Local leader says he'll examine legal options to prevent the game's release, claims it could be "economically harmful" to the city.
North Korea. Venezuela. Las Vegas. A mutual disapproval of games makes strange bedfellows. Officials from all three of these places have decried games based within their jurisdictions.
In May, Venezuelan legislator Gabriela Ramirez called Pandemic Studios' upcoming shooter Mercenaries 2 " a justification for imperialist aggression." In the game, players drop into Venezuela to help settle an oil dispute, take on "a power hungry tyrant," and blow stuff up.
Back in 2004, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 was decried by the North Korean government as propaganda. In that game, a North Korean general diverts food to the military, eventually taking power of the country and invading China. It is then up to players to join the Ghost Recon team in repelling the invaders.
Now Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman is taking exception to the setting of another Tom Clancy game, Ubisoft's upcoming Rainbow Six Vegas. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Goodman has an issue with the game's plot, which sees terrorists taking over a swanky casino on the city's Strip and seizing a number of hostages.
Goodman reportedly said the game was "based on a false premise," adding he has been repeatedly told by government officials that Las Vegas is "the safest place imaginable" when it comes to terrorist attacks. The mayor also said he'll look into whether or not the city can prevent the game from being released. "It could be harmful economically, and it may be something that's not entitled to free speech [protection]," Goodman is quoted as saying.
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Dude you guys are stupid, I'm from las vegas and thats the reason I bought the game. Anyway our mayor rocks, I know hes just saying all that stuff to make him self look good but deep down he really could careless. Hes too cool to worry about this ****
Goodman seems more like a terrorist than anyone else. Just because of this, I will buy the game. Even if it is somehow banned here in Vegas, I will obtain a copy, no matter how many laws I have to break. I don't even like Rainbow Six. This will be the third time I've done this. I bought Gun when that Native American group saied they wanted it banned, and I got Ghost Recon 2 when North Korea threatened us over it.
This is the reason I purchased the game. I am a LAs Vegas native and any opportunity to shoot up this town is "A Dream Come True".
Yes, I'm sure Rainbow Six is what will bring down Vegas' image. Come on mr. mayor, you're city already has a crappy image, one video game isn't going to ruin that.
Whine whine whine. Rainbow Six being harmful to Vegas' image? What will people think of next?
I hope they add the mayor to the game as one of the hostages. And make sure he is the one that gets executed before the ghosts arrive...
When are people like Oscar Goodman going to get it? Having this game based in his town is going to draw new visitors TO the city to see if the game is realistic in the layout of the town and the sites depicted. I just hope the game is not as lame as Lockdown, which basically SUCKED. Any news as to whether or not this is going to have a good co-component?
If I actually don't want to go to Vegas now it's only because there's a brainless tard mayor in it!
Yep, really damage the economy especially when most of the gamers are between the age of 13 and 20. I can really see that messing up their economy even though you have to be 21 to do anything remotely fun in Vegas, I meen honestely this is just such stupidity, I am glad Goodman is in Vegas and not where I am at, what an idiot.
this is stupid,if i wanna shoot up a digital version of my hometown,i should be allowed to, i wonder if any city officials get taken hostage.............
Haha, if he thinks people believe what they see in video games.... Although, I'm not totally surprised. The whole terrorist thing has gotten everyone all touchy and emotional. And pissy. But, honestly, we all know there is no need to fear terrorist attacks in Las Vegas... It's just a game. Besides, if it wasn't set in Vegas, it just wouldn't be as cool.
Touchy, touchy Mr. mayor. who cares if its in Vegas or not, face it in real life you would need a whole army to take over Las Vegas, its just a game! Why can't the U.S. congress and other governments realise its just a game
Ok, so he will allow CSI to air which is full of crime and violence and in every episode someone is gruely murdered and yet the idea of a terrorist attack sets him off? If the guy is looking for publicity why didnt he jump all over that. He's looking for an easy target, something for his political career. What a retard. Who voted him mayor? He might just be a crappy mayor who's failing to do the job and needs an escape goat.
So this guy is worried about that game, but not about GTA:SA were there are a bunch of mafia and triad gangs controlling the city's casinos? That was false. "Based on a false premise". It's called fiction, look it up sometime, won't you?
THIS SAME MAYOR? The one who endorsed Gin and drinking to 4th graders? Classic. Check the link out... http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/mar/02/518378833.htm
I agree completely with EugeneE3RD. To ban this game would be contrary to the constitution, being that that would be contradicting the free speech law. Also, I think some people, like that mayor, just like to fuss over nothing so they can be on the news.
Why wasn't he all over the Duke Nukem Forever trailer? There you have an alien invasion and this huge dragon-lookin' alien destroys the Mandalay Bay. It's completely fictional and based on a false premise. The release of Rainbow Six Vegas might actually increase tourism and the amount of money the city makes. I mean, what city can't use some extra money? Goodman's just making it worse. Having terrorists take over a casino isn't showing Vegas in a bad light, it's showing how popular Vegas must be if even terrorsits want to visit. I live in Vegas and the city is actually pretty safe and I don't think the game would attract unsavoury characters.
i live in vegas and i have the x box 360 game, so even if it gets ban here, i'll get it through ebay.
I live in Vegas, and I have to deal with Goodman's **** every day! He always comes on the channel 3 six o'clock news and *****es about something or someone ruining the city! Goodman, **** off!
Oscar Goodman is actually considered an edgy mayor. He has changed areas like the smutty Fremont street into a fun place too be. He is not soft on crime at all and considering the murders in North Las Vegas I understand his concern. I still don't get why go after this game and not Hitman or San Andreas that have you doing illegal things in the city.
What an idiot. If they do block the game, I am sure that it would be more "econmically Devastating" than if the game is released. How do these dummies get elected?
What a **** 90%+ of people who go/live/whatever in Vegas aren't even going to know about it.
The #1 gaming community in the world scared of a game intended to stop those who want to stop their gaming would only be seen as gamer haters. Which every true gamer shuns!!! It'll only hurt their econ. if they try to stop a game. They should be making it so we can go there and gamble on some of these more current games.
Wait, that would mean movies and shows like 24 that have terrorist they are all harmful to their cities.
You know by him opening his mouth, he just made himself look stupid and the reason Im not going to Vegas is because it has a stupid mayor runnung it, not because a fictional game says it's full of terrorist, that's like saying don't go into the woods in a red hoodie or wolves willl eat your grandma and then try to devour you.
The mayor of Vegas can't do crap about the game because games are protected under free speech. The mayor is full of crap by saying this quote: "It could be harmful economically, and it may be something that's not entitled to free speech [protection]" Games are protected by free speech, Oscar Goodman, so you can't do nothing to stop the game.
isnt csi based in vegas i mean surely that would make people think there re loads of murders there and that would be economically harmful. oh wait it doesnt it actually increases tourism as omg its a tv show
Unbelievable, Just as well I live in the UK, sounds like the US if far too dangerous a place to go. I'll just stick to east end gangs and hoods ala "getaway" Are politicians for real, I mean has he ever even played a console?
OMG a FICTIONAL story is BASED ON A FALSE PREMISE? What next is he gonna tell my star wars isn't true.
What's with politicians shunning games so much? I mean, you don't see this much controversy about, Oh, I don't know, an action movie (where something horrible happens in a real life city), or music (Gangsta rap), or a book. Look at it this way, if, say, there was a movie about terrorists taking over a major casino in Las Vegas, I can guarantee you that there wouldn't be as much controversy as the game based on the exact same (fictional) events. ~Lancer
Lack of common sense + hypocrisy = most politicians So the mayor has no problem with all the movies/tv shows based on Vegas where less than appealing things happen but a video game gets a "hold it right there buddy!" reaction.....
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