'The ultraviolence has to stop' - Warren Spector

Scenes of serious violence were a staple of the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo last week. And while Sony said these moments could be beneficial for spurring stronger narratives, Epic Mickey producer Warren Spector has a different take. Speaking to Games Industry International, Spector bluntly said, "The ultraviolence has to stop."

Expanding on his thoughts, Spector said he believes such violence in games could have negative implications.

"We have to stop loving it," he said. "I just don't believe in the effects argument at all, but I do believe that we are fetishizing violence, and now in some cases actually combining it with an adolescent approach to sexuality. I just think it's in bad taste. Ultimately, I think it will cause us trouble."

Spector went on to explain that his decision to leave Eidos (where he was instrumental in the production of the original Deus Ex) in 2004 was spurred by the violence he witnessed from the publisher's lineup, specifically games like Hitman, 25 to Life, and Crash 'n Burn.

"We've gone too far. The slow-motion blood spurts, the impalement by deadly assassins, the knives, shoulders, elbows to the throat," he said. "You know, Deus Ex had its moments of violence, but they were designed--whether they succeeded or not I can't say--but they were designed to make you uncomfortable, and I don't see that happening now. I think we're just appealing to an adolescent mindset and calling it mature. It's time to stop."

Spector and Junction Point are currently working on Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii. A sequel to the 2010 Wii-exclusive Epic Mickey, the game boasts co-op, full-voice acting, and a tilt toward music, according to lead designer Warren Spector. For more on The Power of Two, check out GameSpot's stage show demo from E3 2012.