Everyone reading this will know that most mainstream journalists and most politicians do not understand video games, it is one of the main themes of this blog and so has been written about here in dozens of articles (here are just a few):
American neo conservative has video game sex problem
Another silly woman writes for the Daily Mail
Out of the lack of understanding comes fear. So we have lots of politicians and journalists who are frightened of video games. And so they come out with a lot of criticism of gaming that is a best misinformed but which is often just plain wrong, to the point of being exactly opposite to the truth.
Two exceptions to this in the UK are the MPs Ed Vaizey and Tom Watson, both of whom have listened to the games industry. So they are well informed and say sensible things.
Our arch nemesis in Parliament is Keith Vaz who never misses an opportunity to display his lack of understanding of video games in speeches in the House. After Vaz’s latest ignorant outburst, about Modern Warfare 2, Tom Watson had heard enough. He hurried to his computer and set up a Facebook group, Gamer’s Voice, in response. Here is his description of the group: “Are you sick of UK newspapers and (my fellow) politicians beating up on gaming? So am I. The truth is, UK gamers need their own pressure group. I want to help you start one up. I don’t know how it should work yet but please register your interest if you agree that gamers need their voice hear in the corridors of power.”
News of this spread round the web like wildfire, pretty soon Gamer’s Voice had thousands of members. And there was an emotional outpouring from gamers who have just had enough of their pastime being beaten up by ignorant politicians and journalists. The power of the internet once again proving that it is greater than the power of the establishment.
It is a fact now that most people play video games. So most people understand video games. So the stupid politicians just make themselves look absolutely ridiculous to the voters when they make their ignorant and misinformed speeches. Keith Vaz has succeeded in making himself a figure of derision for a lot of people.
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In the House of Commons yesterday:
Keith Vaz.
“Is the Minister aware that at midnight tonight a new and violent videogame called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is to be released? It contains such scenes of brutality that even the manufacturers have put in warnings within the game telling people how they can skip particular scenes. Given the recommendations of the Byron Review, what steps is the government proposing to take in order to ensure these violent games do not fall into the hands of children and young people?â€
Tom Watson.
“I’ve seen the content in this videogame. It is unpleasant, though no worse than in many films and books, it is an 18-plus game and carries the BBFC 18-plus rating as well. Does the Minister agree that it would be better for this House to support the many thousands of games designers and coders and the many millions of games users, rather than collaborating with the Daily Mail to create moral panic over the use of videogames?â€
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There is also a good Facebook group to join called “P45 for Keith Vaz”
Noticed membership booming after his idiotic comments yesterday.
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There’s a difference between Ed Vaizey and Tom Watson, IMHO. Tom is interested in the games industry because, well, he’s interested in the games industry. Ed is interested in the games industry because it’s within his remit in the shadow government.
Come the next shadow cabinet reshuffle (if before the election), Vaizy won’t still be campaigning for the games industry. Watson will.
And therein lies the difference.
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Theres now politics on how people spend their spare time in their own home?