1P Start

When Bully first came out late in 2006, despite not causing much aggravation anywhere else in the world, the name seemed to be a cause for concern in the UK, where a high profile anti-bullying campaign was underway.

The politicians and do-gooders from all sides got themselves in a bit of a tizzy, and forced makers Rockstar to change the name of the game to Canis Canem Edit (Latin for Dog Eat Dog) in the UK, even though the rest of Europe had followed America’s example and allowed the name Bully to stand.

The furore went away, the game was released, did okay, and no-one was hurt by the whole thing. And now in a scene reminiscent of Groundhog Day, the exact same thing is happening again over the planned release of Bully: Scholarship Edition in March.

The eminent British newspaper The Telegraph has covered the story, and repeated claims from so called experts about how the game glorifies violence, and the notion that bullying can get you on in life.

Niall Cowley, of the charity BeatBullying, told them:

We’re disappointed this game was created in the first place. Some mindless people thought this was a fun, interesting piece of software to create, but it undermines all the hard work that organisations like ours are seeking to do.”

“Our philosophy is about educating young people that bullying is not a cool thing to do, and this leaves us with a bad taste in the mouth.”

So the campaigners are already sticking their oar in, even though none of them have played, or even seen the game in action. I doubt any of them even had a go on the original, which was released for PS2 in October 2006.

What’s even worse, is that two British retailers have already decided not to stock the game when it finally gets released. The PC World and Currys chain of stores said:

“We don’t think this is suitable for sale in our stores. We are careful about what we sell and this is something we have decided not to list.”

Oh God, give me strength, it’s a game, that’s it. It’s called entertainment, something you people clearly know nothing about.

I hate to break it to you, but kids are more intelligent than you think, and can tell the difference between a video game and real life.

Kaith Vaz, an MP with a history of illogical campaigning against violent games, and someone who I even quoted in my story on the original game 15 months ago, has piped up again to give his ill informed opinion on it:

“The idea that people should be glorifying bullying is just tasteless. It is hardly encouraging good social values for our children. Just the name Bully is going to attract young people to buy it.”

Rockstar have rightly responded to the overblown claims that the game is going to create mayhem in society by saying that the game is actually sending across a message about overcoming bullies. A spokesman said:

“It is a comedic romp. The last game sold fabulously in the UK and was critically acclaimed.”

“It is not a game about playing a bully. It is about the trials and tribulations of a boy in his first year at school. He protects children against other characters. People have to be able to make their own decisions and to judge for themselves, with an open mind.”

Exactly right. Maybe MPs and campaigners should stand aside, let the game be released, and then after having a go (an important aspect I feel), give their opinion, good or bad, critical or welcoming, about it.

Bully: Scholarship Edition will be out for the Xbox 360 and Wii in March.

UK, British, Bully, Bully: Scholarship Edition, Controversy, Rockstar, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, Keith Vaz