Rassegna Stampa del 20/12/2010 - Aesvi

17/12/201014:29BloombergSito WebMafia Victim Families Complain as Violent Video Games IncreaseIndustriesThe Mafia killed Sonia Alfano's father, Sicilian journalist Beppe, on Jan. 8, 1993. Now she's fighting againstvideo games that she says trivialize violence and murder.A member of the European Parliament, Alfanoopposes games such as "Mafia II" by Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., whose investors include billionaireCarl Icahn. The sequel to 2007's "Mafia" for personal computers, Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 and SonyCorp.'s PlayStation 3 lets players take on the role of Vito Scaletta, who rises through the organization's ranks,going from petty robberies to mob hits, gunfights and combat."It really, really hurts," Alfano, who's also thepresident of Italy's association for the families of Mafia victims, said in an interview. "We can't allow this tohappen, our wounds are still too fresh." She asked the European Commission last week to consider banningthe games.About 26 percent of titles sold in the U.S., the biggest market for video games, in the 10 monthsended October carried an M rating for mature content, up from 16 percent a year earlier, according to AnitaFrazier, an analyst at industry tracker NPD Group Inc. That amounts to $5.54 billion in sales.Titles includingMafia II were among the strongest contributors to the 32 percent increase in net revenue in the fourth quarterended Oct. 31, Take-Two said yesterday.Language, Violence WarningBefore the results were released, MikeHickey, an analyst at Janco Partners Inc. in Greenwood Village, Colorado, wrote in a note that Take-Two maysell about 1.27 million copies of Mafia II in its fiscal year, bringing in $55 million and making it the New Yorkbasedcompany's fourth best-seller in terms of revenue. Take-Two's shares have risen 19 percent in 2010,outperforming the 12 percent gain in the Russell 3000 Technology Index.Mafia II's M warning comes from itsgore, violence and strong language. In Europe, the Pan European Game Information rates it 18+ and warnsagainst violence and bad language. The game has the greatest number of instances of the "f-word" amongvideo games with 397 in the 75,000-word script and 15-hour single-player story, according to Guinness WorldRecords Gamer's Edition 2011."'Mafia II' tells a compelling story about organized crime in America -- asubject that for decades has been featured in award-winning movies, television shows and novels such as'The Godfather' and 'The Sopranos,'" said Alan Lewis, Take-Two's vice president for corporatecommunications and public affairs. "We fully and completely stand behind our creative teams and products,including 'Mafia II.'"'The Godfather'Italian-American organizations opposed the release of Mafia II in August,said Andre DiMino, chief media officer of New Jersey-based Italian-American group, UNICO.Electronic ArtsInc., the second-largest U.S. video-game company, has published titles based on "The Godfather" novel byMario Puzo that was made into a film by Francis Ford Coppola."Movies and games reflect the allure andrepulsion that people feel toward violence," said Janet Murray, a professor of Digital Media at the GeorgiaInstitute of Technology in Atlanta. "Games raise special anxieties because they are active andparticipatory."The Sicilian Mafia, or Cosa Nostra, is the most tightly knit and best known. It has existed sincethe middle of the 19th century, historians say. There were on average 116 Mafia and organized-crime killingsa year in Italy between 2004 and 2008.Gaming companies are becoming more sensitive to opposition inEurope to violent games. Microsoft introduced a Pan-European website called Play Smart, Play Safe thismonth that helps families determine what video and online games to buy.Wide Range"We have to deliver aplatform that can offer the widest range of entertainment experiences possible," Andrew House, head of SonyCorp.'s game unit in Europe, said in an Oct. 15 interview. Sony creates a "good balance" between games formature users while delivering others like "Gran Turismo 5," a car racing simulator play, for a broaderaudience, he said.While violent content is generally rated by the likes of the Entertainment Software RatingBoard, themes in games are more difficult to monitor, said William Lugo, a professor of sociology at theEastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic."The only message within video games that is highlyregulated is violence," he said. "The harder and more complex messages, such as those having to do withrace, politics, or in this case the Mafia, are outside the realm of responsibility of game companies."The video-La proprietà intelletuale è riconducibile alla fonte specificata in testa alla pagina. Il ritaglio stampa è da intendersi per uso privatoAESVI - Rassegna Stampa 20/12/2010 7