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Nintendo didn't win over the hearts and minds of many hardcore gamers at E3 this year. The press conference was filled with stories about the children of Nintendo executives and snowboarding accidents, leading into the announcement of games that may sell in the millions, but fail to capture the imagination of the "core" gamer. One standout at E3 was Sega's Mad World, a hyperviolent title that was a critical hit among the press; the game was one of the few titles that got hardcore gamers excited about their Wiis. The question is, will the game's release on the Wii cause more controversy simply because it stands out against the more casual-friendly offerings on the system?

A British media watchdog group, MediaWatch-uk, thinks that games like Mad World will hurt what makes the Wii so special: its overall family-friendliness. "I believe it will spoil the family fun image of the Wii," John Beyer, the group's director, stated. "I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification.... Without that it cannot be marketed in Britain. What the rest of world does is up to them. We need to ensure that modern and civilized values take priority rather than killing and maiming people."

What's fascinating about this reaction isn't that a violent game has come under fire, that's depressingly common, but that the controversy seems to be focused on the fact that the game will be released for the Nintendo Wii, a system that rarely comes under scrutiny due to content.

Ars Technica was able to get a first-hand look at Mad World at E3 this year. The game features an over-the-top graphical style in order to make every maiming and blood spatter stand out; the game is presented in black and white, with the gore shown in deep red. The title revels in violence, with characters being ripped in two, thrown against spikes, and chain sawed into pieces. Not content with merely shocking due to the graphic kills, however, the game gives you two excitable announcers who provide play-by-play commentary of your exploits, and let's just say no one is scared of using four-letter words. The game feels like a kinetic celebration of depravity and violence, and the demo played for press got everyone's blood going. Setting the game in a fictional game show where you're killing for cash and prizes adds an extra layer of satire to the already amusingly extreme setting.

While gamers may see the Wii as just another console and welcome games that feature adult themes or satirical levels of violence, it looks as though some special interest groups are trying to position the system as a gaming oasis free from such content. Indeed, games like Mad World stand out on the system, especially since the game is a system exclusive built from the ground up for Nintendo's sales juggernaut; something rarely seen with M-rated content. Past controversial titles like Manhunt 2 were simple ports from other systems; the Wii isn't usually seen as a landing pad for exclusive, adult content.

Fortunately for Sega, the publisher of the title, Mad World is still flying under the radar of most of the media, but this is most likely a taste of what's to come for the ultraviolent title. The Wii has a reputation of being the system for the family, and whether or not Nintendo agrees with that assumption, it could mean that special interest groups like Mediawatch-uk or the Parents Television Council rail against M-rated content on the system with added vehemence. At the same time, this is perhaps the best publicity a game such as Mad World can enjoy.

Nintendo weighed in on the issue with common sense, which never stopped a good flap over violent games. "Wii appeals to a wide range of audiences from children and teenagers to adult and senior citizens, anyone from 5—95. As such, there is a wide range of content for all ages and tastes available," a company spokesperson told the Daily Mail. "Mad World will be suitably age rated through the appropriate legal channels and thus only available to an audience above the age rating it is given."

Dominus Atheos wrote:A British media watchdog group, MediaWatch-uk, thinks that games like Mad World will hurt what makes the Wii so special: its overall family-friendliness. "I believe it will spoil the family fun image of the Wii," John Beyer, the group's director, stated. "I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification.... Without that it cannot be marketed in Britain. What the rest of world does is up to them. We need to ensure that modern and civilized values take priority rather than killing and maiming people."

Civil War Man wrote:

Dominus Atheos wrote:A British media watchdog group, MediaWatch-uk, thinks that games like Mad World will hurt what makes the Wii so special: its overall family-friendliness. "I believe it will spoil the family fun image of the Wii," John Beyer, the group's director, stated. "I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification.... Without that it cannot be marketed in Britain. What the rest of world does is up to them. We need to ensure that modern and civilized values take priority rather than killing and maiming people."

Yeah, how dare Nintendo force children to buy Mad World and then strap them in front of the TV and force them to play it!

If John Beyer is concerned that his kid's going to become a serial killer because I'm sitting on my couch and pretending to kill people, I think he needs to take a step back and look at the real root of the problem.

Dominus Atheos wrote:"I believe it will spoil the family fun image of the Wii," John Beyer, the group's director, stated. "I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification.... Without that it cannot be marketed in Britain. What the rest of world does is up to them. We need to ensure that modern and civilized values take priority rather than killing and maiming people."

I believe it will spoil the family fun image of the Wii,"

Alferd Packer wrote:I wonder: where were these people when No More Heroes came out? That was exceedingly violent, plus it was hilariously vulgar. Point being that the Wii already had extremely violent titles available for it.

Vendetta wrote: No More Heroes got castrated for Europe (and Japan). It's not as "extremely violent" here. Which probably helped it sink like a stone, since many cutscenes no longer make any sense.

General Zod wrote:

Vendetta wrote: No More Heroes got castrated for Europe (and Japan). It's not as "extremely violent" here. Which probably helped it sink like a stone, since many cutscenes no longer make any sense.

Why in the holy hell would they censor it in Japan?

Vendetta wrote:

Alferd Packer wrote:I wonder: where were these people when No More Heroes came out? That was exceedingly violent, plus it was hilariously vulgar. Point being that the Wii already had extremely violent titles available for it.

No More Heroes got castrated for Europe (and Japan). It's not as "extremely violent" here. Which probably helped it sink like a stone, since many cutscenes no longer make any sense.

General Zod wrote:Why in the holy hell would they censor it in Japan?

chitoryu12 wrote:

Vendetta wrote:

Alferd Packer wrote:I wonder: where were these people when No More Heroes came out? That was exceedingly violent, plus it was hilariously vulgar. Point being that the Wii already had extremely violent titles available for it.

No More Heroes got castrated for Europe (and Japan). It's not as "extremely violent" here. Which probably helped it sink like a stone, since many cutscenes no longer make any sense.

Japan censoring violence. Isn't that an oxymoron?

SAMAS wrote:

chitoryu12 wrote:

Vendetta wrote: No More Heroes got castrated for Europe (and Japan). It's not as "extremely violent" here. Which probably helped it sink like a stone, since many cutscenes no longer make any sense.

Japan censoring violence. Isn't that an oxymoron?

Nah, most of the hardcore stuff is regulated to late-nite, or OVAs.