Spring Break
Column: 'Rapelay' is a disgusting venture
David Thill / Columnist
Issue date: 3/13/09 Section: Opinions
To the employees of the Japan-based Illusion video game development company: You all make me want to vomit. The very thought of you being paid to produce the types of video games your company develops makes my flesh crawl and brings a literal gag to the back of my throat.
What types of video games could this company produce that could bring such a visceral reaction from even the most hardened video gamer such as myself? Games with titles such as "Artificial Girl," "Battle Rape" and, easily the most disturbing of all, "Rapelay."
There is no typo there, although I wish there were.
This company is profiting from a game in which the goal is to work one's way up from molesting strangers on the subway all the way to raping a mother and her two young daughters, with the ultimate goal being to impregnate these women and force them to get abortions.
I shudder to think there are people out there who not only condone vicious violence against women, but also seek to profit from it. And there are people out there eager to throw money at these peoples' feet in order to carry out these atrocities against women, who have struggled for millennia just to be looked at and treated as people and as the equals they are. Imagine this: A group of people sitting around a conference table, tossing ideas back and forth for their next video game:
"Another sports game?" says Idiot No. 1.
"No, no. That's not graphic enough," says Moron No. 2, "Think more desensitizing. Something that really shakes the core of basic human decency down to its foundation."
"I've got it!" exalts Pathetic Bottom-feeder No. 3, "How about a game based on rape? You know, a game where you can run around and attempt to tear apart a woman's life, tear her down from a person to an object! Ripping away the basic humanity of a person and really getting to explore your most primitive, knuckle-dragging drool-dripping awfulness!"
"Brilliant!" exclaims Moron No. 2, "Get on it. I want to be ruining people's lives by Christmas."
Have we really run out of ideas? Has Japan, the cradle of video game civilization, the country that gave us lovable Mario and Luigi, hot-headed Donkey Kong and virtually all video game staples, come down to this?
I find it hard to believe there are no other profitable marketing ideas left other than a how-to guide to becoming a misogynistic monster. CNN recently reported on this game and the fact that Amazon Marketplace, a Web site that allows for third-party selling of items, recently stopped offering the game for purchase in Britain a full two years after its release. It took Amazon, CNN and the U.S. that long to catch on.
So, to the employees of Illusion, to the standards and ratings board that allowed this game be made and to whomever may find this game an entertaining idea, to reiterate: You disgust me. Your judgment is non-existent. Your morals are totally corrupt. Your souls? In question. I pity you as people.
David Thill is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
What types of video games could this company produce that could bring such a visceral reaction from even the most hardened video gamer such as myself? Games with titles such as "Artificial Girl," "Battle Rape" and, easily the most disturbing of all, "Rapelay."
There is no typo there, although I wish there were.
This company is profiting from a game in which the goal is to work one's way up from molesting strangers on the subway all the way to raping a mother and her two young daughters, with the ultimate goal being to impregnate these women and force them to get abortions.
I shudder to think there are people out there who not only condone vicious violence against women, but also seek to profit from it. And there are people out there eager to throw money at these peoples' feet in order to carry out these atrocities against women, who have struggled for millennia just to be looked at and treated as people and as the equals they are. Imagine this: A group of people sitting around a conference table, tossing ideas back and forth for their next video game:
"Another sports game?" says Idiot No. 1.
"No, no. That's not graphic enough," says Moron No. 2, "Think more desensitizing. Something that really shakes the core of basic human decency down to its foundation."
"I've got it!" exalts Pathetic Bottom-feeder No. 3, "How about a game based on rape? You know, a game where you can run around and attempt to tear apart a woman's life, tear her down from a person to an object! Ripping away the basic humanity of a person and really getting to explore your most primitive, knuckle-dragging drool-dripping awfulness!"
"Brilliant!" exclaims Moron No. 2, "Get on it. I want to be ruining people's lives by Christmas."
Have we really run out of ideas? Has Japan, the cradle of video game civilization, the country that gave us lovable Mario and Luigi, hot-headed Donkey Kong and virtually all video game staples, come down to this?
I find it hard to believe there are no other profitable marketing ideas left other than a how-to guide to becoming a misogynistic monster. CNN recently reported on this game and the fact that Amazon Marketplace, a Web site that allows for third-party selling of items, recently stopped offering the game for purchase in Britain a full two years after its release. It took Amazon, CNN and the U.S. that long to catch on.
So, to the employees of Illusion, to the standards and ratings board that allowed this game be made and to whomever may find this game an entertaining idea, to reiterate: You disgust me. Your judgment is non-existent. Your morals are totally corrupt. Your souls? In question. I pity you as people.
David Thill is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Ray B.
posted 3/13/09 @ 12:43 AM CST
Do you actually think a Japanese based game developer will care at all what some American thinks? This game is nothing new. They've been available in Japan for years. (Continued…)
J
posted 3/13/09 @ 12:26 PM CST
So you're a hardened video gamer?
I imagine you've enjoyed countless hours of Grand Theft Auto (III, Vice City, San Andreas, IV). You know the game, the one where you restore your health by banging a hooker then blowing her head off (hopefully in slow motion and with the gore cheat on in #3), then taking back the money you paid her. (Continued…)
Matt C.
posted 3/14/09 @ 2:04 PM CST
What a joke. How many games are there that depict killing and violence and yet have they ever brought a "literal gag" to the back of your throat? Talk about misplaced ethical priorities. (Continued…)
coldfryan
posted 3/27/09 @ 6:48 PM CST
And did you thought of preventing raping in real?
I have nothing against such games there are much more disgusting games as them and the entire ego shooters are harder then them. (Continued…)
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