EA Calls Out FOX News!

This just totally made my day....

Click here for the full story

Excerpts:

Your headline above the televised story read: "New videogame shows full digital nudity and sex."Fact: Mass Effect does not include explicit or frontal nudity. Love scenes in non-interactive sequences include side and profile shots - a vantage frequently used in many prime-time television shows. It's also worth noting that the game requires players to develop complex relationships before characters can become intimate and players can chose to avoid the love scenes altogether.

FNC voice-over reporter says: "You'll see full digital nudity and the ability for players to engage in graphic sex."
Fact: Sex scenes in Mass Effect are not graphic. These scenes are very similar to sex sequences frequently seen on network television in prime time.

FNC reporter says: "Critics say Mass Effect is being marketed to kids and teenagers."
Fact: That is flat out false. Mass Effect and all related marketing has been reviewed by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and rated Mature - appropriate for players 17-years and older. ESRB routinely counsels retailers on requesting proof of age in selling M-rated titles and the system has been lauded by members of Congress and the Federal Trade Commission. In practical terms, the ratings work as well or better than those used for warning viewers about television content.

The wrap-up:

The resulting coverage was insulting to the men and women who spent years creating a game which is acclaimed by critics for its high creative standards. As video games continue to take audiences away from television, we expect to see more TV news stories warning parents about the corrupting influence of interactive entertainment. But this represents a new level of recklessness.

Do you watch the Fox Network? Do you watch Family Guy? Have you ever seen The OC? Do you think the sexual situations in Mass Effect are any more graphic than scenes routinely aired on those shows? Do you honestly believe that young people have more exposure to Mass Effect than to those prime time shows?

This isn't a legal threat; it's an appeal to your sense of fairness. We're asking FNC to correct the record on Mass Effect.

Sincerely,

Jeff Brown
Vice President of Communications
Electronic Arts, Inc.

Just awesome.... ;)

I am going to love it when responsibility is finally being taken by the media. It's not often I think EA does some respectable things but this reaction from them I find very noble (if not selfish too but that is beside the point :P). Nevertheless, it is moments like these that make the industry mature and move forward.

This is great. I want to see publishers fighting back in a more direct way like this. I watched that segment on Fox News and it was maddening. It seems any mainstream journalist, insane lawyer, or right wing evangelical nutbag can say anything they want about a game, and the publishers remain silent. Companies like EA have the money and clout to counter these people in the public spotlight. I hope that Take Two will follow suit when the inevitable media circus catches up with GTA4.

Bravo, EA! Bravo!

I can only hope that Fox responds to this.

Wow, the Fox lady was *****ing about how its so easy to watch a trailer on the site, all you need to do is put your birth date...

Whats does she want the website to do? Ask for your social security number to prove your age? And a kid could come home and play his "dads" mass effect, or he could go home on his "dads" computer and watch porn... They make it seem like the sex scene is so easy when it really takes atleast 20 hours to get to.

They make it seem like the sex scene is so easy when it really takes atleast 20 hours to get to.

DlMEBAG

LOL!

Remember this is fox news, if they don't have a story they'll just make one up based on fear, terror or sex.

Wow....just wow.

Did that segment make anybody else angry? I wanted to punch every douche bag, with their bias opinions, in the face. That may be a little harsh, but everything they said about Mass Effect was a lie. This reminds me of why I hate mainstream media, especially Fox News.

They complain about parenting like it's harder now than ever; I bet their nannies feel the same way.

I hope FOX gives out a reply.DarKre

The people at FOX will read the first line then go back to arguing about why it isn't safe for their children to play Mass Effect.foxhound_fox

Pretty much. The media very rarely admits they were wrong. The fact remains that they still view games as soley for children, and they just don't want anything sexual in these games.

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]The people at FOX will read the first line then go back to arguing about why it isn't safe for their children to play Mass Effect.JustPlainLucas

Pretty much. The media very rarely admits they were wrong. The fact remains that they still view games as soley for children, and they just don't want anything sexual in these games.

You're right.

I also think actions such as the ones taken now by EA will help resolve that issue or transition it, at least. It needs to be put in place that there are ratings and if the developers and publishers sit back and do nothing then it gives parents room to place blame on them. I truly think this is valiant on EA's part and I hope more publishers take a stand in the future. It really is the only way for people outside our medium to understand that they need to take it more seriously because therein lies the problem.

It's only fox news its not like its a relible soruse but good for EA standing up for all the men and women who spent long hours making it perfect.

did anyone see that women say she hadn't played it but thought she got enogh info from snippits of that sex scene.

This is awesome. Fight the man EA!donny666

EA is the man .........................

"Debbie Does Dallas meets Luke Skywalker"? Are you serious? Wow, I didn't know they were going to be that ignorant. I also love how EA called them out on their own programs like The OC and Family Guy (Quagmire).

[QUOTE="JustPlainLucas"]

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]The people at FOX will read the first line then go back to arguing about why it isn't safe for their children to play Mass Effect.juradai

Pretty much. The media very rarely admits they were wrong. The fact remains that they still view games as soley for children, and they just don't want anything sexual in these games.

You're right.

I also think actions such as the ones taken now by EA will help resolve that issue or transition it, at least. It needs to be put in place that there are ratings and if the developers and publishers sit back and do nothing then it gives parents room to place blame on them. I truly think this is valiant on EA's part and I hope more publishers take a stand in the future. It really is the only way for people outside our medium to understand that they need to take it more seriously because therein lies the problem.

I don't know how things work in other countries, but in the US the rating system is obvious enough (there is a big letter, besides which the potentially objectionable content is spelled out and below that is the ESRB's web page) that anyone that wants to understand it can. More likely than not the same parents that are letting GTA babysit their kids are also letting Scarface and Snoop Dogg babysit their kids. Such people have no sense of responsibility, so when their kid does something horrible, they blame the media for in effect being poor parents (curse you Saw, you led my boy astray!).

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"]The people at FOX will read the first line then go back to arguing about why it isn't safe for their children to play Mass Effect.JustPlainLucas

Pretty much. The media very rarely admits they were wrong. The fact remains that they still view games as soley for children, and they just don't want anything sexual in these games.

Yeah. The really scary thing is that ppl are more prepared to believe Lawrence who hasn't played the game, over some "game guy" who actually has. I mean, Keighley has never written a Cosmo Girl's Quiz, so he has no credibility.

Good to see EA doing this. They're really one of the few companies in this industry that can fight back on the same level/playing field as a national media company. Frankly I'd like to see them make a bigger fuss over this and possibly get some attention from other media companies. This was a really cheap shot by Fox and is a fantastic opening for gaming industry on the whole to point out how ridiculous they've been treated by mainstream media.Robio_basic

I'd also like this to have a Massive Effect (:P) on Fox. I absolutely hate it's claim to be fair and balanced when it obviously isn't, and I would applaud EA to the death if they made a giant lawsuit against Fox. While the commentary and such isn't news, it's almost as far from fair and balanced as you can get, too. O'Reilly is an absolute douche who never owns up to being wrong on anything but the tiniest issues, who never lets people get the last word even when he'll say they can have it.... Hannity isn't as bad but he's still an idiot. Colmes speaks maybe half the time on their show, and Hannity has his own radio program, as does O'Reilly.

******** awesome!

That was perfectly drafted to make EA/Bioware look like the bigger party, and prove how foolish Sensation.... err... Fox News is. Can we sign something in support of them?

I don't know how things work in other countries, but in the US the rating system is obvious enough (there is a big letter, besides which the potentially objectionable content is spelled out and below that is the ESRB's web page) that anyone that wants to understand it can. More likely than not the same parents that are letting GTA babysit their kids are also letting Scarface and Snoop Dogg babysit their kids. Such people have no sense of responsibility, so when their kid does something horrible, they blame the media for in effect being poor parents (curse you Saw, you led my boy astray!).

CarnageHeart

Oh yeah, no doubt about it. The rating system we currently in place is definitely one that everyone can understand. The problem that is being faced currently is that it doesn't seem to be taken seriously by the masses so when word of some content that comes close to an R rated movie surfaces on a game many parents seem to panic. When developers and publishers step in and enlighten the public, such as what EA is somewhat doing now, then it makes those parents not taking the ESRB rating seriously give it more attention. This is something that cinema has over video games I feel because of the lack of weight that the ESRB rating seems to carry do to public perception of our medium being looked at as "only for kids".

I think it will take more time before we see any real change in the way the public perceives video games. When big companies(or any for that matter), such as EA, finally make statements on their games and defend the misinformation being voiced by media then it helps the medium be taken more seriously.

[QUOTE="Robio_basic"]Good to see EA doing this. They're really one of the few companies in this industry that can fight back on the same level/playing field as a national media company. Frankly I'd like to see them make a bigger fuss over this and possibly get some attention from other media companies. This was a really cheap shot by Fox and is a fantastic opening for gaming industry on the whole to point out how ridiculous they've been treated by mainstream media.Angry_Beaver

I'd also like this to have a Massive Effect (:P) on Fox. I absolutely hate it's claim to be fair and balanced when it obviously isn't, and I would applaud EA to the death if they made a giant lawsuit against Fox. While the commentary and such isn't news, it's almost as far from fair and balanced as you can get, too. O'Reilly is an absolute douche who never owns up to being wrong on anything but the tiniest issues, who never lets people get the last word even when he'll say they can have it.... Hannity isn't as bad but he's still an idiot. Colmes speaks maybe half the time on their show, and Hannity has his own radio program, as does O'Reilly.

I hope FOX gives out a reply.DarKre

They'll probably send a message saying "well yo mamma!" on it...

I wished that EA made them make a new story of them saying that they were wrong on national tv. That would make me feel better

[QUOTE="Angry_Beaver"]

[QUOTE="Robio_basic"]Good to see EA doing this. They're really one of the few companies in this industry that can fight back on the same level/playing field as a national media company. Frankly I'd like to see them make a bigger fuss over this and possibly get some attention from other media companies. This was a really cheap shot by Fox and is a fantastic opening for gaming industry on the whole to point out how ridiculous they've been treated by mainstream media.smokeydabear076

I'd also like this to have a Massive Effect (:P) on Fox. I absolutely hate it's claim to be fair and balanced when it obviously isn't, and I would applaud EA to the death if they made a giant lawsuit against Fox. While the commentary and such isn't news, it's almost as far from fair and balanced as you can get, too. O'Reilly is an absolute douche who never owns up to being wrong on anything but the tiniest issues, who never lets people get the last word even when he'll say they can have it.... Hannity isn't as bad but he's still an idiot. Colmes speaks maybe half the time on their show, and Hannity has his own radio program, as does O'Reilly.

If you don't want to watch liberals be insulted and conservatives praised you should probably watch a different network.

I'm glad EA is doing this, but I don't think the network has the journalistic integrity to do a retraction. They don't just make up things with video games. They regularly use psuedo science and promote talking points as facts.

If you don't want to watch liberals be insulted and conservatives praised you should probably watch a different network.

I'm glad EA is doing this, but I don't think the network has the journalistic integrity to do a retraction. They don't just make up things with video games. They regularly use psuedo science and promote talking points as facts.

Angry_Beaver

Sadly, you're correct.

I have to commend EA for responding to Fox News' terrible "news" about Mass Effect.

I really don't think they're going to care or issue an apology though.

[QUOTE="smokeydabear076"][QUOTE="Angry_Beaver"]

[QUOTE="Robio_basic"]Good to see EA doing this. They're really one of the few companies in this industry that can fight back on the same level/playing field as a national media company. Frankly I'd like to see them make a bigger fuss over this and possibly get some attention from other media companies. This was a really cheap shot by Fox and is a fantastic opening for gaming industry on the whole to point out how ridiculous they've been treated by mainstream media.hempforvictory

I'd also like this to have a Massive Effect (:P) on Fox. I absolutely hate it's claim to be fair and balanced when it obviously isn't, and I would applaud EA to the death if they made a giant lawsuit against Fox. While the commentary and such isn't news, it's almost as far from fair and balanced as you can get, too. O'Reilly is an absolute douche who never owns up to being wrong on anything but the tiniest issues, who never lets people get the last word even when he'll say they can have it.... Hannity isn't as bad but he's still an idiot. Colmes speaks maybe half the time on their show, and Hannity has his own radio program, as does O'Reilly.

If you don't want to watch liberals be insulted and conservatives praised you should probably watch a different network.

I'm glad EA is doing this, but I don't think the network has the journalistic integrity to do a retraction. They don't just make up things with video games. They regularly use psuedo science and promote talking points as facts.

But I guess I'm asking for too much because he has his opinion and it's good that he doesn't go against it just to satisfy people like me.

I take this letter as an announcement of Mass Effect 2. Why else would EA defend the title if they weren't planning on exploiting the IP.dchan01

Planned trilogy. Already said.

Personally, I find most of the hate directed at Fox News to be asinine stupidity from far left fanatics... but that's another topic altogether.

On the topic of hand, there was obviously a lot of misinformation floating around in the Mass Effect segment and I think EA is doing the right thing...

[QUOTE="Angry_Beaver"]

If you don't want to watch liberals be insulted and conservatives praised you should probably watch a different network.

I'm glad EA is doing this, but I don't think the network has the journalistic integrity to do a retraction. They don't just make up things with video games. They regularly use psuedo science and promote talking points as facts.

Sorthax

Sadly, you're correct.

I didn't say that, lol.