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Bully's boy-on-boy scenes causing a stir

Rockstar's latest lets players experiment with same-sex make-out sessions; ESRB says that content was considered in assigning the game a T-for-Teen rating.

Rockstar Games' Bully has been the subject of controversy since it was first announced more than a year ago. The game shipped to retail last week after a failed 11th-hour attempt by Florida lawyer Jack Thompson to have it banned.

However, the controversy surrounding the game might not be over with just yet. In navigating the angst-filled halls of Bullworth Academy as 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins, players can participate in some extracurricular tonsil hockey with significant others. But while these significant others are typically female, there's at least one other boy in the game whom Jimmy can successfully court, as documented by this in-game video from GameBrink.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board surprised some people last month when it issued a T-for-Teen rating for the game. The content descriptors listed for the game on the ESRB's Web site are crude humor, language, use of alcohol and tobacco, violence, and sexual themes. When asked about the boy-on-boy make-out sessions, the ESRB told GameSpot, "That content was considered in the assignment of the rating."

Thompson addressed ESRB president Patricia Vance in an e-mail he claimed to have sent to "every major news organization in America and the UK," as well as a host of lawmakers and industry representatives.

"Dear Ms. Vance," Thompson wrote, "We just found gay sexual content in Bully, as Jimmy Hopkins makes out with another male student. Good luck with your 'Teen' rating now, Patty."

A representative from Bully publisher Take-Two had not responded to a request for comment as of press time.

904 Comments

  • phillipissuperb

    Posted Jul 21, 2011 8:15 am GMT

    The game isn't even controversial in the first place and this seems like a desperate attempt for some people to not look like idiots that complained about a game before anyone knew anything about it and then it turned out to be not anywhere near as bad as they said it was.

  • dooddooddood444

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 10:17 pm GMT

    What's the big deal with ppl not liking homosexual stuff? They were gonna ban it cuz Jimmy can kiss boys? If they haven't noticed, he can kiss girls too. And nobody makes a big deal about that! I don't get why ppl are so against homosexuality...

  • spirit_obscura

    Posted May 17, 2008 3:17 pm GMT

    the world is full of stupid homophobics

  • RavenTammylita

    Posted Mar 8, 2008 7:02 pm GMT

    thats stupid...i hate conservatives, they really tick me off

  • thedoc411

    Posted Mar 8, 2008 10:03 am GMT

    You guys have to understand that Mr. Thompson was constantly bullied as a child, had his car stolen by Tommy Vercetti during the 80s, lost his family to a drive-by shooting involving Carl "CJ" Johnson, and was consistently turned down for sex by every man that he hit on throughout his life. It's completely understandable what he's doing considering his horrible past.

  • leon41235

    Posted Dec 15, 2007 5:18 pm GMT

    Why is that even in the game?

  • Petri87

    Posted Nov 24, 2007 4:44 am GMT

    This is just proof that Thompson is a homofobe

  • Jcnme

    Posted Nov 21, 2007 12:31 pm GMT

    are u Freaking kidding me, look my opinion is that this game is probly one of my most favorite game for the ps2 i didnt really like the idea it had a homo scene in it but u dont have to see it if u dont want to. and who ever wants to ban this game can get stabbed in the eye with a hot french fry..... XD the only reason i heard it was gonna try to be banned was because there was a critic who saw a gameplay pic. of Jimmy dunking a black kids head in the toilet.

  • trystkl1826

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 3:58 pm GMT

    Kissing is indeed sexual. And boys kissing each other is a part of life. Homosexuality is a part of the human condition as it is with other species.

  • Ir_Rana

    Posted Mar 28, 2007 4:34 am GMT

    Righ Jack, depicting alcohol and tobbaco comsumption,explicit violence, fast and furious driving either on games or on TV is not entirely cool, but two males kissing, ah, that is so prejudicial to Children...

  • FilthyYamBag

    Posted Mar 26, 2007 5:50 am GMT

    since when is being gay such a bad thing, that it makes content highly offensive. oh and one other thing not only are you an ass Jack, it's quite apparent you are a homophobe too.

  • Knucles222

    Posted Mar 24, 2007 8:40 pm GMT

    Heh why can't jack Thompson stop wasting his money just to ban a video game, and get on with his life and focus on world peace. It's ridiculous. If he doesn't like it, then he should'nt be even being involed in it. So what if it has gay stuff? Love needs no gender. I love Canada. XD

  • DemonoftheAbyss

    Posted Mar 24, 2007 1:17 pm GMT

    and saints, wtf mate? homophobe

  • DemonoftheAbyss

    Posted Mar 24, 2007 1:15 pm GMT

    wow, fekkin homophobes

  • whaley87

    Posted Jan 1, 2007 7:42 pm GMT

    So exactly what about this game makes it deserve an M rating? Thompson is an idiot.

  • pwnr

    Posted Dec 29, 2006 11:46 am GMT

    Jack Thompson just wants to ban Bully because Rockstar made fun of him in Liberty City Stories.

  • shadowsniper513

    Posted Dec 23, 2006 11:20 am GMT

    "Dear Ms. Vance," Thompson wrote, "We just found gay sexual content in Bully, as Jimmy Hopkins makes out with another male student. Good luck with your 'Teen' rating now, Patty." ummmmm....... yeah.. p.s. listen to what the hotspot says

  • Spacetoad750

    Posted Dec 15, 2006 3:02 pm GMT

    Okay let me point out that kissing is a sexual act, despite what other posts are suggesting, but I'm sure ESRB would have paid much less attention to it if there were only heterosexuals in the game.
    People forget that when they call homosexuality "unnatural," thousands of animals are born homosexual, including dolphins, pengiuns, and even grasshoppers. Also, Jacka** needs to stop living in his own dream world, and come to terms with the fact that homosexuality exists and it is all around us whether you like it or not. about 1 out of every 8 people are born with an attraction to the same gender, they can't be "cleansed," they can't be "purified." You can no more change one's sexual preferance more than you can change one's ethnicity. Deal with it.
    Besides, it is better to expose childeren to different kinds of people rather than hiding it from them, otherwise the child will be confused and unneducated.
    Modifying what Black Knight said,
    Wake up, Jack.

  • Black_Knight77

    Posted Nov 24, 2006 2:10 pm GMT

    What have video games in general done to Jack Thompson for him to almost devote his entire life fighting them ? I will say only one thing: Give up, Jack.

  • Hameyadea

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 6:06 am GMT

    "HE'S LOSIN' IT, HE'S LOSIN' IT!!", quote but i don't remember from where.... anyway..... not only the gamer community (already) hates jack but now he's hated by the homosexual community.... JACK WILL BE SOON GONE FOR VERY VERY VERY GOOD!!!!!

  • Hameyadea

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 6:05 am GMT

    "HE'S LOSIN' IT, HE'S LOSIN' IT!!", quote but i don't remember from where.... anyway..... not only the gamer community (already) hates jack but now he's hated by the homosexual community.... JACK WILL BE SOON GONE FOR VERY VERY VERY GOOD!!!!!

  • edger2006

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 12:01 pm GMT

    I say it's a free country! Everyone knows there are gay kids. Everyone has at least one gay family member, if you can't point him out, it's probably you. Don't let people keep you away from the truth.

  • AKALeeMG

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 8:10 am GMT

    lol wots da fuss? Personally I have seen hotter real guys kiss one another

  • Saintz_Row_666

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 9:09 pm GMT

    i see his point kissing another guy is pretty disgusting for some players like me and others y didnt they just keep it to the chicks?

  • Billymackdaddym

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 2:44 pm GMT

    Why am I NOT suprised that among his other gross failings, Jacky boy is a homophobe? Sometimes the onslaught of idiocy from bigots and homophobes and neocons just becomes too much. It's not violent game that make me want to off sooo many people... it's STUPIDITY AND INTOLERANCE. (end quote)

    I know! If he's anything like the guy who tried to have Spongebob banned, then he has much more problems than I thought he did! And if you read about him on wikipedia, it says he asked Janet Reno if she was hetero, bi, or homosexual (because he was mad at her for something), but she said she only was interested in virile men (I guess meaning manly), which is why she would never like him! I don't know much about Janet Reno, but I do know that she's awesome!!! By the way, nice slam on that Fakk guy.

  • bigbrown69

    Posted Oct 30, 2006 10:30 pm GMT

    man thats missed up who people wont let us see these things

  • nappan

    Posted Oct 30, 2006 10:17 am GMT

    Fakk2

    Use punctuation. Learn to spell "their". Oh, and Shut The **** Up. "Just [your] opinion" is worthless and innacurate. Bad graphics? They're the best the PS2 can do in a large world setting, and if by "clunky" you mean "without a hitch" I guess you're right. "I like strawberry" is an opinon. "The world is flat" is stupidity. You fall into the latter catagory.

  • gameconniseur86

    Posted Oct 30, 2006 9:08 am GMT

    No, I don't think one post covers this... It's just so... blatantly ignorant and closed minded. So very toolish. This guy makes me cry.

  • gameconniseur86

    Posted Oct 30, 2006 9:05 am GMT

    My God what a tool. Get a life Jack, seriously.

  • Fakk2

    Posted Oct 30, 2006 7:40 am GMT

    I believe Rockstar only put that in thier game because they know thier games run clunky and have horrible graphics and the only way to get people to buy that garbage is simply to throw things into thier games that offend people in some way so they make the news with each game they release and that bad press causes a stir in the gaming community and people buy thier crappy games just to see what all the fuss is about. Bully among most Rockstar games = piece of garbage not worth the purchase. Just my opinion of course.

  • lisette831

    Posted Oct 30, 2006 6:48 am GMT

    Hey Jack..."That content was considered in the assignment of the rating."

    They already know about the freaking boy-on-boy kissing scene...There is nothing wrong with it! He must be having a field day...first, gay sims...now a gay little boy. LOL

  • nappan

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 7:47 pm GMT

    Why am I NOT suprised that among his other gross failings, Jacky boy is a homophobe? Sometimes the onslaught of idiocy from bigots and homophobes and neocons just becomes too much. It's not violent game that make me want to off sooo many people... it's STUPIDITY AND INTOLERANCE.

  • mixmastermind

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 6:17 pm GMT

    Kissing is sexual now? I mean, I wouldn't really associate kissing with actual sex.

    Wait... does Jack Thompson actually think you'll get pregnant by kissing? I mean, I thought that was a stereotype of conservative people.

  • Zifhael

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 5:16 pm GMT

    hah, what a dumb reason to try and get the ratig upped, he is just trying to find any excuse he can to save face...

  • halo2maniak

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 4:01 pm GMT

    Wow so if it was guy on girl then it is ok but if it is guy on guy then it is bad, wow. Thompson is going down by the gay community. (iam not gay

  • Quetzalcoatl_88

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 3:06 pm GMT

    well at least now we have the gays to join us against Jack Thompson's bullsh** now that he officially outed himself as a homophobe. That little comment he made is a guaranteed shot in the foot.

  • bobreturns

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 11:47 am GMT

    never heard of this thompson bloke lol

  • rot3k10

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 11:33 am GMT

    This brings up a intresting question. Is Jack Thompson against gays now? How is it worse if a boy kisses a boy, then a boy with a girl?

  • blackcrimson004

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 10:53 am GMT

    ...sigh, why cant people just focus on the government and stay away from games? maybe just for 2 minutes? please

  • korn_flakes

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 10:42 am GMT

    I wonder what he got against boys..

  • Mugen76

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 10:23 am GMT

    This shows more than anything that Thompson has nothing better to do with his time. He's a one-trick pony, and eventually, people turn away and say, "seen it all before." NotAFurry is exactly right, Thompson's on minute 14 of his 15 minutes of fame. Watch as an angry mob of gamers in Florida hunt him down like a fox in the woods if he spews his junk again.

  • keen_desire

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 8:41 am GMT

    Gay kisses are so hot

  • nightshade_01

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 7:30 am GMT

    If the MSM gets wind of this R* is screwed. The US' opinion of homosexuality is, for the most part, very negative. We as a nation are pretty homophobic, and finding out "OMG teh lead character in this game is teh ghey THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!" and before you know it CNN will be reporting that Jimmy Hopkins gives it to some greaser in the poop chute--whether it's true or not.

  • cifru

    Posted Oct 29, 2006 5:55 am GMT

    Thompson, you son of a *****!

  • _Sam_

    Posted Oct 28, 2006 6:35 pm GMT

    I wonder if Thompson would have still been at it if the game had girl-on-girl scenes

  • aslag94

    Posted Oct 28, 2006 4:27 pm GMT

    I'm below 17 years old and play violent games all the time and you dont see me blowing people away. Jack@$$ thompson is an idiot.

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