• OW Investigative Series: Violence in Video Games

  

  Written by Zeromage 13 Comments
  Last Updated:: September 25, 2008

  Part 2: Q*Bert

  In our last investigative report we covered the real world violence that Donkey Kong had caused between plumbers and gorillas. In this report we take a look at another game that rocked both the United States and the world abroad. This game was, of course, Q*bert. Before Q*bert’s release in 1982, pyramids were known as the most peaceful of all three dimensional geometries, and afterward they were known only as places of violence and graffiti. Q*bert was a violent foray into a dark and dangerous world, where people’s heads and color schemes were the target of malicious attacks.

  

  Although human sacrifice had been commonplace atop the Mayan pyramids for centuries, it was not until the release of Q*bert in 1982 that the first ever report of violence atop one of the Egyptian pyramids was recorded. A small group of tourists were enjoying their walk up the steps of one of Egypt’s smaller pyramids, when a gang of kids, hopped up on glue and video games, began jumping down the pyramid trying to paint it blue. Many of the tourists suffered tremendous neck and head injuries as well as terrible mental distress and an inability to look at the color blue ever again.

  Similar incidents began to happen at the great pyramids in Egypt. Aside from a small skirmish between a group of Dutch tourists and angry natives that took place on the eastern slope of the great pyramid in 1921, the Egyptian great pyramids have been amongst the most peaceful of the ancient wonders of the world. However, after the release of Q*bert, one British man climbed to the top of the pyramid and demanded that the entire pyramid be painted red or he would jump on everyone trying to remove him. Sadly he tripped and fell to his death before he could be removed and treated for his mania.

  Violence began to spill over from the pyramids onto the streets of some major cities throughout the world. Stairs began to replace pyramids, and most cities had to enact laws preventing people from walking down more than one stair at a time. Forcing many people to serve time for simply trying to get out of work faster or trying to catch that train as it pulled up to the station. Many people would only use the handicap ramps and elevators for years after the release of Q*bert. In one incidence an old women was stuck in her older apartment building which had neither a ramp nor an elevator. Fire fighters were called in to remove her.

  This game once again shows that video games, without a doubt, are the cause of violence in the real world. Before Q*bert, stairs and pyramids were safe, wholesome, and family oriented geometrical shapes. Afterward, these same places were quagmires of gangs and graffiti, no place for families or fun. If the world keeps putting out games of this nature, we can expect similar reactions from the consumer. As we all know, when the American public are given some new piece of culture they ultimately turn it into something depraved and violent. Video games are to blame.

  

  Related Posts: OW: Investigative Report: Violence in Video Games, Part 1: Donkey Kong

13 Comments

1. #1 Ken says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 11:47 am

   LOL! You guys should do one of these for every 80’s game! Great article.
2. #2 Alex says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

   LMAO. This is the funniest thing you guys have ever done.
3. #3 jim says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

   q bert makes me so angry!!! brahhhhhh!
4. #4 Gary says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 4:08 pm

   “Q*bert was a violent foray into a dark and dangerous world, where people’s heads and color schemes were the target of malicious attacks.”

   You guys need help.
5. #5 THeMountain says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 5:06 pm

   Old-WIzard is now the official master of irony
6. #6 Alan says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 6:43 pm

   LOL! This was an amazing article. Well done.
7. #7 Jason says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 1:29 am

   Great investigative report LMAO. Next you need to exspose the evils of Pac Man, and Kid Icuras.
8. #8 Luis says:
   November 20th, 2009 at 2:13 pm

   @!#?@!