Mugshot Jackpot

In March of last year, British English teacher Lindsay Hawker was found murdered in a bathtub full of sand on an apartment balcony. The suspect, Tatsuya Ichihashi, has since gone missing and has evaded arrest. Software maker Famista has created an online pachinko slot machine game called Slot Detective that publicises suspects of high-profile cases like Hawker’s. Instead of trying to line up cherries, players try to line up mug shots. Jackpots turn up details about the suspects, police tips and reward info. Famista’s Takashi Saito points out, “We thought this could be a way to contribute to society. If you play the game, you’ll remember their faces.” Japanese police are less than thrilled — same with Hawker’s family. “We have not been consulted about this – the first we heard about it was through the Sky News website and we are not happy about this,” said Julia Hakwer, Lindsay’s mother. “I also want to know if this is a commercial venture, as if it is, then it is in extremely poor taste. The whole thing is distasteful and not befitting Lindsay’s memory.” According to Famista, some players have been “scared by the fierce look of the murder suspects.”

PachiDeka (Slot Detective) [Official Site via Yahoo! News via Japan Probe via Sky News via GamePolitics]