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Sunday, February 18, 2007

Super Columbine Massacre: Social commentary or exploitation?

For the uninitiated, Super Columbine Massacre is a role-playing game entered into Slamdance’s Guerrilla Gamemaker Competition, but later removed by festival officials. Designed by Danny Ledonne, it replays the sequence of events at Columbine. (Read about it here).

In short, all I can say is that I couldn’t disagree more with Ledonne’s rational that this should be allowed in because it’s art as well as being some form of social commentary. That rings false for me on so many levels, from the issue of violence to what we consider being in poor taste. The responses by game supporters don’t really seem to help the cause too much either.

There is no social commentary here, just anger.

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3 comments:

Maulleigh said...

They have to defend it because they got an Auschwitz game coming out for xmas season next year.

Anonymous said...

“...an Auschwitz game coming out for xmas season next year.”

I spoke too soon then. What the hell is next, the Twin Towers game?

Anonymous said...

I don't know the purpose of the competition, for instance, if this guy was trying to actually sell the game concpet or just demonstrate his "thinking," but I can't believe there wasn't a better way to accomplish whatever he was after. If trivializing tragedy is the only way to accomplish his goal, maybe his goal sucked.