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[48086]

‘Gears 5’ Will Exclude Smoking Depictions After Concerns Raised by Youth Anti-Tobacco Org (EXCLUSIVE)

"Gears 5," the next "Gears of Wars" installment, will exclude all tobacco use under a partnership with Turner's ELeague and Truth Initiative.

variety.com

“Gears 5,” the forthcoming installment in the “Gears of Wars” third-person shooter game franchise, will be a smoke-free establishment.

In a statement, Rod Fergusson, studio head at The Coalition, said: “I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of smoking. It’s always been important for me to not use smoking as a narrative device, which is why we made the conscious choice to avoid highlighting or glorifying smoking in ‘Gears 5’ and throughout the Gears of War Universe moving forward.”

Of course, “Gears 5” still includes a ton of shooting and, arguably, glorifies violence. The game is rated “M” (for audiences 17+) for blood and gore, strong language and intense violence, according to Microsoft.

This is not satire.

 

[bumleforce]

So is Marcus gonna eat some tide pods instead? Perhaps lick some blue bunny ice cream and putting it back between fighting the swarm.

Still a good call

 

[mortal]

What is going on with these big publishers treating their adult consumers as ignorant children?

I'm not paying you to condescend to me, fuck's sake...

 

[888]

Get rid of the chainsaws. I’ve seen their devastation.

 

[FranXico]

Not a big deal IMHO.
Authors can make this kind of choices. Not sure why they consider Gears characters as some kind of role models, but it's their prerrogative.

 

[Nymphae]

Of course, “Gears 5” still includes a ton of shooting and, arguably, glorifies violence. The game is rated “M” (for audiences 17+) for blood and gore, strong language and intense violence, according to Microsoft.

We want you to be entertained by our high resolution fantasy murder simulations, but god forbid you see someone smoke a fucking cigarette Those things kill people you know.

 

[mckmas8808]

Seems fine to me. If the developer's head guy is against it and for those reasons........I understand.

 

[funkygunther]

If they hadn’t told us we wouldn’t have noticed

 

[quickwhips]

Rod is going to run the franchise into the ground. Bring back Cliff and help pay for is broadway play as part of the deal.

 

[Saruhashi]

So is Marcus gonna eat some tide pods instead? Perhaps lick some blue bunny ice cream and putting it back between fighting the swarm.

Still a good call

Nah, the main characters will spend the game sipping on Gamer Girl Bathwater.

 

[MastAndo]

If they hadn’t told us we wouldn’t have noticed

And risk having their wokeness go unpraised?

 

[Shifty]

What's the world coming to when a fictional neckless action hero can't even chomp on a stogie as he rattles off sharp one-liners

 

[TeamGhobad]

So is Marcus gonna eat some tide pods instead? Perhaps lick some blue bunny ice cream and putting it back between fighting the swarm.

Still a good call

he's gonna chop off his pecker and be a Ma'am now.

 

[Space Runaway]

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

W O W.

If you want an example of modern gaming companies that treat their audience like children, here ya go.

 

[Saruhashi]

he's gonna chop off his pecker and be a Ma'am now.

Queers of War?

Spoiler: Spoiler

I'm fucking joking!

 

[TeamGhobad]

 

[Von Hugh]

Is this game vegan as well?

 

[Boss Mog]

I don't really think having them smoke in the game would have too much of an effect but I hate smokers so I can live with it.

 

[Ornlu]

We want you to be entertained by our high resolution fantasy murder simulations, but god forbid you see someone smoke a fucking cigarette Those things kill people you know.

You can watch 10,000 murders a day, but one tit, or one cigarette can change you into an undesirable!

 

[Javthusiast]

I actually hate smoking (not in media though), but with netflix' recent news and now this, it's just so soy it's hilarious.

 

[kingwingin]

Did any character even smoke in past games?

 

[Javthusiast]

Lol quoted myself, how can I delete a post?

 

[Mista]

This is straight up bollocks! All the violence is alright because it’s rated M but smoking is a big no no? Well smoking is rated M also if by any chance they didn’t know. Anyways, it doesn’t matter to me if there’s smoking or not because it won’t make any difference but the statement itself is what’s rubbish.

 

[ConnorDuffy1977]

As long as this wasn't mandated by some lost soul in government, I am fine with it.

 

[EightBit Man]

I'm not even a smoker, but even I am getting tired of the anti-smokers gestapo.

 

[Northeastmonk]

Since when did video games become a PSA role model? How about we go to the library with a magic marker and cross out all the words we find that are sexist?

 

[MDSLKTR]

Appropriate since the new gow cast looks straight out of a cancelled mcu tv show.

 

[Ornlu]

Since when did video games become a PSA role model? How about we go to the library with a magic marker and cross out all the words we find that are sexist?

You can! Try and find an unedited Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn at an Elementary/Middle school library!

 

[Wesleyalucard]

This game will bomb in sales Just like gears 4. 0 hype.

 

[TeamGhobad]

Did any character even smoke in past games?

i think the colonel had a cigar in his mouth

 

[GymWolf]

oh ffs...

 

[48086]

I think I'm pretty much done with Microsoft first party titles (outside of Forza and maybe Halo). I'm not necessarily against removing smoking but it's clear virtue signaling is far more important than making great games.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

How's the character's diet? And I hope they're getting the required exercise.

 

[FeldMonster]

i think the colonel had a cigar in his mouth

Ah yes, good old Hoffman.

While I didn't care for him too much in the games, the novels really fleshed him out and made him a complex, interesting, and likeable character.

 

[OoO Speznas OoO]

Michael Barrick was smoking in gears of war 3 , so thats the reason he was never added in gears of war 4 i guess

 

[Fake]

Remember kids, winners don't smoke, just cut another one in pieces.

 

[HotPocket69]

They should maybe be a bit more concerned about sales rather than their boring, fictional characters smoking cigarettes in their boring, fictional world no one has given a fuck about in years.

 

[Virex]

Blood, guts, death, guns and mindless killing. But hey...at least no one is smoking cigarettes.

 

[TeamGhobad]

Michael Barrick was smoking in gears of war 3 , so thats the reason he was never added in gears of war 4 i guess

didn't he die?

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

I understand not having smoking in a Mario game, but Gears?

I grew up watching scenes like this and knew they were bad-ass, but am not and have never been a smoker. Good parenting is important - what a concept!

 

[TeamGhobad]

also cigars are harmless compared to cigarettes.

 

[Deleted member 471617]

I'm not a smoker, hate the smell of cigarettes and believe that it's such a huge waste of money but if that's what others want to do, I could care less as it has nothing to do with me but removing smoking from a video game despite having all the gory decapitating violence is fucking ridiculous and makes zero sense. I'm so happy that I signed up for Game Pass Ultimate using that trick a month ago to where my average a month for 15 months is literally $4 so basically, Gears 5 will be a $4 one time playthrough instead of a $60 one time playthrough. SMH.

 

[Northeastmonk]

They had the campy, earth's last hope, send in the criminal to do the job because no else can do it type of vibe in Gears of War. Who cares what he did wrong, if he smoked, got a divorce, etc. etc. That all played out very well considering how successful the game was. The campaign was engaging. When they went back to the prequel, it was a crappy game that even the main developers can admit was not that exciting. So the whole reason to why Marcus was a criminal fighting for earth was a better reason than some person with high standards set forth by the developer.

 

[OoO Speznas OoO]

didn't he die?

I dont remember but he was a cool character, dom died and he was added in gears 4 so why not barrick?

 

[Nymphae]

If they hadn’t told us we wouldn’t have noticed

Yeah that's not how this works

vir·tue sig·nal·ing
noun

1. the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue.

 

[TeamGhobad]

I dont remember but he was a cool character, dom died and he was added in gears 4 so why not barrick?

cause he's basically marcus with an old man haircut. as a MP character it fine but he died in the DLC.

 

[Cranberrys]

I'm a light smoker, I enjoy smoking a cigarette after work and after diner and I Don't pay 70€ for a game to lecture me. Gears characters were always bad asses and smoking fit their persona the same way Predator wouldn't be the same without Arnold and his cigars. I don't understand? They think that a teenager who sees a video game character smoke will run immediately to buy cigarettes? It's stupid to treat consumer like children.

 

[Ivellios]

I see..

One of my favorite characters is a smoker and i dont smoke because of him.

 

[Barnabot]

Spoiler: NSFW (MAYBE)