Gamernode: News - Keighley tries to set media straight about Mass Effect

If there is one thing I hate with blind demon-like rage, it's people talking about something they know nothing about... Mass Effect should get a AO rating? Oh, so should we give every movie or TV show that has a passing moment of sex an R rating?
These people need to actually do some proper research before they open their idiot mouths. At least the blonde one actually tried... But then again, it is FOX.

I expected the people at Fox to act the way they did and I expected Geoff to act the way he did. It was impossible for him to "win" and change opinions at Fox but he made great points and did his thing and anyone with half a brain will notice that. Baby steps...

The Fox news anchor brought up points that weren't even related. The age gate she was referencing passing through to see the video--and the ease of doing so--is only vaguely related to games. That's something the ESRB encourages (or in some cases enforces) to protect children. So the news anchor basically asked Geoff to address 2 or 3 arguments, then gave most of the spotlight to the person who was expressing one point: these games are ruining our nation. As gamers, we'll look at the debate and it's clear to us that Geoff made the most reasonable points, but that's because we have a frame of reference. To the conservative parent watching at home, he'll hear the woman say that she hasn't played the game but the Maryland study shows that kids who play video games can no longer distinguish reality from fiction. That parent will then think of the Supreme Court justice who said he doesn't have to look at obscene material to know it's obscene, nod sagely and ban all video games from the home. That's just the way some people work. This really was a pointless news segment for Fox to run.

@honest gamer

I don't think the age gate is even remotely related to the issue of kids accessing games. Also, the thing you have to understand about place like Fox news is that they put segments on the air because they want a very specific emotion to be evoked by the viewer. In a reputable news station they say, ok here's and interesting issue, lets bring on some experts to get to the bottom of it. Fox news creates the conclusion before it starts and throws it in the viewers face, rather than letting the viewer make their own conclusion based on the evidence provided.

It's so sad that Keighley got blind sided like this, because he came out thinking he was going to be talking about the misconceptions regarding Mass Effect, but when he got there the "published author" just started making points about how studies prove kids can't distinguish games from reality (nevermind the fact that even if that survey exists, there's a dozen more to contradict it.) What he should have said was, "Those are great topics of discussion for another debate, but the fact is, the content that would justify a debate like that simply isn't in this game. There is a brief moment of side nudity, but nothing worse or more graphic than anything you would see regularly on television or a commercial. Kids see far more risque images when going to Abercrombie and Fitch. It's not an opinion, it's a fact, it's simply not there. I'm not here to argue with anyone, I'm here to show your viewers the facts. This *show image* is the full extent of the objectionable content in Mass Effect. If you find this offensive, that's fine, but that's for you to decide, don't let these people decide it for you."

Now obviously he wouldn't have been able to get that many words in uninterupted, but y'know...in a perfect world.

All in all, a stand up job to Keighley for at least trying.

I'm glad at least the host was trying to be impartial and did a little research. The some of panel and the "expert" are another thing all together. My point by point counter arguments, but I'll try not to repeat anything said above.

I don't agree that the game is being marketed towards kids, Teens 15+ sure, they're one of the core demographics and are in many cases more mature then they get credit for. Microsoft's statement is appropriate, but kind of a hokey cop out, instead of outlining the claims against the game itself.

Cooper's point about women as "objects of desire", they see this all across media, more so on TV and on the internet.
I applaud Keighly's efforts to bring some truth to these overblown issues that exist. He doesn't break down and calls out Cooper. His statement that it's a powerful media is a great point.

The panel's point that the parent's need to control what their kids watch and interact with. That being said I was shocked that one member suggested that Mass Effect be an AO game. They just heard that the nudity was brief and minor in terms of degree and time. An adult only game's main intent is sexual content, something that is not the case with this game. As Geoff said it must be earned through building a relationship with other characters.

I also noticed that not one of them mentioned TV. There is much worse examples of nudity and implied sex on television all the time. I've seen full on brests being shown at 2 in the afternoon on a weekday. Or many mainstream non-adult magazines have just as much sexually targeted ads and images. Why, just go to most high schools and even many middle schools in the United States and you'll see close to the same amount of skin being shown by the female student population.

This is just another example of a small number of people taking up arms over a small issue in a mainstream game and blowing it much too far out of proportion. As a Canadian I'm usually pretty humble, but in this case I'll be boastful, I'm sure glad I live in a country where we worry about more important things like health care, the environment and the economy rather then kill time discussing digital boobs.

Also I agree with Viewtiful, a great job done by Geoff Keighley, though he was not given the respect and time he and others in the industry deserve to make their point.

Ah, Faux News. Gotta love their idiocy.

It's funny that they touch on the real problem and shrug it off. They talk about how many kids can get a hold of this due to the lack of parental supervision. How many of those same teens can get a hold of drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, porn, or even guns? If you need more time to spend with them, someone has to quit or take time off/ reduce schedule of work. You may not be able to buy a flat screen tv, or take the vacation with your wife this year, but your kids should have your full attention. And with less money in the house, the little darlings won't be able to afford anything ( Nor will you. No money, no xbox.). And with this extra time, you can check their rooms, friends house, hangouts to make sure they are free of the drugs, guns, alcohol, ext. Problem solved.

I see what you did there Yuko :D. What rating is M supposed to be? Is it 17+? But honestly there are perfume adverts with more nudity than this that are shown all day long. Fox are idiots, this is quite clearly shown in this feature but the problem is not them, it's that people listen to them.

Lopez - The people who pay attention to Faux News are technophobes to begin with, so I doubt anything would ween them away. It's just good we have two other 24/7 news channels, plus countless local news shows, that don't do this nonsense.

Wow the News Anchors and that idiotic women sound so ignorant. Sigh, wish people would become gamers to finally know more about it, instead of looking at anti gaming reports, that spou nothing but anti gaming.

What I love is that beer, lingerie and erectile dysfunction commercials are shown all day long with the sexual innuendo just slathered on and a couple minutes of digitized nudity is the problem. Awesome.

My thoughts exactly, Nick. Personally, I think Faux does this crap to mask the fact that their networks rely solely on innuendo to make any money. Seriously, most Fox programming sucks horribly, ESPECIALLY Fox Sports Net.

Since when is showing someone's butt on TV considered full graphic nudity?

Yeah, the level of sexual content in this game is proven to be less than you may see sometimes in PG-13 rated films, and certainly in most TV ads, and/or programming. It's not even R-rated nudity, or sexual content. The fact you could choose this, apparently, stirred people up. I think if it would have been an implemented cut-scene, regardless of your choice, it wouldn't even be talked about. But, look out, you can *choose* this path, which gets over-blown to "you can choose to have sex! What positions! Control the act entirely!" etc. Nonsense, but that's what one rumor does -- it snowballs into a bigger and bigger demon, until it's so out of control, you can't make it stop but to simply ignore it.

Also, the anchor was completely wrong on one point: the ratings for the games are ON THE FRONT COVER of the boxes AS WELL AS the back of them. You don't have to "hunt" for the rating. It can't get any more in-your-face than RIGHT ON THE FRONT OF THE BOX.

There are some valid points, more than what I was originally told, made here, so there you go with rumor and second-hand information again. But, video games are doing all they can to make sure that kids do not play games that are more than they can handle, and that's not really more "mature" than they can handle:p (as most “mature” stuff is really most immature, let's be honest:p) But, in terms of violence, nudity, sexual situations, etc. it then falls on the parent, as it *always has* btw, to *parent* what their kids watch, engage in, and play. Music, TV, video games, movies, etc. The anchor's "It's tough being a parent today [having to do all of this parenting stuff]” is outrageous... That's what parenting *always has been.* Yes, video game companies also, like most media, paint women as sexual objects to adolescent male youths. Movies do it, TV does it, music certainly does it (have they ever watched MTV? BET? VH1?? Come off it...). It's a crappy situation, but... That's why a parent actually has to *pay attention* to what their kids are doing. I know that may be a shock (gasp!), a revelation, and even "tough," but that's a parent's job. It's time parents start doing it, ans stop being such cop-outs.