Writes CBS:
Some parts of the fourth edition of the popular video game Grand Theft Auto were inspired by al Qaeda’s operations, including the Sept. 11th attacks, claims one member of a militant Islamist forum who identified himself as Abdul Wahab. Several links to YouTube videos of the game were also posted, including one of a helicopter crashing into a building and exploding. Abdul Wahab posts links to other parts of the game, detonating taxis and buses as well as suicide operations, and claims they were all inspired by al Qaeda.
And you thought Jack Thompson was nuts – as if some stone-age fundamentalists and their horrific acts played any role in inspiring the most successful entertainment product of all times. That certainly would enhance its mass appeal... I mean c'mon, theoretically you could commit suicide attacks in pretty much every game with explosives – apart from the fact that these actions don't benefit you in GTA at all. If you survive you just get into a lot of hassle with the cops. Not very terrorist friendly rules. Let's just hope this doesn't inspire Weazle… eh Fox News to run headlines along the lines of "GTA – now endorsed by Osama."
But then again what do you expect from a world that makes addicted gamers feel worse about their habit than those addicted to pornography. Says Dr. Jerald Block, who specializes in treating online game addiction:
BLOCK: ...the computer gamers tend to be harder to treat. People feel a lot of shame around computer games. Whereas, it's socially acceptable to have a porn problem. IDEAS: You can't be serious. You mean your clients are more ashamed of ... BLOCK: ...playing World of Warcraft than looking at porn. Yes. IDEAS: Why? BLOCK: As a society we understand that porn is something people do, and you can see a psychiatrist and get treated for it. But gaming is hard to describe to anyone else. So these people can't explain their situation to friends. In fact, it's hard to give you an example of what my clients talk about, because gaming is enormously complicated.
-Jens