that I’d let them play it (yes, I censor my kids), but I can at least explain to my daughters that Bully is a game and it’s not real. I wish I could say the same for terror plots, Lebanon and the Middle East entirely.
Check out the Bully trailer by clicking here.
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