Mainstream media: Bully relatively tame
Bully has an interesting history. Although announced long ago by Rockstar, very few details have been released about the game. However, that didn't stop eager politicians to decry the title, knowing only that it was about bullying and by the same developers who make Grand Theft Auto. Anti-game activist Jack Thompson cites the game in nearly every press release and publicized letter, calling it a "Columbine simulator."The now PS2 exclusive has been unveiled to the mainstream press, and it turns out the controversy is a tad overblown. The New York Times and Rocky Mountain News discuss (and laud) its punishment system, which forces the character to do menial tasks for breaking the rules (e.g. mowing the grass, shoveling snow). In essence, the game pushes you to be a good student, earn a kiss from a girl, and stand up to Bullies.
USA Today and Reuters, both of whom were allowed to play the game, and found the rewards more plentiful when your character goes to class -- you learn how to make fireworks, you play word jumble, and you increase your literacy. The latter results in increased likelihood you can talk yourself our of trouble and woo women.
"You need certain rules in a boarding school," said Rockstar's Rodney Walker. "We want you to feel like you're in school, that constant pressure of class."
Another point made is that fighting is rather tame. There are no blood, bruises, guns, or knives. While fighting is a part of the game, Rockstar made a point to note that exploration is the primary goal. And there are punishments for fighting. One interesting feature noted was the ability to end a fight by simply apologizing.
Did Rockstar play the safe route with this game? Indeed. Will there still be controversy, and will politicians still correlate this game with the downfall of Western Civilization? Most definitely. But will it be fun? We'll find out soon enough.
[Thanks, Mike Fink and Jay]
Read -- With Bully, Rockstar Looks to Beat the Grand Theft Auto Rap (NYTimes)
Read -- 'Bully' hits schoolyard, for good or bad (USA Today)
Read -- "Bully" video game to be released in October (Reuters)
Read -- 'Bully' lies in wait (Rocky Mountain News)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ProjectGSX @ Aug 10th 2006 3:52PM
Interesting turn of events. I have to wonder if their timeline for releasing information about this game was at all influenced by the possibility of making Jack Thompson look stupid.
pandlcg @ Aug 10th 2006 3:53PM
I can't help but feel that they completely changed the game from being a bully to making you "feel like you're in school". Am i alone on this?
Stupid hot coffee ruining future games.
Catalyst @ Aug 10th 2006 3:55PM
I think even Rockstar realized that releasing a game where school children knife or shoot each other in class / on school grounds would have gone too far.
I'm not an anti-violence nut, and I think the rating system is good enough to not warrant all these crazy game laws, but there really is no need to put GTA style violence in a school.
Bored @ Aug 10th 2006 3:56PM
I have got to really wonder why the paranoia of the game industry is so rampant. It reminds me of when I was in high school during the late 80's with Tipper Gore ragging on the music industry. It ammounted to nothing but labels on my CD's. Ironically video games have the same scarlet letter stamped on them. Politicians are just hot air and blow hards. They don't exactly do anything other than nip at each others heels.
IanC @ Aug 10th 2006 3:56PM
Oh well JT so much for your "Columbine simulator". Guess you cant sue the ERSB now for giving it a Teen, when it sounds like it deserves one, neh?
confucious say fanboy don't know better .. . @ Aug 10th 2006 3:57PM
i was thinking did rockstar almost do this on purpose to embarres politicians .. . get alot of hype about this game called bully and let people freak out and jump to conlusions and prove just how ignorant these people when they judge a book by it's cover .. . damn dirty politicians.. .
Jay @ Aug 10th 2006 4:04PM
I kind of like the way the game sounds ... most people play it pretty safe in school -- it'll be fun to be able to play the hero or villain within a community we're all familiar with ...
Actually, this game sounds like the fruition of combining adventure games with action games (adventure in the sense of The Longest Journey & point and click stuff).
It's sounds interesting, but, like the post stated ... the question is if it's fun.
rootincarnate @ Aug 10th 2006 4:05PM
I believe there was never much information posted about this game until today. Rockstar was probably planning the game just the way it was shown today. The idea was always about standing up to bullies at a school, not about being a bully.
Rockstar Table Tennis isn't all about hookers and the mob, so why would Bully have to be an over-the-top violent game?
Anyway, it sounds cool the way it is. If the game turns out well, it could become an instant classic just as GTA has.
omgwut @ Aug 10th 2006 4:12PM
Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris thought they were' standing up to bullies', too.
I wish gamers wouldn't always be so biased and quick to laugh at critics and shower this thing in flowers before they really know nothing about it.
Joe @ Aug 10th 2006 4:16PM
This may sound crazy, but now I have MORE of a drive to play Bully.
Player1 @ Aug 10th 2006 4:16PM
I'm sick of Rockstar. Table Tennis is sign of the decline of our culture. The way they violently hit that ball with paddles is disgusting. Imagine what this will teach kids. The next thing you know some kids will decide to put their training to use and go paddle their entire school. Does Rockstar really want that on their hands? I will not support your "paddling simulator" Rockstar. My non-purchase will be my vote.
Jman1236 @ Aug 10th 2006 4:17PM
As long as I can give other students swirlys, I'll be happy trying out this game when it comes out.
Jeff @ Aug 10th 2006 4:19PM
"We want you to feel like you're in school, that constant pressure of class."
This is why I play video games? Does anybody else see a problem here?
I'm not worried about the game being too violent. I'm worried about it being excruciatingly boring and highly annoying. I mean, their stated goal is to make it feel like school. And I don't know about any of you, but I didn't like school.
I guess, finally, we have a game that all the Lisa Simpsons of the world can call their own.
Player1 @ Aug 10th 2006 4:22PM
Jeff,
There's a game called Brain Age, that is basically homework, tearing up the sales charts right now in case you haven't heard.
Probot @ Aug 10th 2006 4:23PM
This is a curious turn of events. I was pretty much against the premis of Bully, only because I knew the controversy it would cause. It seemed Rockstar was trying hard to build controversy, because they know how well it sells games.
Now that more details are out, I see two problematic paths for the game. First, the media still covers it as "Columbine Simulator" simply because it has children and violence, regardless of the context.
Also, because the game is so tame, there will be less interest in it. Personally, it doesn't sound that interesting. People like playing taboo games, so something that seems like a watered-down GTA for kids, doesn't seem like it'd appeal to many people.
On top of that, I'm sure it will seem like a cop out to a lot of people. Along with Table Tennis, this game looks suspiciously tame, i.e. self-censored. Even though I think Rockstar lost a lot of credibility, at least in my eyes, with their handling of Hot Coffee, I really think we need games that are uncompromising. We need games to push the boundries of the rating system. Bully was not that game, because its subject matter would generate an inordinate amount of controversy. But we do need games that test the ESRB and mainstream opinions.
PhantomVI @ Aug 10th 2006 4:36PM
@ 9
So out of all the people who stood up to bullies during their school years, how many of them turned it into a psychotic murderous rampage? 2.
And out of all the C student, goof-off, drunk drivers out there, how many of them made it into the Oval Office? 1
Not very good odds for either scenario.
silent bob @ Aug 10th 2006 4:38PM
To me this just seems like one big slap in the face to Jack Thompson, who, aside from attacking the games industry as a whole, has a special place in his heart for Rockstar. In my opinion, its nice to see some new ideas out there. Way to go Rockstar!
DrJack @ Aug 10th 2006 4:40PM
To the best of my knowledge this game has always been about standing up to bullies. This is the first real news of what is in the game. Before this it was simple paranoia that Rockstar was creating a game called "Bully" therefore it must mean you are the bully. Of course thats pretty much how politicians work anyway. I'm just hoping that JT and the other games are evil types won't accuse Rockstar of redoing the game so it wasn't as evil and violent.
cbroz91 @ Aug 10th 2006 4:41PM
These articles just happened to come out the day that JT. is appearing on TV (AOTS). I wonder if he is going to know about this or not?
otakucode @ Aug 10th 2006 5:15PM
Clebold and Harris did not do what they did to fight back against bullies. They did it to become famous. Read anything about them and don't just go off of what you heard the day after it happened when news stations were grasping desperately for anything to blame.
The people to blame for Columbine are Clebold and Harris. End of story. Just because you can't get your pound of flesh for retribution, its no reason to drag other people into it. They knew exactly what they were doing. I'd also recommend watching 'Elephant' if you want to learn a bit more, though its not concentrated on being as true to life as possible.
Rhys @ Aug 10th 2006 6:49PM
I really like the premise. I’m 26 now, and I do find myself waxing lyrical about the old school days. Being able to revisit school as a hero or villain should be fun.
Part of the reason that Harry Potter is so popular with adults as well as kids is that they are a chance to revisit your youth. Not just revisiting your youth, but revisiting it as it should have been – revisiting the idealised/fantasy version of school that we have in our heads.
Finished.Law.School @ Aug 10th 2006 11:22PM
The only people who think Jack Thompson is worth listening to includes idiots who think that the internet is made up of tubes.
Merus @ Aug 11th 2006 2:53AM
DrJack is right - this game was always about standing up to bullies. The criticism is mostly overblown.
From a game design perspective, taking on bullies is way more satisfying than being one. How do you structure the gameplay off taking lunch money off kids? Where's the challenge? Making it about getting back at the bullies means each bully is like a boss - a lot easier to hang a game on a series of boss fights.
V1L3 @ Aug 11th 2006 6:32AM
I seem to recall another game where you played as a kid, and you could beat up on other kids. It was a low profile game, so it's possible it escaped the eyes of the mainstream press. I believe it was called Fable...
Where were the politicians and family groups then?
user007 @ Aug 11th 2006 9:16AM
I see some symbolism here. Perhaps Jimmy Hopkins is a personification of Rockstar and the "bullies" are all the politicians and anti-game activists trying to shut them down and give them a hard time. Perhaps with this game Rockstar is telling them that you don't have to bully people into doing things "your" way. Jimmy (Rockstar) just wants to be a kid and have fun. Other influences around him are making him "jump through hoops" and prove himself over and over with a promise of being accepted but the bullies will never accept him. They are really just trying to set him up to fail so that they can laugh and say "i told you so". The message is that you can discuss differences of opinions with others in a respectful way and be rewarded. Politicians will be rewarded by not trying bully Rockstar because the more games they sell the more tax revenue they'll get.
Asher @ Aug 11th 2006 2:14PM
I wonder what video games the thieving executives from WorldCom and Enron played when they were children. How bout the corrupt politicians that really do effect our everyday lives. These people have harmed more and created more violent situations than any video game.
Steve @ Aug 11th 2006 3:38PM
Fable, despite how violent it can be, is not a realistic re-creation of the real world. It's a vividly different world than, say, the world of GTA:San Andreas. Same thing goes for God of War, there's sex, violence, nudity, yet nobody will ever get mad at it's developers for a sex mini-game, since the entire game takes place in a mythical setting. How likely is a kid to simulate the kills of God of War in his life? How often will a harpie get its wings ripped off by a teenager after playing God of War?
GTA got more public outcry than other games because it took place in a world that resembles the one we live in. If Fable took place in Downtown LA, it would have gotten the same attention of GTA.