Machinima impressario Hugh "Nomad" Hancock sez, "Slamdance, the underground-ish film festival, have just decided to ban a genuinely artistic, disturbing, possibly brilliant game from their interactive competition, despite their festival's commitment to support such work, because of the usual "games and violence" hysteria
"They've forbidden the game Super Columbine Massacre< from competition, apparently for no good reason other than a lack of belief in games as an artform. It's dealing with serious and horrifying issues – therefore it's not art, it's filth."
Super Columbine Massacre is controversial for one reason only: Because our culture continues to assume that games are "mere entertainment," that a game based on so horrific an event must ipso facto be in bad taste. Games are fun, Columbine was a tragedy and never the twain shall meet; a game on Columbine must by nature trivialize or cynically exploit the event. Q.E.D.
Yet we do not make the same assumption about any other medium: a documentary on the Columbine massacre, or a novel, or a New Yorker essay would, a priori, be treated with respect, at least until the viewer or reader had experienced it, after which a judgment might be made as to its merits. And if the work proved insightful, somber,and respectful of its material, the world would consider it unexceptional.
I will suggest, therefore, that no one is entitled to criticize this game until they have played it–and am morally certain that those who do have not. Because those who do will find it insightful, somber, and respectful of its material.
(Thanks, Hugh!)
Update:
Kim sez, "Jon Blow, creator of the game Braid, has withdrawn his game (another nominee) from the competition out of protest. Jon's excellent statement on the subject can be found here."
Update 2: Darius sez, "Game Company's 'flOw' has withdrawn, following on the heels of Jon Blow's'"Braid'."
