The British Parliament has kicked sand in the face of Rockstar about its intended release of Bully, a video game in which gamers take on the character of bullies harassing and physically abusing school children. Although the game is not scheduled for release until next year, Rockstar™s latest offering for video game store shelves has generated passionate protests from children™s rights groups and parents.
The clamor generated by British citizens, has apparently caught the attention of Parliament member, Keith Vaz. Vaz raised pointed questions to the House of Commons leader about the game and asked, Do you share my concern at the decision of Rockstar to publish a new game called Bully in which players use their on-screen persona to kick and punch other schoolchildren? Will you ask the prime minister to refer this video to the British Board of Film Classification? If they don’t make any changes will the government use its powers to ban this video [game]?"
In an interview given to BBC™s website, Roger Bennett, general director of the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, said Leisure Software Publishers Association), Roger Bennett has commented that, "As Mr. Vaz knows, any game can be automatically referred to the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) for a rating. It is disingenuous to suggest any game be banned when the content has yet to be finalized." While parents and concerned citizens continue to protest against Bully, the increased press coverage of the game, ironically, will probably increase sales of the title
