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Gaming Thursday, January 10th 2013 at 11:35 am

Connecticut Town Calls Off Violent Video Game Version of a Book Burning

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When the small town of Southington, Connecticut decided to host what amounts to a book burning for violent video games, we weren’t exactly surprised. As we said then, tragedies like the Newtown massacre don’t often provoke thoughtful responses so much as knee-jerk reactions.  The Violent Video Games Return Program being a perfect example of said knee-jerk reactions. The event was set to be held on January 12th, but it was called off early yesterday morning. Why did they call it off? Well, that’s complicated.

After receiving coverage in spades since SouthingtonSOS first announced the program, the community has decided that their purpose has been achieved without the need to actually host the event. The stated purpose was, of course, to provoke a conversation between parents and their children about the role and effect of violent video games and other media. Now that it’s been well and truly provoked, why have an event that just promises major logistical problems?

The original event would have seen officials hand out $25 gift vouchers for the return of violent video games. Those games would then be snapped and, most likely, incinerated. Cancelling means they don’t have to worry about a) actually doing this and b) angering folks that would be displeased with them doing this.

It could also be seen as the community backing down from a stance than proved unpopular, but that’s not going to be the marketing line.

(via Polygon, image via James Lee)

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  • http://twitter.com/Mesoian Mesoian

    It’s good that it’s not happening, but I was interested in driving down to see it, maybe talk to some people. The whole ordeal seemed to stem from a bunch of very scared people trying to take out their frustrations on something and the 2 (3?) weeks since it was announced seemed to have calmed everyone down.

    It was just one of those odd cultural things that you always read about you never thought you’d experience, like the burning of the beatles records or the Disco Demolition. It’s good it’s not happening, but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed.

  • http://www.facebook.com/michael.falzarano.92 Michael Falzarano

    Has anyone mentioned that burning video games is EXTREMELY toxic?

  • Lee

    “objective achieved people, next job is to destroy the internet. Lets burn all the computers!”

    I can just imagine them saying this

  • http://www.facebook.com/oo.edit.94 Ed Harrison

    - Destroying physical copies of games has no impact on their reproducibility or long-term availability.

    - Destroying physical copies of games increases demand for new copies to be produced, thus further funding the development of violent games.

    Some effort to think and reason unemotionally would serve these people well. Make your choices in anger and fear and you will forever be irrational and blinded and contribute to the very hostility and aggression in the world that you are afraid of. I actually do believe that the gaming industry has a violence “problem” and is a little too oblivious to the power of media, but this kind of response is dark-ages idiocy. How about instigating some calm and respectful debatediscussion instead?