Former UK Prime Minster’s Wife Attacked For Heading “Violent” Game Company

@ShadowOdin isn't american:

"But it is clear that you haven't even once seen an unbiased newscast, and I mean no ill will at that."

You are 100% correct there, sir or madam. The truth is usually somewhere in between the ideologically contaminated truths broadcast by CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News.

@VideoGameFan: Bwahaha, you're not comparing public with private now? That's too bad, america is still on place 37.

Oh, of course I know that. And you pay for it too. Meanwhile, I pay less and get treatment just the same.
And I know about Nader, Ron Paul and those guys. I even know about the Socialist Party that has rebuked the fact that Obama's plans are socialists. But unless these guys get over 5% of the votes they will not be treated as viable options in the elections, I.E. receive governmental aid to finance their campaigns or a chance to stand in the spotlight.
The U.S. is a two-party country for a reason. These parties are hidden and basically locked out from the presidential election. That's why everyone say you're a two-party system.

It wouldn't hurt to learn a bit about the world outside your own borders. The one you are constantly sending soldiers into.

Oh and learn to listen to criticism. America isn't the greatest. Neither is Sweden, but frankly, no-one here has made that claim.

@ShadowOdin isn't american: Italy seems to be spending a lot of money on their PUBLIC hospitals, their private hospitals syill pale in comparison to those in the U.S. Do you think that people would travel overseas to go to a public hospital? You're grasping at straws here dude.

Do you know that the majority of people in the U.S. are under the private health care system. You'd figure that an expert on all things U.S. would know a common fact like that. There are more than 2 parties in the U.S. also genius, it's just that the 2 major parties get most of the seats on national govt.

I don't know why I'm wasting my time explaining the policies of my country to a foreigner that only wishes to rip on American ideals. YOU are a waste of time, I'm done with all of your bullshit. You worry about your country, and I'll worry about mine.

VideoGameFan

@VideoGameFan: And you know, just for your pleasure
[www.internationalliving.com]
[www.photius.com]
lol, looks like Sweden beats you, bigspender

To explain Cuba, they have specific hospitals created to treat so-called "health tourists" which come solely to Cuba for healthcare.

Money CAN'T buy everything, and spending most does not equal getting the best service, you dolt.

@VideoGameFan: Bwahahah, yeah, you're clueless.

Cuba and Italy have great hospitals because their government put a lot of money into them. It's as simple as that. It's never about who earn the most, it's never about what prestigious schools you go to, it's about how well the patients are feeling.

Oh no, plenty of places have. Only yours is laughable, what with poltical campaigns is mudthrowing as much as forwarding your own political agenda. Oh and you only have two parties, that is hilarious for such a large country.

You're obviously not familiar with anything outside your own borders so please be quiet concerning any of it. In the politics of large Sweden is a minor player, but we've never claimed any other position. We're still just as bright as you people, with our fancy pansy educations being free and all.

@VideoGameFan: Please stop posting. You're making my tarnished American stereotype just that much worse.

luie72

@ShadowOdin isn't american: "the countries I would go to would be Italy or Cuba, two countries with vastly superior healthcare."

LOL You've officially lost all credibility whatsoever with a statement like that. Are you saying that all of the good doctors go to cuba? Cuba has the best medical schools and technology? Are you in need of an intervention for all of that crack you've been smoking? Pure ignorance.

So your saying that Europe is the only place that has this politics thing down, while the rest of the countries elections are laughable?

Once your country has an ounce of sway on difficult issues in the world, you can start laughing at other people's elections. At it's current state, you will continue to be a bystander while the rest of the world decides your fate. It's okay, you guys matter in the EU. That's something right?

VideoGameFan

@Slanzinger: that never stops being funny

@VideoGameFan: I can't say nothing more than: Exactly. You're right.

mikeer990

@ShadowOdin isn't american: Well its better that way. MSNBC and CNN and FOX being biased is a good thing, because it lets us know the argument of both sides.

Why does FOX news love Bush? Lets hear their side.

Why does MSNBC and CNN hate/look down on Bush? Lets hear their side too.

They may be biased but in the end they 're not the ones who decide who supports who, YOU DO, PERIOD. They only tell why you should love this or hate that.

Mass Media helps us know whats happening, and lets us know the good side and the bad side of a person, event, etc. Let these people do their jobs.

mikeer990

@VideoGameFan: lol, sorry that you're butthurt to that degree that you attack me.
Go home and continue proclaiming that only those with enough money should be treated. I'll happily stay here where the amount of service you get isn't based on how thick your wallet is.
And should I somehow need specialized treatmet that couldn't be gotten where I live, the countries I would go to would be Italy or Cuba, two countries with vastly superior healthcare.
Not that you would know, since you don't care about what doesn't involve the U.S.

@robaart: I've never stated CNN or MSNBC to be any better. When newsreporters decide to stalk the President's daughters on their first day at school, so far as to going through the what their EATING that week, you know there's something wrong.

Only a person afraid to think for himself, or want his opinion reaffirmed with every report, can enjoy a biased report.
But it is clear that you haven't even once seen an unbiased newscast, and I mean no ill will at that.

@WFROSE: WTF do you think is going to happen when nationalized health care is put in place? Honest Joe Public is still going to be paying for the bill dodger that normally couldn't pay for it. The difference now is that 2/3 of American's are happy with there current insurance plan because of one reason. Quality of care. They know that if their is a problem with one physician, they can always get a second opinion or try an alternate method of treatment more easily without the govt. rationing care.

Once govt care is instituted all insurance companies will be hit hard with most employers vying for the public option resulting in lower quality care. The rich getting richer at the expense of their employees quality of life.

In Canada for example, the death rate for certain types of cancer is much higher than that of the U.S. because of U.S. doctors willingness to try different techniques not deemed cost-effective by govt. standards.

And by the way, how exactly are we going to pay for this? You can only cut costs so much before that you realize that you will be bringing an additional 50-100 million people into the system! Take a look at medicare and medicaid now and tell me how govt healthcare is working out.

You can only strip out so much money from these greedy insurance companies, drug makers, and doctors before you realize that the money isn't there to sustain the massive influx of new patients. When the money runs out, care will be rationed for everyone, and not just for those who couldn't normally afford it.

Big government to the rescue!

VideoGameFan

@Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.: I'm sorry that the poor people don't get the same quality of health care in the U.S., but everyone must be seen by doctors here in the U.S. too. People aren't just turned away the way that you must be thinking.

Well, no matter what country you are living in, I'll guarantee that when someone gets really sick, and has the money for top care, they come to the U.S. to see a specialist.

When doctors are told that they can only make a certain amount of money, what's their motivation to start new clinic, practices, and systems which involve a large amount of risk on their part? The world's best doctors usually come to the U.S. to practice their trade. But why?
$$$$$ money. But heh, let's just sit back and let some other country innovate.

VideoGameFan

@VideoGameFan: As someone living in a 'socialist' country with universal health care where the US health system, or lack thereof, is a running joke, I laugh at you.

@VideoGameFan: Yeah, because it's MUCH better to simply let the insurance companies drive up the premiums while trying their damndest to weasel out of payments, while honest people end up covering the fees of bill dodgers in hospitals. Because the private sector is all honesty and unicorn farts compared to big government. Because the highly vaunted economic theories are an exact science and foolproof. Because Civil liberties should be held way above Cvil rights. Because the United States and democracy is based solely on free market...

Then again, maybe it will be fun to live in a Feudal type 'United States' governed by corporations?

I agree with you on people learning how to government works, that way people can actually take control of the government like we're supposed to, instead of being lazy, sulking about decisions, and becoming social isolationists hellbent on sacrificing the people for the individual.

WFROSE

@ctorrans: I clap for you, then throw my bra and panties onto stage with you

WFROSE

@Kagechiyo: What? But Fox News themselves proclaim themselves FAIR and BALANCED! We should believe them and their doctored-er-honest polls!

WFROSE

@ShadowOdin isn't american:

The same can be said of CNN and MSNBC during the Bush years and especially during the 2008 presidential election. Multiple media outlets are a good thing and we should let all of these folks do their jobs.

@ShadowOdin isn't american: You also gotta admire some random euro-trash think that he is completely right about everything in the U.S., when he doesn't even have a clue about the reality of the matter.

I guess in your case, ignorance really is bliss.

Why does a swede's opinion on U.S. politics even matter? Oh yeah, it doesn't. Just like my opinion on swede politics doesn't matter. But you know everything about U.S. politics right?

What's your experience in dealing with U.S. politics?

VideoGameFan

@Bannana Stand CEO: You don't get it do you? If a program as large and all-encompassing as nationalized health care does ever does get passed, it will never be repealed. Have you ever heard of a govt. fee ever being repealed or giving up more power over our lives?

Everyone is completely passing over the fact that 90% of the media in the U.S. is completely and unabashedly liberal. Their coverage has been anything but balanced during the election and during coverage of govt. takeovers.

I like how random d-bags know of a better way of running the govt. that don't actually know how it works. You should actually learn how a govt. works before you spout out retarded ways of fixing it. Seriously, get a clue. You might want to think about taking a poli-sci class, as I think you would be thoroughly enlightened about the reality of politics.

VideoGameFan

@robaart: No it's the role of the PEOPLE to criticize the government. It's the role of the PEOPLE to think for themselves. It's not FOX news' or MSNBC's or anybody else's to tell people what to think. Which is what those news corporations do. They supply the information that fits their own biased views of the world. They don't report the news anymore, they tell you what you should think.

It's disgusting, on both sides.

ctorrans

@robaart: Your ideology works provided that these news organizations maintain their integrity.

Fox is generally not thought of as a news company that presents the facts in a neutral, objective way.

Kagechiyo

@robaart: You're right. If that's what Fox News did.
But no, they are a conservative network, which works to blackpaint EVERYTHING the democrats do, while putting everything the conservatives do (as long as it is correct and properly ideologic) on a pedestal.
Even when it they do the same thing they'll praise the conservatives and lash out at the opposition.
That's not what you spoke about.

@Numanoid: i wish they were fake and plastic. Instead they just yell alot. Plastic doesn't yell. Fox New made the birthers and all those groups and they just don't shut up, EVER!!! Whoever says we are going to be socialists is just stupid. We have people with different ideas trying something, if it doesn't work, hopefully the populous votes other people in. House and Senate, not just president. If people were smart, the president would be one party and the house/senate would be from the other, counter balancing it out, but everyone got stupid and let one side take everything. Just deal with it and change it when the time comes people if you don't like it. Oh wait, no one is patient anymore and Fox News and other places have to have something to broadcast 24/7, let's impeach everyone!!!

Bannana Stand CEO

@RashidaAcrisius:

I'll defend Fox News and any other news organization that comes under attack. One of the most important roles the media has with regard to government is to CRITICIZE the government, not partner with it to advance specific ideologies. If the media ever runs out of things to complain about, then we are all more than likely in deep, deep trouble.

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
-- Thomas Jefferson

@Slanzinger: thank you

@RashidaAcrisius: Protip: Stop doing crack, it be messin' with yo head. D:

Wow, an actual quote from one of the commenters.

"I really thought that the Blairs had done all they possibly could to destroy this country with unemployment, career-benefits-scroungers, stealth-taxes, political correctness, Health and safety nonsense, street-crime and so forth but no. Now let's see if we can encourage a bit more gang violence with violent computer games."

Daily Mail. H-uh.
For those not in the know, here's a pretty decent summary of the newspapers in the UK.

@Burning: I prefer the moniker "Daily Hate" that one of my friends mentioned.

daily mail is the biggest troll of uk newspapers

ddarkly

@cameleon: this video is not available in your country due to copyright restrictions.
Damn, looked kinda funny.

Riquez

@Ursus-Veritas: and its audience. AMIRITE??

@RashidaAcrisius: Oh please, the news that Fox reports is about as plastic and fake as its newsreaders.

Ursus-Veritas

Counter strike with all those guns in it.TAKE THIS CHILD KILLER OUT OF MY SIGHT!

@RashidaAcrisius: The hell?
1) who are you talking to?
2) Is this about that health service thing?
3) What the hell do you lot have against not paying for healthcare?
4)???
5) Profit!

@RashidaAcrisius: All I can say about this is "lol"
Gotta admire a guy who can write that big a paragraph and be completely wrong about every single thing.

Maybe you're related to this nicely misguided young man [kotaku.com]

Wow, Another attack on Fox News. You must be one of 8 people who watches MSDNC. I'm assuming you're living in Grandma's basement wearing a faded Che Guevara shirt and have yellow stained teeth? I'm glad there's a Fox News that exposes the Socialist BS from that Chicago Thug in the White House.

RashidaAcrisius

@LordChris915: Translation: LOOK AT ME I'M A REBEL LOOK AT MY POLITICAL BELIEFS BUT PLEASE DON'T TALK ABOUT THEM I ONLY CARE ABOUT GAMES!

@LordChris915: The thing is, I don't think that I have seen one comment saying there is anything wrong with right wing views, I am very left wing, and would probably fundamentally disagree with you on 99% of political issues, However the point is that the Mail writes garbage, there are newspapers that are right leaning that actually write decent news.. do I agree with what their views are, no, can I respect that those opinions are rational and based on fact.. yes

But ALL the politicians say that video-games are bad.
Are you telling me that they're lying?

I find it funny how they phrase it as if it was some criminal/imoral activity.

"Cherie Blair and her son join firm linked to child pornography/corruption".

Fernando Jorge

@Burning: Daily Heil?

"Daily Mail"

I stopped caring right there. It's the Daily Mail, anyone with a brain cell knows not to listen to them.

The woman is a cow, she can go to hell with her husband.
I read the Daily Mail, if you have a problem we can have a good long debate about how your political ideology is wrong and how narrow minded you are!
But really I don't want to get into it, games are what I care about.

Obligatory, "moar like the Daily Fail, amirite?" comment.

I heard that the 9-11 terrorists trained on Counterstrike in the off chance they survived the attack and found them selves in a dessert fortress. The Taliban have been using Little Big Planet.

slamdance

@RetroBob: Please note it's just the daily mail. Jerks.

DunnCarnage

@nrXic: How is that illegal?

Same old bullshit from the British press. They're a national embarrassment, akin to Fox News.

RetroBob

@someone_else:
Dear Daily Mail,

We in America do not need that or any other video game to help us perpetrate massacres. We as a people are perfectly capable, nay even skilled, at doing it completely on our own.

Thank you,

-ca$h

God, I hate the Daily Mail. It's the journalistic equivalent of Mos Eisley - you'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Ursus-Veritas

Wait, so she doesn't actually play Counter-Strike? I totally would have voted for her if she did.

NeoStarr HD

@ClockOut:
Thanks for the comparison.
It's good to know our little Fox News is world famous, out there spreading the love. /sarcasm (just in case)

@melonpans: Yeah can you elaborate on this? Searching on "UK press and anime industry" didn't turn up anything that looks relevant.

Sweetz

@Antiterra: Plenty of large butts to be seen, though.

Just nationalize dat ass!

She also illegally bought an American PS3 when they first came out.

Daily Mail

Why am I not surprised?

@OrvaBellerophon: You sir win all of my internets.

troopzor

@cameleon: Gotta admit, Russell's insanely funny.

JakeBob

@melonpans: Really? How so? I'm genuinly interested in reading about this.

The Daily Mail sounds alot like the New York POST.

"Daily Mail"

Move along people, nothing to see here.

Russell, covers all I have to say about our press

cameleon

For the kids!
I'm tuggin' on your heartstrings.

@ShababLlama: Holy shit. It is! Not in any way unexpected, but still hilarious.

@deanbmmv: And I thought the tubgirl picture someone posted today was enough to blind me.

SexeiAlexy

@ClockOut: Ignorance is world-wide epidemic. It saddens me.

Holy shit. Has any one noticed. That the screenshot in the article. Is from a shit flash version of CS? JOURNALISM

ShababLlama

"...Daily Mail reports..."

No. Don't. Stop right there! Never post articles from that.

Any single article from this paper is enough to put any Internet troll to shame - this is just one of the myriad.

For anyone not familiar with the Daily Mail, here is a daily mail headline generator: [www.qwghlm.co.uk]

jetRink

Sometimes I hate the UK press, they absolutely destroyed the UK anime industry in the 1990's.

melonpans

@Yossarian: I've been dying to use one of his other famous quotes, "Every time you see something big, you want to nationalise it", but I haven't had the opportunity so far.
I've been cruising men's bathrooms for years to no avail.

@Phydeaux: There is more to this story than meets the eye. Before we get the Kotaku Hate-Mob going, people should realize one thing.

Over a year ago, Cherie Blair headed a panel of specialists who where meant to look into the causes of violent crime in the UK.

That panel actually made some good insights, into what causes violent crimes insated of taking the easy road of saying Video Games/Movies/Rap causes violence.

A year later, when the government didn't implement any suggestions brought forward by the panel, Cherie Blair criticized the government for not doing so.

That's where the emphasis on street violence comes from in that quote.

As much as I hate the Blair witch, in this time I am actually gonna stick up for her, Not because it's a knee jerk reaction that plenty of gamers I am sure will voice on this site, but because, she and the group of people working with her really did look into what are the causes of problems within society, and did not go with the easy road of scapegoating popular culture, which ever format it may be presented in.

P.S.

Did you know that Crime Thriller books are the most popular genre of books at the moment?

2SBs

These news reporters have to make up their mind and settle for one game, either gta,halo,cod, or in this case counter strike, every time I see a news story about those they change the game.

And Counter-strike? counter strike is for KIDS!

The only bit of truth on the Daily Mail is the date :D

Lee

@GlenTen:
I lost faith in humanity long ago...

@Mentuss: This one?

@fnool: Yes I'm joking :)

@MyBigToe: The Daily Mail tries to make out it's for the more educated right winger, but in the end of the day, at least in political matters, it's just as sensationalist.

Of course, The Sun has more ties to Fox, though... They're both part of Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp.

Mentuss

Typical bloody Mail....its like the Metro except they have the nerve to charge...wtf....

@deanbmmv:

zing!

How can I double promote!

@MyBigToe: Well the Sun is owned by Murdoch... so is part of his empire

@Phydeaux: I guess setting up a CS:S event for next week is out the question then. :P
Also your quote is from the company, not Cherie and Cherie is isn't a politician...she's a Lawyer(or was at least)

@deanbmmv: Imagine If he used that shot of her coming out of No 10 in her dressing gown... /shudder

Mentuss

@GlenTen: They aren't politicians. They're relatives of a politician.

AKA the most important people in the universe who we should give an enormous amount of farks for.

Ah yes, well, they're the Daily Mail. They're always bullshit.

SlinkyGuy - So British, I piss tea and poop scones.

@Yossarian: I can't tell if you're joking or not. Please be joking.

(Churchill died in 1965.)

I was more into this story when I thought they actually made violent games. Now, I'm guessing they're making some educational shit; I'm not knocking education, I just saying educational games are boring.

brainboy77

@ClockOut: I thought that was the Sun
but.. close enough i suppose
they both spread the same uneducated bullshit, but to two demographics

MyBigToe

That's the best screenshot mockup I've ever seen.

Careful gamers, the way people throw around "Violent Videogames" kinda sounds like the old "Devil Weed" campaigns

@GlenTen: Neither of them, the Blair's involved, are politicians.

@Moleculor: Read the source article. It's a gaming clan, e-tournaments etc.

@ClockOut: snap!

The Daily Mail: the New York Post but with lower standards!

endaround

For those not from the UK swap "Daily Mail" For "Fox News" and you'll have some idea of how seriously this is to be taken.
Also this is the wife of an ex-prime minster. They got money to be investing in stuff. No doubt they've invested in more than this Magnitude gaming.
Crecente kudos on not using a picture of her smiling, wouldn't want to scare the readership away ;)

For those ourside the UK The Daily Mail is the closest thing we have to Fox News.

ClockOut

From the Mail article.

"There have been claims that perpetrators of massacres in the US and Germany have been fans of the game"

So by this virtue if they had invested in Interscope records instead of this games company the Mail would have written the same thing... the story would have gone something like this...

Evil Cherie Blair and son have inversted in interscope records. Marilyn Manson is/was signed to Interscope and his fans have been accused of committing massacres...........

It is complete journalistic bullshit...

@Dave Strife: No, its probably just because they could not find a tenious link between violence and the Labour government.. after all it MUST be their fault or why publish it.. (for the record I vote Liberal Democrat, am fed up of Labour, but even more fed up of the Mail's witch hunting)

i told the Iron Sheik about this and he threw his beer bottle to the ground and said "FUCK ZA DAILY MAIL!"

Nyctus

So they're too busy focusing on violence in a video game to pay attention to violence in the real world. That's the Daily Mail for you.

The Daily Mail are notorious for, well, quite frankly, talking out of their arses.

Wait, what? I thought Valve did Counterstrike?

Moleculor

Brit press.

Brit press never changes.

Cellsong

TERRORISTS WIN

The daily mail is the most worthless rag on this planet.

Every single thing they publish is negative, especially when it has anything to do with Labour (our left wing(ish) political party)

They are anti-video games as they "corrupt" our youth, yet I would imagine in the very same paper there will be a story about British Troops who lack equipment and training in Afghanistan, and despite supporting the troops although not the war (I wonder if they have archives of their rag... so that can see what they thought a few years back) But a game about War... Oh no that must be bad

They are such a bunch of damned hypocrites.

Oh well I would imagine in a few weeks they will now be blaming Magnitude for the death of Princess Di... or will that be the express...

God, I wish everyone would do themselves a favour and read a proper paper, be it the Guardian, Times or even the Telegraph (can say I agree with anything they write either but at least attempt to have some journalistic integrity)

Counter-Strike is still making the headlines and to think I thought it would've stopped at Jack Thompson.

@GlenTen: I heard that Call of Duty was responsible for World War 2!

n00b_pwner

Seems she did a fine job of counter-striking the Daily Mail's accusation.

Outkastprince

I'd be angry about this if I (or anyone else for that matter) took the Daily Mail seriously

at all

XtaLarge

You know humanity is F**ked when its worse for a politician to be involved with virtual violence vs. involvement with good old-fashioned real-life violence (e.g. Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Nicaragua, Falklands, Congo, Vietnam, Korea)

Who needs facts when you have the good old Daily Fail.

Mentuss

Was this the woman Churchill was talking to when he gave his famous quote with the punchline "...but I'll be sober in the morning."?

PS - to be topical, man that is some serious backpedaling on their part. If I was Gabriel Moraes I'd be politely asking them to leave my business since he can't possibly survive if he can't run any of the top games out there just because they have guns.

"Magnitude has never been involved with games containing any kind of street violence. We had one game involving soldiers in military combat but it had a rating of 18-plus and was a team game. We stopped involvement with that game some months ago."

I think if we strapped her to a bike with a generator attached, we'd solve the world's energy crisis in one fell swoop.

Street violence, military violence - it's violence. Same fucking difference. And whether or not someone "stopped" doing something, the company did at one time. Own the fuck up to it.

Politicians, Jesus.

Counter-Strike has taught me to be a total killing machine. What Counter-Strike has not taught me to do is how to respawn after I die.

She looks an awful like Rachael Dratch from SNL. Maybe soon to be Debbie Downer?

ArnoldNumshun

Great another reason for adults to hate cs

If she would have headed one of the most violent movies to date, and it was a success, she would have been a hero.

If gaming TRULY made us go bat-shit insane, half the population of the planet would be dead already due to this insanity.

n00b_pwner