Games industry turns on govt
Thursday, 12 March 2009 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
The government's Change4Life advertisement has picked up critics from a number of video game publishers.
The recent government ad featured a young boy holding a PlayStation-like controller beneath the words 'Risk an early DEATH; Just do nothing.'
The Change4Life ad, which is supported by Cancer Research, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK, has been featured in a number of women's lifestyle magazines.
The ELSPA has already spoken out against the ad, with games industry website MCV posting an official complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority.
Others have now joined MCV's case, including the national trade association representing the commercial interests of games developers in the UK and Europe, Tiga.
Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, said: "This advert is absurd and insulting in equal measure.
"To imply that playing a video game leads to a premature rendezvous with the Grim Reaper is a non-sequitur of colossal proportions. Alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, obesity and involvement in violent crime are forms of behaviour that risk an early death."
He continued: "In contrast, many video games are mentally stimulating, potentially educational and social and some involve physical exercise. This advert is offensive to the 30,000 people who work in the UK's video games industry, particularly the 10,000 who work in games development."
Video game publishers have also joined the cause, included Atari, Sega, Codemasters and Konami. Sony is rumoured to be taking legal action, due to a PlayStation-like controller being used in the campaign.
An Atari spokesperson told MCV: "Atari fully supports MCV's complaint to the ASA. At best, the campaign is misleading and at worst, damaging to the industry, its reputation and its potential."
Sega Europe president and COO Mike Hayes commented: "Naturally we were very disappointed with the inference created within the Change4Life press advertisement. It remains a deep frustration that video gaming is selected to present a negative image of the UK's children, youth, consumer at large and the industry.
"Television, radio, cinema, listening to music, computing, video gaming and of course, reading all require a high element of passive participation, but of all these media types it is video gaming that provides the most potential interaction and activity.
"It seems that an advertisement has been put together by a poorly informed advertising agency."
Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens told MCV: "As usual, they [the government] are out of touch, respond too late and their so called facts or intelligence is normally flawed.
"They are ignorant of the good that video games do."
UK general manager of Konami Peter Stone added: "We refute the accusations that gaming is a sedentary pastime, and feel such comments are damaging and do not reflect the wide range of activity-related titles that are both available and immensely popular."
Despite these comments from industry professionals, the Department of Health (DoH) has defended the campaign/
"The campaign takes a direct approach, setting out the issue in succinctly and in straightforward language," a spokesperson said.
"An unhealthy lifestyle, including poor diet or being inactive, can lead to health problems in later life.
"We are not saying that children shouldn't play computer games or eat treats, but parents and children need to be aware of the benefits of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle. The activities portrayed are examples of poor diet and lack of physical activity."
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