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[sendit]

Yup.....I feel like developers should shut up about their game when taking a polarizing political stance like this. Moral decision to leave it out, great! Just don't talk about it.

 

[A.Romero]

There have been many movie studios that are also going down this route (taking smoking out of their content). These creators are actually respecting your intelligence by doing this. They realize that you aren't (more than likely) going to go outside and murder people with a chainsaw or shoot someone in the face like Solid Snake just because you did it in a game.

But they do think it's possible that some of their customers (they are mostly thinking about the kids) will start smoking if they display it in their games (due to it looking cool).



This isn't about armchair activism (not sure why people hate activism so much). The owner of the studio personally doesn't like smoking for a personal reason and it's okay that the content that his company makes doesn't support it. The game will not be better or worse because of this move.

I support the creator's vision. Still, it sounds stupid to me to make a statement like that in such a way. Just because your game has characters doing it it doesn't mean that they are endorsing that behaviour. If it was like that then they would be endorsing extreme violence.

They could have not include smoking and no one would notice. It's like the easiest way to show support for a cause but not actually supporting it. If he cares so much, why don't them donate a part of the profits to some smoking related charity? It's just virtue signaling, as they said before.

I do agree it doesn't make the game better or worst.

 

[Torrent of Pork]

Of all the ways an entertainment product can moralize, not having the characters smoke is something I can support. I vape now, but goddamn if my relationship with it isn't like a toddler with a pacifier.

 

[Vawn]

OMG CENSORSHIP

 

[Chozofication_]

Wow man i get it smoking is dumb but this is some pussy willow shit

 

[HeresJohnny]

A game with fucking chainsaws on rifles and they're worried about secondhand smoke lol. They DO realize it's a game.... right?

EDIT: I saw a video of a chick smoking a cigar with her vagina. Maybe that's what he's talking about lol.

 

[GAMETA]

if attention_needed:
virtue signal

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Lol, wut? This can't be real. Look how fucking violent these games are, and you're set off by fucking cigarettes? This industry has gotten so fucking stupid - I'm ashamed to be part of it.

 

[Labolas]

What's going on here?



Look at the person I quoted above. You sure we aren't nipping at Era's heels?

Nah, that's brap being brap. There's nothing he said that would say that would suggest he's like any of the miscreants of Era. He isn't asking to go out and threatening the dev for a change in a game.

 

[TheMay30thMan]

Tobacco isn’t allowed to be advertised and this clown just put out an ad for the entire gaming community.

 

[Hawke502]

Really, Rod Fergusson shouldn't be in charge of the marketing campaign, put someone more professional in place. He is a good producer, but is making terrible decisions in marketing.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I don'f follow e-sports. Do they allow coverage on tv if they show smoking?

Just wondering if this a true anti-smoking belief on behalf of the game, or a self-serving hidden agenda in order to get more e-sports participation and coverage.

he game, set for Sept. 10 release, comes from Xbox Game Studios and game developer The Coalition. The decision to remove all smoking references from “Gears 5” came after not-for-profit anti-smoking organization Truth Initiative approached Turner, whose ELeague esports division has broadcast rights to the title, about making the change. Turner collaborated with The Coalition to strip out smoking from the game.

Turner is promoting the partnership with Truth for this weekend’s ELeague Gears Summer Series Invitational. The esports tournament is taking place July 13-14 with live coverage on Twitch – the first time fans will see “Gears 5” in action.

 

[SonGoku]

Soy of War 5: The Cuckening

Reminds me off:
God of Soy: My wife's Son

 

[Hoya Destroyer]

Do the devs think that their player base is either so young or so dumb, as to not know the consequences of smoking?
Maybe Gears is a kids game?

 

[Dada55000]

Look at the person I quoted above. You sure we aren't nipping at Era's heels?

omgee guise we totes no better as them becuz we like, complain, jus as bad

what is this the fuck is this faux concern troll shit, any flimsy excuse to exaggarate and compare to shitheap that gets people doxed and fired

 

[Shmunter]

The most macho game ever conceived gets neutered again. Who are they making this for?

 

[Petrae]

I don'f follow e-sports. Do they allow coverage on tv if they show smoking?

Just wondering if this a true anti-smoking belief on behalf of the game, or a self-serving hidden agenda in order to get more e-sports participation and coverage.

Oh, it’s for the money and coverage. The “effect on health” is secondary. As usual in cases like this, the complainer passes over the direct source of the conflict and instead begs a position of power to force compliance.

This brings up a different issue with eSports and M-rated titles. Knowing that kids watch this eSports coverage, and that M-rated games are not meant for kids, who’s to stop other organizations from taking Turner to task over exposing children to extreme/graphic violence? If nobody comes forward, it actually magnifies the double-standard that the modern video game industry executes by letting violence go while banning/censoring everything else.

It’s all fucked, honestly.

 

[Tripolygon]

Anything that discourages smoking is OK in my book or at least does not portray smoking in a positive way is great. Carry on.

 

[The Alien]

Was smoking ever on a Gears game?

 

[VAL0R]

My favorite franchise. Didn't really have to say anything, Rod. Don't think anyone would've noticed. Interesting to put gears on some sort of moral standing considering the Bezerkers are female locust that are chained up and raped for breeding purposes. Cliff said he made it after his ex wife.

Where did you read this? I've never heard this.

 

[j0hnnix]

I need a cigarette. this too much to handle.

 

[Rest]

‘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

This is not satire.

What part of this resembles satire?

 

[Shmunter]

Was smoking ever on a Gears game?

Only as a tool to enforce the machismo of the gruff characters. It influencing the intended mature audience to smoke is laughable. The tough guy Sargent chewing on a cigar is an iconic stereotype, it’s additive to the atmosphere of a game called ‘Gears If War’.

We are heading towards a monotone sanitised future, where you can’t condone ‘this’, and can’t cause offence with ‘that’. It won’t end.

 

[LuvOfThaGame]

Where did you read this? I've never heard this.

Gears Of War was inspired by Cliff Bleszinski's failed marriage

CliffyB bares his soul.

www.gameplanet.co.nz

In a series of tweets. He went into further after making these tweets, but I don't remember where.

 

[Darrec]

Only as a tool to enforce the machismo of the gruff characters. It influencing the intended mature audience to smoke is laughable. The tough guy Sargent chewing on a cigar is an iconic stereotype, it’s additive to the atmosphere of a game called ‘Gears If War’.

We are heading towards a monotone sanitised future, where you can’t condone ‘this’, and can’t cause offence with ‘that’. It won’t end.

It's so easy to tell you've never touched a Gears game.

 

[Shmunter]

It's so easy to tell you've never touched a Gears game.

What on earth gives you that impression? Played the 4 games on 360.

 

[Dada55000]

It's so easy to tell you've never touched a Gears game.

"Gears characters are macho"
"You never played a gears game."
you what

Was smoking ever on a Gears game?

Dizzy smoked I think?

 

[Darrec]

What on earth gives you that impression? Played the 4 games on 360.

I doubt it, otherwise you'd know the presence of tobacco in general is completely absent for the entire series except for this one instance of a side character on a short DLC and who only actually smokes on-screen for less than 3 seconds.

"Gears characters are macho"
"You never played a gears game."
you what


Dizzy smoked I think?

You got me wrong, Gears is (or was) about macho characters, that's a fact. I was disagreeing on the cigar part.
Also no, Dizzy never smokes in the games. He is shown with cigarettes in concept art though.

 

[RedCarp04]

Really, Rod Fergusson shouldn't be in charge of the marketing campaign, put someone more professional in place. He is a good producer, but is making terrible decisions in marketing.

This, honestly. The marketing for Gears 5 has been a complete disaster and they still haven't shown off any single player gameplay. The game comes out in like less than 2 months.

 

[Shmunter]

I doubt it, otherwise you'd know the presence of tobacco in general is completely absent for the entire series except for this one instance of a side character on a short DLC and who only actually smokes on-screen for less than 3 seconds.


You got me wrong, Gears is (or was) about macho characters, that's a fact. I was disagreeing on the cigar part.
Also no, Dizzy never smokes in the games. He is shown with cigarettes in concept art though.

You got me, I don’t recall the particulars of the 3sec smoking scene over a decade ago so I must never have played the games. I guess it must also invalidate all I’ve said about everything else.

Give the man a prize.

 

[Deputy Moonman]

I just don't think it really matters. Is the game good? Good. Is the game bad? Bad. Who cares whether characters are smoking or not. Such a small thing in the grand scheme of things to get all worked up over. Just let the devs do their thing lol.

 

[The Scrivener]

Not a big deal IMHO.

Sure. But why tell the world about it? Nobody would ever have noticed.

 

[xrnzaaas]

I'm normally very much against censoring or removing things to "educate" or to avoid hurting someone's feelings, but I'm all for removing smoking from all forms of entertainment.

 

[Petrae]

But why tell the world about it? Nobody would ever have noticed.

It’s chest-thumping. Nothing else. Trying to win some woke points from the usual suspects.

 

[Keny]

The game comes out in like less than 2 months.

Are you kidding? I literally had no idea. Have heard practically nothing about the game. What abysmal marketing.

 

[Ban Puncher]

 

[Saruhashi]

We laugh, but I honestly do wonder when gunplay in games is going to become the next problem for these types. I'm surprised the left hasn't made more of an issue of it in the past decade.

They can't. The right already jumped on that one and so it's like that stance is reserved for right-wing only.

I think pro-gun people would tend to welcome this argument since it's an admission that it's not the guns that are the problem but the entertainment featuring the guns. Therefore cut that shit out of mainstream culture and let them keep their guns.

The anti-gun side needs it to be "guns are the problem" so they can't come out and state "actually it's the media we consume that is the problem". They are in a bind.

No such bind with smoking. "Smoking in games can cause smoking in real life so take it out of the games but give people in real life the choice. Just don't normalize it."

They'll go after specific types of violence in games but overall they can't just be against violent games because then the right will just be "yeah, we agree, ban violent games".

So when Trump showed that video with all the clips of violence the more left-leaning side of the gaming community was up in arms. Yet, they will switch stance if someone displays a "sexism in games" supercut.

This is similar. Extreme violence and gore is a main characteristic of the Gears franchise. So they need to find another avenue for pubic displays of morality. Smoking seems as good as anything else in that context. It has no significant bearing on the actual game itself so it's maximum virtue points with minimum impact on the game.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

So is Marcus gonna eat some tide pods instead?

God, I hope so.

 

[KungFucius]

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.

Am I missing something here? I see one producer make a comment on a change but you apparently see an entire org spending more time inserting things into games they can then go out and publically pat themselves on the back for. That is except for the significant fraction of that org supporting Halo and Forza. I thought games were art and creators would naturally insert things based on how they see the world. Apparently that is bad if those things reflect some candy ass bullshit.

And just because it's a mature game, doesn't mean kids won't play it so the adult game argument is not really relevant. Smoking is gross and does nothing but damage. It should be snuffed out in all representations. I say this as a former dumb fuck teenager/young adult smoker. If people want to smoke, fine, just keep it far enough away that I can't smell it. And stop fucking flicking spent butts out the windows of cars.

This is yet another case of the internet finding some minor detail and making it into something to whine about. As at least one other poster stated, almost nobody would have noticed the change if it wasn't mentioned. All this bitching is just chiding a creative type for not liking smoking just like a billion + other people.

 

[Dunki]

I mean if it does not promoted in the other games as well but still this statement is kinda ridiculous^^

This is yet another case of the internet finding some minor detail and making it into something to whine about. As at least one other poster stated, almost nobody would have noticed the change if it wasn't mentioned. All this bitching is just chiding a creative type for not liking smoking just like a billion + other people.

The question is why did he even mention this then? It is PR to be woke and so people are talking about the game no one really talks about. It is hypocritical and clickbait.

 

[Silent Viper]

I rather take censorship on Smoking as it causes cancer than Sony censoring nudity in their games.


Sony censored Lady's sexy ass in DMC 5 which is far worst than this.

 

[Silent Viper]

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.

Smoking is bad and stupid comments like this proves. You my sir clearly smoke some stupid stuff to make such stupid comments.

Its a billion dollar franchise "Mr nobody cares about it in years". Franchise has made over billion dollar in revenue for MS.


And now with Game pass and Steam version it's bound to have boggest player base ever. It might not chart big in npd or in retail due to GP but it will have lot of players and MS wants that clearly.

 

[Silent Viper]

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.

Hyperbole much. 10 sec smoking scene pissed u so much? You must be a hardcore smoker to get mad over this.Smoking causes stupidity and cancer confirmed.

In Gears u killed monsters with chainsaw mostly and Gears gore is cartoony and not realistic as Tlou or MK to affect youngsters in any major way. People hardly get grossed out by Gears violence.



And as far as games are concerned then 9 studios they bought are to make games only but it takes time

 

[Dada55000]

"lolol it's no big deal, u mad smoker, ackhshually arthistic expression lolol"
It's people that shit out variants of this that cannot comprehend how stupid they look when they try to blow smoke up your ass about how backwards puritanism is not pathetic and embarrassing, also totally not self-righteous preaching either. This argument was shit, sth to point and laugh at 10 years ago, let alone now. Sad thing is, for a bunch of people it's not even coming from a defensive Xbox/Gears fanboy frame of mind, but actually buy into the delusional mindset.

Man I can't wait to see how vindictive the Zoomer's will be towards this in 10-20 years. It's gonna be as bad.

Health orgs turning smoke packs essentially into collectibles is quite possibly the most baffling decision to make them less popular. Adults don't give a shit and kids want the one that grosses out their friends the most.

 

[HotPocket69]

Smoking is bad and stupid comments like this proves. You my sir clearly smoke some stupid stuff to make such stupid comments.

Its a billion dollar franchise "Mr nobody cares about it in years". Franchise has made over billion dollar in revenue for MS.


And now with Game pass and Steam version it's bound to have boggest player base ever. It might not chart big in npd or in retail due to GP but it will have lot of players and MS wants that clearly.

Gears isn’t at all the franchise it used to be. 4 basically bombed in sales compared to previous iterations. This new direction with their woke ideas and female lead won’t do it any favors whatsoever. The average kid gamer doesn’t give a shit about this series nowadays anyway.

Good for game pass! Now instead of dropping 60 bucks on a shit game in a shit antiquated franchise you only need to drop, what, 5?

 

[HeresJohnny]

"lolol it's no big deal, u mad smoker, ackhshually arthistic expression lolol"
It's people that shit out variants of this that cannot comprehend how stupid they look when they try to blow smoke up your ass about how backwards puritanism is not pathetic and embarrassing, also totally not self-righteous preaching either. This argument was shit, sth to point and laugh at 10 years ago, let alone now. Sad thing is, for a bunch of people it's not even coming from a defensive Xbox/Gears fanboy frame of mind, but actually buy into the delusional mindset.

Man I can't wait to see how vindictive the Zoomer's will be towards this in 10-20 years. It's gonna be as bad.

Health orgs turning smoke packs essentially into collectibles is quite possibly the most baffling decision to make them less popular. Adults don't give a shit and kids want the one that grosses out their friends the most.

What’s even more funny is that the government subsidizes tobacco growth while at the same time funding ad campaigns telling people not to use it.

 

[Pidull]

This is a Mature rated game series and we're worried about the children. Let that sink in.

 

[dilbag]

whats funny if they removed it and just did not say anything no one would notice......

 

[Panajev2001a]

This is a Mature rated game series and we're worried about the children. Let that sink in.

In a way it is like begging the government to create laws to ensure ratings are respected and parents providing access to material not suitable for their children’s age rating group punished... “self regulated ratings are worthless, change the games to make them all safe for kids... now excuse me I need to complain about Sony censoring games I do not intend to buy” .

 

[mortal]

The most macho game ever conceived gets neutered again. Who are they making this for?

For children apparently. So much for a ratings board.