Fox pundit: gaming fuels sex crime

By Fred Dutton Published 8 February, 2011

The Bulletstorm backlash starts here.

As sure as night follows day, tabloid journalism was always going to be snapping at the heels of Epic's forthcoming OTT shooter Bulletstorm. Fox News is first out of the gate, accusing the game, and others like it, of being responsible for a recent spike in sex crimes.

In an article titled 'Is Bulletstorm the worst video game in the world?', Fox News pundit John Brandon corrals a number of expert talking heads to speculate on the possible social impact of the game's outrageous blood-letting.

"If a younger kid experiences Bulletstorm's explicit language and violence, the damage could be significant," claimed Dr. Jerry Weichman, a clinical psychologist at the Hoag Neurosciences Institute in Southern California.

"Violent video games like Bulletstorm have the potential to send the message that violence and insults with sexual innuendos are the way to handle disputes and problems."

Carol Lieberman, a psychologist and book author, went one better, proposing a link between gaming and increased instances of rape.

"The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games," she said.

Woah, hold up. That's quite a claim. Good thing Lieberman qualified it with verifiable research data. Oh wait, she didn't.

Neither Epic, developer People Can Fly or publisher EA chose to comment for the piece, but Hal Halpin, president of the Entertainment Consumers Association, added a more sober angle to the discussion.

"Between a great ratings system, parental controls on the consoles and the major retailers inhibiting the sale of Mature-rated games to minors, the matter is really one for parents and adults to consider, individually," he insisted.

"I respect the creative rights of game developers to make a game like Bulletstorm in the same way that I appreciate Quentin Tarantino's right to make over-the-top movies like Kill Bill."

The game's publisher, EA, has since chipped in, echoing Halpin's stance. The full statement, handed to Game Informer, read, "As you know, Bulletstorm is a work of entertainment fiction that takes place in the 26th century on the abandoned fictitious paradise planet Stygia, where our heroes fight mutants, monsters, flesh-eating plants and gigantic dinosaurs.

"Epic, People Can Fly and EA are avid supporters of the ESA and believe in the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) rating system. We believe in and abide by the policies put in place by the ESRB.

"Bulletstorm is rated M for Mature for blood and gore, intense violence, partial nudity, sexual themes, strong language and use of alcohol. The game and its marketing adhere to all guidelines set forth by the ESRB; both are designed for people 17+. Never is the game marketed to children.

"Epic, People Can Fly and EA support the right of artists to create works of entertainment fiction for consumers of all ages, including adults who enjoy action adventures like Bulletstorm. Much like Tarantino's Kill Bill or Rodriguez's Sin City, this game is an expression of creative entertainment for adults."

Should you be unfamiliar with the People Can Fly-developed FPS, the clip below should offer a little insight as to what to expect.

For all those willing to risk being transformed into a sex criminal, Bulletstorm launches on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 22nd February.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (83) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • lcmnick #1 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 12:48:44 14-04-2012

  • Cassock #2 1 year ago

    Unfortunately Carol Lieberman (psychologist!) I've never played a game that lets me be involved in the "playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games,"

    But if she knows of any, I'm all ears :p

  • LazyNinjaUk #3 1 year ago

    "If a younger kid experiences Bulletstorm's explicit language and violence, the damage could be significant," claimed Dr. Jerry Weichman, a clinical psychologist at the Hoag Neurosciences Institute in Southern California.

    Hence why the game is intended for adults genius.

  • Stratix #4 1 year ago

    This game isn't any more purile than schoolboy playground conversation. The news so loves to find something to blame, computer games seem a popular subject at the moment.

    I played rather a lot of Duke Nukem 3D when I was about 8, and have grown up a normal person, been a trainee accountant for a number of years and I am pretty sure I haven't raped anyone.

    Any problems like this with games come down to parenting. Damn right this game isn't suitable for childeren, and no I possibly shouldn't have played games like this when I was a child. But my parents knew I was mature enough to deal with this sort of thing and know I understand it's just a game.

    But adults playing this and deciding to rape? That beggars belief. Rapists gonna rape, computer games or no. Rape has been around a lot longer than computer games, and if someone has the inclination to do it in the first place, then I doubt a game is going to influence them one way or another. Might be good that the games keep them indoors to be honest.

  • geordiek #5 1 year ago

    If i had seen this on the onion's site i would have laughed and thought genius satire. But fucking hell this is real!
    Edited by geordiek at 08/02/11 @ 21:14

  • lucky_jim #6 1 year ago

    So that's why I keep raping people.

  • bad09 #7 1 year ago

    Is that why I'm a dirty pervert? Thought it was because I was a Scorpio...

    That reminds I keep meaning to find a hooker in GTA4 while using the 1st person mod. Which area of Liberty City is best I can't remember?

    Oh and go Fox news, you are a shining beacon to the world on how fucking dangerous the loons in America actually are :)

  • spotter5 #8 1 year ago

    @Cassock I think Heavy Rain sex scene is interactive. But not 100% sure.

  • the_dudefather #9 1 year ago

    'For all those willing to risk being transformed into a sex criminal, Bulletstorm launches on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 22nd February. '

    So it comes with night vision goggles then?

    /goes dogging

  • JJrabbit #10 1 year ago

    Penn and Teller: Bull**** should be used as the counter evidence. (Although, admittedly, 'counter-evidence' implies any evidence was given in the first place...).
    Edited by JJrabbit at 08/02/11 @ 21:22

  • Digitalkilla12 #11 1 year ago

    Un-Fooking-beliveable.....Only in America?

  • neilka #12 1 year ago

    The article has a still from Bulletstorms's Halo parody advert with the caption:
    "An artist's recreation of a scene from controversial video game Bulletstorm.."

    O_O

  • RobTheBuilder #13 1 year ago

    The popularity of Fox is possibly the single most depressing thing on the entire planet.
    I wish you wouldn't give them the publicity.

  • GaryHoward #14 1 year ago

    Fox News strikes again!

  • rockin_rob_1 #15 1 year ago

    So what, if i continue playing computer games I'm going to start raping people?!

    Why didn't someone figure this out sooner? Does this mean if I carry on playing mario I'm going to start jumping on turtles?
    Edited by rockin_rob_1 at 08/02/11 @ 21:44

  • ro-kurorai #16 1 year ago

    Best closing comment ever, EG, EVER ^^

  • Embar #17 1 year ago

    I disregarded Fox "News" as a sensationalist media troll long ago. I no longer take issue with anything they say because, when you stop listening to them, it no longer matters.

    What I do take issue with is the games industry reporting on what they say. It's a dialogue between Fox and sites like Eurogamer that needs to be severed.

    Fox makes reports on games for sensationalism and games journalists report on Fox for their sensational stupidity. It's a circle of crap that does nothing but devalue the most engaging medium on the planet today.

  • Chakitty #18 1 year ago

    Smoking is also bad for a child (also everyone) that's why we have age restrictions in place. Don't want kids playing mature games? Don't buy it for them!

  • Climhazzard #19 1 year ago

    I'd like to use most of the bad language in the game to describe just how shit Fox News are. Go find some proper news instead of just making up pure bullshit! I swear this stuff just annoys me so much.

  • joelstinton #20 1 year ago

    Eurogamer reader: Fox news fuels racism, hate and extreme right wing fascism.

    Edited by joelstinton at 08/02/11 @ 21:51

  • elmoape #21 1 year ago

    I thought as fox owns ign they wouldn't be spouting bullshit like this...

  • HD79RML #22 1 year ago

    Curiously, watching Fox News creates in me an anger-fueled desire for murder, and violent videogames or movies don't... Go figure!

  • KungFuSpoon #23 1 year ago

    "If a younger kid experiences Bulletstorm's explicit language and violence, the damage could be significant," claimedDr. Jerry Weichman, a clinical psychologist at the Hoag Neurosciences Institute in Southern California.

    If a younger child experiences bulletstorm the issue is with bad parenting not video games.

    "The increase in rapes can be attributed in largepart to theplaying out of [sexual] scenes in video games," she said.

    It could also be attributed to the position of the moon or the BP oil leak. But more realistically it could be attributed to social changes for which there is actual credible studies.
    That said part of the problem is these 'experts' are asked loaded questions or asked for off the cuff opinions on subjects for which they have no research, in much the same way they did with mass effect.

  • The-Bodybuilder #24 1 year ago

    >""Violent video games like Bulletstorm have the potential to send the message that violence and insults with sexual innuendos are the way to handle disputes and problems.""

    Really? I would've thought your hollywood movies and easy access and glorification of guns was at the heart of that.

  • paulf #25 1 year ago

    is that the same fox news who's grasp of world affairs is summed up by

    http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907270040

  • funkateer #26 1 year ago

    "The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games,", she said

    Since when is a sexual scene the same as rape? That woman must have some twisted sex life.

  • RandomRash #27 1 year ago

    I'm quite shy so i'm definitely buying this!

  • mrStones #28 1 year ago

    FOX News makes me raep fings

  • gnrlstuart #29 1 year ago

    im genuinely not trying to be a smartarse here, but surely if you're playing videogamames (ones with absolutely no sexual content within) indoors, its impossible to rape someone? anyway wouldn't dodgy sex games be more likely to fuel sex crime?

  • gjgjg #30 1 year ago

    Honestly, I don't see why EA don't go on record and smash the crap out of the likes of Fox news. I could be wrong but I don't think the corporate games world is as tied to the corporate machine in general, as would the likes of other industries, giving it a tad more freedom than most. It's not like EA need to advertise on Fox... (or maybe they do, I dunno - eve if they do then Fox need EA a lot more than the other way round). Anyway, there's far more ammo to be used against Fox et al, why not take out the fistycuffs?

  • Gearskin #31 1 year ago

    trust me! Im a doctor!

  • coolbritannia #32 1 year ago

    Fox News: http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907270040

    edit - Paulf beat me to it
    Edited by coolbritannia at 09/02/11 @ 00:35

  • DrStrangelove #33 1 year ago

    I don't think Fox News is tabloid journalism. It's a few levels lower. It's even lower than rape, actually.

    However, I must have that game. I'll tell you if it made me rape anyone.

  • Ged42 #34 1 year ago

    Epic must be rubbing their hands

    'Free publicity, here we come'

  • Lateralus2001 #35 1 year ago

    Here we go again...

    It used to make me slighty upset, these sort of attacks in the mainstream media. Not anymore. However, what still does bother me slightly is the video game industries repsonse.

    If Bulletstorm was a TV show; can you imagine the producers reaction to these sort of claims? This Dr would be heading for a day or two in court. Making this sort of false claim without giving a shred of evidence is really out of order.

    How can the video games industry expect to be taken seriously when they let people obviously looking for a bit of exposure spout such unsubstantiated nonense?

    Instead of the ESRB releasing a statement, they should support Epic in a lawsuit against Fox News and this bloody Doctor.

    It's time the video game industry actually stood up for itself and showed some balls for fucks sake.






  • inutaihanyou #36 1 year ago

    Fox is bottom of the barrel stuff brits, try not to generalize us too hard.

  • FladgeMangle #37 1 year ago

    Fox News. A clear definition of an oxymoron right there.

    You'd think that an organisation so apparently keen to convert all of it's followers lnto gun loving bigots would embrace this kind of thing were it true. So obviously it isn't.

  • inutaihanyou #38 1 year ago

    The only reason Fox has the demographic of "most watched news channel" is because the entire rightwing of America en masse watches the channel and banishes any other network as "lamestream media", whereas the rest of the country either don't watch the news, or get their news from multiple sources

  • menage #39 1 year ago

    The game isn't even out yet and already there's crimes comitted.

    Buys bullet proof vest.

  • FenderMaster #40 1 year ago

    with the exception of some of the ridiculous costumes seen in fightin games and JRPG's, videogames are probably the least sexualised of all entertainment media.

    I say more sex, the same amount of violence and less "research"

  • Sunyavadin #41 1 year ago

    Dunno about you, but all my sex crimes are fuelled by gaming.

    The first day I played Pokemon I was waiting outside the school gates with my hands on my "pokeballs" ready to "catch 'em all"

    Playing Petz got me arrested on animal cruelty charges.

    Barbie Horse Adventure led to me having a dungeon full of illegal immigrant sex slave ponygirls, until it was raided by the police.

    And the less said about "UP: The video game" the better....

  • Stuz359 #42 1 year ago

    I can't be arsed to read the rest of the comments, but what the fuck happened to personal responsiblility? Why is everything everyone elses fault? It's a fucking joke.

  • MattEdWithCheese #43 1 year ago

    its true! after playing the demo I just had to try out this... Rapism thing and now I swear by it!

  • TheRealBadabing #44 1 year ago

    This and the advertising thing on Sky Sports makes me think that the Murdoch "family" is working quite closely with EA. Very clever marketing strategy, much more effective than a straight TV ad.

  • azic #45 1 year ago

    If I don't get it on release day, I'm raping 3 game employees at random, even though I did not pre order from them.
    I'm sick like that, I just don't give a fuck, I played all those Lego games and family game night on wii, that shit got me all twisted up, and now I'm one mean mother fucker not to be fucked with.

  • inutaihanyou #46 1 year ago

    A nation that believes in a bloke in the sky protecting them gets no respect from me."

    Pretty sure a lot of nations would qualify wouldn't you say? Not to stop the religious intolerance, really, go on.

  • NewbieZilla #47 1 year ago

    If only that Jack the Ripper chap hadn't played Grand Theft Auto.

  • Timbercottage #48 1 year ago

    LMFAO!!!!

  • man.the.king #49 1 year ago

    "gaming fuels sex crime "

    Sure - as much as movies, books, and plays do - IF such tendencies are pre-existing in you.

    Another gem from Fox "news", home of the extreme right-wing American.
    Edited by man.the.king at 09/02/11 @ 05:06

  • Reckless99 #50 1 year ago

    http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/434/f...

    Gotta love Fox News.
    Edited by Reckless99 at 09/02/11 @ 05:20

  • Dave52 #51 1 year ago

    Fox News = Oxymoron

  • 3william56 #52 1 year ago

    I'm more worried about the time traveling sex perves who've come back from the future to cause the spike in sex crimes before the game's release date. They will obviously just quantum leap back to before this Fair And Balanced (TM) warning was issued and noone will be safe!

    PS. Does Julian Assange play Bulletstorm by any chance?

  • Murton #53 1 year ago

    The only way video games are going to give kids the impression that violence and harsh language is an acceptable way to deal with disputes is if nobody tells them otherwise, or in other words, if their parents let the games consoles bring up their child for them.

    By right-wing US standard my parents were probably liberal slackers for allowing this but I watched the likes of Terminator and Die Hard when they first aired on Sky with my dad despite being about 10 at the time, my dad also let me play Doom and Duke Nukem 3D pretty much on release after playing each a while himself, again I was far too young at the time but, so far, I haven't gone on any sort of killing spree. I can only assume that the reason behind this must be because I had some sort of education or upbringing alongside my hobby that told me that guns and bad language weren't a rational response to disputes and that murderous rampages are generally frowned upon and so not cool.

    America, stop blaming entertainment for your societal problems and start going after lazy parents, you'll probably see a vast improvement with your next generation if you stop this witch hunt and start teaching your kids about social responsibility.

  • aphex187 #54 1 year ago

    Coming from an anti Muslim channel that also had a panel not so long ago saying that 'we should get a special forces unit together and take wikileaks Julian Assange out!' They are saying on night time tv to kill someone in cold blood? They said it? wtf is the world coming too, and people think conspiracy's are bs?

    I wasn't going to buy this game but i might just do now so FU FOX!

  • Buztafen #55 1 year ago

    "As you know, Bulletstorm is a work of entertainment fiction that takes place in the 26th century on the abandoned fictitious paradise planet Stygia, where our heroes fight mutants, monsters, flesh-eating plants and gigantic dinosaurs."

    :D This line just needs a 'Chill the fuck out dickheads' at the end.

  • GaryStew1980 #56 1 year ago

    Well if Fox says it, it must be true they are the "Fair and Balanced" network after all. They never push their own beliefs and agendas on anyone, so I for one will now stop playing computer games.

  • flaming.carrot #57 1 year ago

    If America actually had a legally enforced age rating system on it's games then the fuel would not be there for sensationalist twats like Fox News to make this non-story up.

    Saying that though, I saw a Blockbuster employee quite happily selling a second hand copy of Fight Night 4 to a 6 year old (or thereabouts) the other day.
    Edited by flaming.carrot at 09/02/11 @ 09:25

  • irve77 #58 1 year ago

    Sexual scenes ?

    videogames ?

    wait i thought all our games were made to adhear to the american retarded system of "graphic violence is ok but sexual content will corrupt our children"

    oh .. wait ... do you mean those PG rated sex scenes from mass effect ?

    typical fox news crap.

  • Riggers #59 1 year ago

    Every time I see an article about Fox News, the more grateful I am that the Daily Mail doesn't have its own channel.

    ""The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games," she said. "

    Really? How many sexual scenes are there in video games? The only ones I can think of (outside of pervy niche Japanese titles) is God of War (where the camera cuts away from the...er, action) and Mass Effect (which is hardly hardcore). And even if sexual scenes were as prevalent as in TV and film - does anyone seriously believe that gamers across the globe would go full on rapey?

    Where the hell do they find these nutjobs and quacks?

  • carlitoswagon #60 1 year ago

    Should read; Fox News help BulletStorm sales with some free PR. Estimations are an extra million untis will be snapped up as a result.

    Hats off chumps. You've created a new legion of rapists.

  • hiddenranbir #61 1 year ago

    Watch out ladies, I've got the bullet storm coming on.

  • octavedoctor #62 1 year ago

    Ah nothing like a bit of bad publicity to boost sales! It'll fly off the shelves now.

  • edhe #63 1 year ago

    Can we just stop calling fox 'news' and consider them a competitor for the onion now?

  • scowat #64 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 16:41:01 08-02-2012

  • kinky_mong #65 1 year ago

    Dying form of media makes petty report to try and discredit much more successful form of media. More at 11.

  • Gastrian #66 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 17:56:43 13-04-2012

  • Sunyavadin #67 1 year ago

    ""The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games," she said. "

    Wait - I thought it was down to the rise in the number of Muslims in the population.

    Or was that Mexicans?

    No, hang on, it was down to a decline in christian family values.

    Sorry, my bad, it's all sex education's fault. Or abortions. Or the gay agenda. Or something.

  • respectyourelder #68 1 year ago

    If White America told the truth for one day it's world would fall apart

  • carlitoswagon #69 1 year ago

    ^^^^

    Profoundly deep but true.

  • DiamondIce #70 1 year ago

    Coupled with the story regarding the boy who spent over £1000 on his 360, I feel I do not need to go any place other than Eurogamer for all my comedy needs.

    I love how so-called experts can pluck nonsense from the sky and pass it off as being valid without any evidence to back them up. Shouldn't the gaming industry come out and counter act this rubbish?

    Anyway I've spent far too long typing on here. I'm going back to raping all those aboard the Normandy.

  • Repsode #71 1 year ago

    What if reading a Fox News report on how a game makes people more inclined to rape makes me want to rape someone?

    'BREAKING NEWS: Fox News fuels sex crime'

    Well by their 'logic' it could happen right?

  • obidanshinobi #72 1 year ago

    Not like there is much violence and "sexual innuendo" on American TV is there.....?
    People all over the world play the same violent games but no where else on the planet are normal everyday people murdering each other at such a high rate as in the USA.
    Fox News should be renamed Fox Opinions, news is supposed to be unbias and impartial, anyone that has seen Fox News will know that its anything but.

  • linksdad #73 1 year ago

    My "gateway drug" into video games was rape and sexual assault....

  • SFG_Clan #74 1 year ago

    It really just shows you that these pundits and experts really know nothing of video games.
    They think all video games are aimed at kids despite the ratings system, and there seems to be a failure to grasp that, just like films, video games have a range of audiences that each one specifically targets.
    If a parent wants to buy their child or teenager under seventeen this game then that is there call, it's only a game.

    Let's not also forget that many media outlets especially Fox News constantly fashion a narrative of fear out of almost any story and taking any of their 'news' coverage seriously is deterimental to your brains intelligence.

  • kristo #75 1 year ago

    I now want this game more now. Excellent work Fox!

  • respectyourelder #76 1 year ago

    @carlitoswagon

    Much as I would love to claim it as my own, it's the title of a Manic's song from way back in 1994... and yet it only get's more relevant as time goes by...

  • respectyourelder #77 1 year ago

    I played Leisure Suite Larry a couple of years back and have been murdering people in incredibly graphic and violent ways ever since by this logic.

  • Paulie_P #78 1 year ago

    I love the world we live in where sex causes more offence than violence.
    Edited by Paulie_P at 09/02/11 @ 12:27

  • glaeken #79 1 year ago

    Wow the makers of Bulletstorm must be delighted at this. This is bound to help sales massively. I almost wonder if the devs have deliberately tipped Fox off to their game in some way. Bulletstorm was a game I was expecting to bomb but publicity like this might just save it.

    Edited by glaeken at 09/02/11 @ 13:15

  • blanka #80 1 year ago

    I just read FOx News and my mind went blank ! Now is that some useful brain washing or what? XD

  • roquey Verified Lead Quality Assurance Tester and Compliance Specialist, Universally Speaking #81 1 year ago

    "If a younger kid experiences Bulletstorm's explicit language and violence, the damage could be significant,"
    This isnt the games fault, its the parents buying it.

    "Violent video games like Bulletstorm have the potential to send the message that violence and insults with sexual innuendos are the way to handle disputes and problems."
    So do films. your point is?

    "The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of [sexual] scenes in video games,"
    News just in. Porn makes people want to rape others.

    I dont get the reason for crap like this. They're acting like fox news is a saint! Pull your head out your bosses arse.

  • udat #82 1 year ago

    [citation needed]

  • asphaltcowboy #83 1 year ago

    I really enjoyed the Bulletstorm demo.

    But then I am very immature. And also a rapist.