The rather progressive Slamdance indie film and video game awards has been forced to pull the sensitive RPG "Super Columbine Massacre" from its list of 14 finalists - the first time the festival has pulled any game or film. The reason for the retraction of the finalist status, after festival organisers themselves urged for it to be entered into the running, is because of pressure from financial sponsers, who threatened to pull the plug on the festival if the game continued to be counted among the finalists.
SCM was always going to be a controversial game, focusing as it does on a rather horrific event which some might say is best left to the history books. Media forms such as film and, increasingly video games, are not always prone to simply leaving difficult topics alone, and the banning of SCM from the festival raises interesting questions of censorship.
Obviously the game itself has not been banned in a wide sense; but at the end of the day it is financial backers who can effectively pull the plug on a game - or film - if they so desire. I will not argue that games such as SCM, JFK or Postal are in bad taste to some or many. However there is a line between objecting to something and demanding that it be pulled from shop shelves, festivals and award ceremonies.
Just because something is difficult to swollow does not mean that it should be shunned. The idea of festivals such as Slamdance is to award those films and video games which make us think; bring us out of our comfort zones and help to expand our world views. This knee-jerk banning of a game from a festival should be deplored - when art is repressed, generally trouble is not too far behind.
Comments (6)
Banning the game from the competion is simply wrong.
Unfortunately ignorance rules the world. No one want's to see any truths about
society, so we ban them.
It is much to easy to point fingers at a game rather than facing the real
problems.
Sad sad sad.
Posted by Scurvy Lobster | January 6, 2007 3:33 AM
Posted on January 6, 2007 03:33
I think the decision to pull SCM from the awards was the right thing to do. In
an age where we celebrate self-destruction and notoriety, we should still have a
limit on what is acceptable. If an indie game developer made a game about
crashing planes into buildings, I would support a boycott on it too.
Free speech doesn't mean we should abandon all reasoning and make products that
cash in on a national tragedy. I know, there are movies based on the Columbine
massacre and 9/11, but at least those treated the subjects respectfully...
mostly.
Posted by DKnight | January 7, 2007 9:49 AM
Posted on January 7, 2007 09:49
I don't think games like this should be banned and people who think like DKnight
are the same people that think that agreed with the Patriot Act. Is this still
America? If SCM was selected, then there was a reason that it was selected.
Heck, if people didn't make controversial games and movies like these, then
events like Columbine would eventually be forgotten by mainstream America.
Posted by jp182 | January 9, 2007 6:15 AM
Posted on January 9, 2007 06:15
I think this is the most distasteful game I have ever heard of. However, I do
not have a right to not be offended. The game absolutely shouldn't have been
banned.
Posted by Nate | January 16, 2007 12:18 PM
Posted on January 16, 2007 12:18
DKnight... actually it does. Supporting freedom of speech means supporting the
right of someone saying something you might not agree with.
I don't like nor do I agree with your interpretation of free speech. In fact I
think people like you are the reason we have so little freedom in this country.
How ever I support your right to say how you feel.
True freedom of speech. And about the festival? It's worthless now. They have
shown they can be bought and controlled. Time to move on.
Posted by Clay | January 21, 2007 2:46 PM
Posted on January 21, 2007 14:46
I agree with Clay. Indy type festivals are meant to display topics that border
what most would consider acceptable. If it wasnt, wouldnt there already be a
high budget version of it?
I think the game idea is unacceptable, and I would never consider contributing.
But a situation like this, I believe it will only promote the game, and make the
indy scene even less attractive to the audience.
The game has every right to be considered for the event. I would hope there are
others out there who think like me and that it wouldnt win an award(other than:
Game Most Likely to Cause A Roit, or Game Most Likely to Push Game Censorship
Through Congress).
Again, it is not up to a person to say what is right or wrong. It is unfortunate
that another possible plus for indy developers is down the drain. So much power
in the dollar... Sponsors need to learn there place, which is to supply money.
Don't sponsor something that is indy if you can't handle sponsoring something
that offends others.... I mean... its indy...
Posted by Lonig | January 22, 2007 6:05 PM
Posted on January 22, 2007 18:05