Is anyone surprised that violent games like Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto are being blamed for the rioting in England? Sadly, no.
In a move that surprises probably absolutely no-one, a London policeman has been quoted in the Evening Standard as blaming Grand Theft Auto and its ilk for the current wave of riots rolling across the UK.
As reported by PC Advisor (and the improbably-named Lexton Snol), the bobby said "When I was young it was all Pacman and board games. Now they're playing Grand Theft Auto and want to live it for themselves."
It's a hard position to argue against, when you think about it. And there's lots of proof to back this kind of thing up, historically speaking. You've got Kristallnacht in 1938, which was clearly inspired by Castle Wolfenstein, and many historians agree that the Cuban Missile Crisis was indirectly caused by angry Call of Duty gamers.
And let us not forget the vast uprest and turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars. Total War has a lot to answer for.
Alternately, maybe people are more than happy to be dicks independently of video games. We just don't know...
Issue: 137 | June, 2012