Rockstar Big Baby Over Simpsons Game
Go on and give Rockstar all the props you want for forging ahead with the release of Manhunt 2 even amidst the perfect storm of the current publicity controversy. But the tough guys of the videogame industry are looking like a bunch of babies with their protests over the Grand Theft Auto series being parodied (along with a buttload of other genres and titles) in The Simpsons Game. EA has gone back into the game to revise the content, and I just don't see why that's necessary. Was Rockstar still stinging from having to alter the content of Manhunt 2? The Simpsons Game executive producer Matt Selman fired back on Geoff Keighley's Game Head program:
The game begins with Bart wanting to play a game called Grand Theft Scratchy. Of course this is a parody of Grand Theft Auto. And Marge immediately takes it away from him. She tries to clean up the town and stop the game from being distributed in Springfield because Marge is against video game violence. She uses horrific violence to stop video game violence… in a video game.Thats called irony… The people who make Grand Theft Auto, they spazzed out like little babies.
Them's fightin' words. Although they have a good point in noting in another quote about how the GTA games are chock full of parody titles. So what's the difference? But their deepest dig at Rockstar, they saved for the end: "Their games are amazing," Selman said. "Trust me, I'll be the first person in line to play Grand Theft Auto 4… in five years when it comes out." Ooh, snap!
Rockstar "Spazzed Out Like Little Babies" Says Simpsons Producer [GamePolitics.com]
Wootini
Posted to Video Games on 29 October 2007
· Comments (4)
Other stuff like this: babies, censorship, ea, grand theft auto, rockstar, the simpsons game
Wowza! Someone saying it like it is! Love it :)
Parody is parody, and Rockstar should be the first to understand that it includes their mega-huge-super hit GTA.
"Trust me, I'll be the first person in line to play Grand Theft Auto 4… in five years when it comes out."
Too many snarky jokes can be made right back in EA's direction with this little number. The Superman Returns jabs alone could fill an entire page of comments! But what should be noted is that Rockstar actually has a great track record with release dates and GTA4 is the first time they've needed to have a Zelda-like delay. All their other major titles have shipped on time, relatively bug free-ish (compared to EA), and have quality gameplay.
Like most, I would have enjoyed the parody titling of "Grand Theft Scratchy."
Having said that, I can absolutely understand why Take Two/Rockstar wanted to avoid making light of the subject. All too often they are left in the difficult position of defending their content. They are frequently accused of making violent, adult games and marketing them to children. They are going to be in the hot seat when the violence of Manhunt 2 (which is again rated for mature audiences) makes its inevitable rounds on the nightly news this week. If they were to allow the producers of The Simpson's game to use the parody title, it could be construed as making light of a subject that they must take very seriously.
Just my two queer cents...
Rockstar is upset about what is essentially even more free advertising?
I find it ironic (or something) that they take time to cry about 1 random parody of the title of one of their games, but the COUNTLESS games that have completely ripped off every other aspect of GTA is apparently fine with them.
If you ask me, they are publicity geniuses and this is just another stunt.