Fearing an adults only rating would hamper sales in one of the game’s biggest markets, Blizzard is censoring the South Korean version of StarCraft II, recolouring blood and removing vulgar language to secure a more family friendly rating.
If it sounds absurd - a video game, costing taxpayers US$3.7 million, that nags people who do dangerous stuff all day long to quit smoking – know that “Escape With Your Life” is surprisingly effective.
Honestly this anti-smoking message from the folks at Tobacco Free Florida could be channeling any future FPS, but I like to imagine it is Master Chief sneaking a smoke, and that it’s opening his helmet in an alien atmosphere that kills him rather than the cigarette itself. Habit gets so ingrained that you often do it without thinking. I once lit up in my cubicle at work back when I did telephone tech support, and nearly got fired for it. Is absent-mindedly exposing yourself to the poisonous air on an alien world that much of a leap? I think not.
Video Game Florida Anti-Tobacco Ad [YouTube via GamePolitics]
During the 9-minute or so loading screen of Metal Gear Solid IV, gamers are treated to a close up view of old Snake sucking through cigarette after cigarette as game tips, warnings and public service announcements pop-up on the screen. They’re certainly not worth sticking around to watch, but if you do you’ll get two bits of wonderful hypocrisy. The first couple of times Snake taps his cigarette ash onto the unseen ground an message shows up telling you not to litter and to use an ashtray for your ash and butts. Then after about five minutes of him smoking you get a message about the harms cigarettes.
[Smoking Warning] Cigarette smoke has detrimental effects to you and those around you, particularly infants, children, and the elderly.
Have consideration for others when choosing to smoke.
Oh, and cancer, there’s that too.
