Gaming Brain game pulled over 'offence'

[Darkforce]

A video game which uses a term abusive to people with disabilities is being pulled by its manufacturer.

MindQuiz, a brain training game for the Nintendo DS handheld console, was released in the UK by French software giant Ubisoft in March 2007. However, poor performance in one section sees the player labelled in an offensive manner. The company has apologised "to anyone who was offended by the game" and said it will withdraw it.

"As soon as we were made aware of the issue we stopped distribution of the product and are now working with retailers to pull the game off the market," a spokesperson said.

"The game was developed in Japan, and we unfortunately did not pick up on the offending word in our quality assurance. We are currently working with the developer to find a way to rectify the issue."

The problem emerged after a Belfast woman contacted BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show. Nicola told the show she had been playing the game - aimed at ages three and above - to pass the time while in hospital giving birth to her baby son, Austin, four weeks ago. It was a fraught time for the young mother, who had lost her other son, Logan, just before Christmas. The three-year-old - who suffered from cerebral palsy and was severely brain damaged - passed away after contracting pneumonia. Nicola was shocked when she had performed poorly at one part of the game and it rated her efforts in a manner derogatory to the disabled.

"I thought it was absolutely appalling that a word like this should be used to describe someone who has not achieved very well," she said.

"My daddy also has cerebral palsy and he is in his mid-50s and this is a word that really offends my dad."

Source

Image via Joystick (Since the BBC love to leave out important information)

LOL!!!!!!1111111!!!

...If somone told me I had 0% brain alertness I certainly wouldn't shout out to the world about it!

 

[ambitous21]

spastic?
thats the word? i never even heard of it before..

thought it was starting with r

 

[OrR]

Seems like the game got it pretty much right...

 

[.TakaM]

hurray for political correctness

 

[Taras]

I could see her trying to get Rayman Raving Rabbids pulled on account of how retarded those bunnies act. Or the GTA series because the stank hoes are too stank. It'll always be something, so you just gotta let these people whine and not respond.

 

[Little]

The pile of games we aren't allowed to sell is growing and growing at work. Its ridiculous to be honest. Though I do think that is a bit offensive.

 

[deathfisaro]

My friend is a spastic (in Medical sense, not the slang) He successfully graduated University and excels at Physics (I'm not sure if his major was Physics, could be Astronomy not sure) He lives by himself and has no problem with that.

AFAIK he's too smart to receive "Super Spastic" rating in Mind Quiz lol. That makes whoever obtained such score actually "Super" "Spastic" Don't blame the game for your uber stupidity

 

[spas]

Ian Dury And The Blockheads released a song called Spasticus (Autisticus) it had lots of controvery but Ian Dury turned out to be spastic himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4NiFnDhrrA

 

[mthrnite]

Ian Dury And The Blockheads released a song called Spasticus (Autisticus) it had lots of controvery but Ian Dury turned out to be spastic himself.

..and he's doing..

.. very well.


(I love Ian Dury!)

 

[bryehn]

My friend is a spastic (in Medical sense, not the slang) He successfully graduated University and excels at Physics (I'm not sure if his major was Physics, could be Astronomy not sure) He lives by himself and has no problem with that.

AFAIK he's too smart to receive "Super Spastic" rating in Mind Quiz lol. That makes whoever obtained such score actually "Super" "Spastic" Don't blame the game for your uber stupidity

I'm spastic as well. I have Cerebral Palsy, and get spasms in my legs and arms...I'm not stupid though, maybe that's why people got offended...suggesting that those with spasms are idiots.

Spastic is nice compared to "Retard" or "Mongoloid" or something

 

[WezG]

how lazy are the people who make these games!?!!? wonder if anyone lost their job over this.
Even though I think political correctness (In the UK at least) is going well over the top, someone shouldnt find anything offensive in a game for ages 3+, if they do then the companys should sort it (Or they sort their heads out, but in this case its mainly the company lol).
I think anyone should be able to say anything they want when its conversation or a comedy prog on tv, aslong as its done in good humour and without any malice.

 

[iTech]

Fuck Ubisoft! I gave this game as a present to my retarted sister to try and increase her cognitive abilities so maybe she could learn to control her burning desire to wet the new carpet we installed, which I made out of toilet paper and gluesticks, and this is the kind of offensive shit I actually gave her? Sure, my sister can't read after my failed ninja-star euthanasia attempt severed her optic nerve, but I'm still outraged! Poo! Poo I tells ya!

And another thing. If you manage to get ZERO points on an INTELLIGENCE test, you think it's actually a good idea to call the motherfucking BBC and inform the world? If the awnser is "yes" then the test was correct, and you truly are retarted.

"I got 0 on an intelligence test and I'm offended. Plus, my son was born retarted". WTF?
I don't think the reason your son being retarted is due to him being a spaz (just look at Stephen Hawking), I think it might be because he inherited the Retard Gene from his mother instead...

 

[Psyfira]

thought it was starting with r

Yeah, I thought that when I read it too. Either some disgruntled employee with one of those dodgy internet-style sense of humor's thought it'd be funny, or some poor foriegn translator team need their x-to-english dictionary checked.

 

[evadwolrab]

Fuck Ubisoft! I gave this game as a present to my retarted sister to try and increase her cognitive abilities so maybe she could learn to control her burning desire to wet the new carpet we installed, which I made out of toilet paper and gluesticks, and this is the kind of offensive shit I actually gave her? Sure, my sister can't read after my failed ninja-star euthanasia attempt severed her optic nerve, but I'm still outraged! Poo! Poo I tells ya!

And another thing. If you manage to get ZERO points on an INTELLIGENCE test, you think it's actually a good idea to call the motherfucking BBC and inform the world? If the awnser is "yes" then the test was correct, and you truly are retarted.

"I got 0 on an intelligence test and I'm offended. Plus, my son was born retarted". WTF?
I don't think the reason your son being retarted is due to him being a spaz (just look at Stephen Hawking), I think it might be because he inherited the Retard Gene from his mother instead...

Clearly you're an intelligent guy. And also very funny.

Being from the UK I can give you our perspective on why it's offensive. Spastic is the old name for what is now Scope - a charity for people with mental disabilities. It isn't actually something one can be, but kids use it as an insult. The over-use of 'retard' in America has meant it's really just a synonym for stupid. But in the UK, spastic is a far more rarely used word and is therefore way more insulting. It implies you genuinely have learning/comprehension disabilites.

 

[Veho]

nonsensical drivel

You obviously didn't read the first post. At all.

 

[jumpman17]

So...what's it gonna get changed to to not be offensive?

"You didn't do very well, but I'm sure it was a one time thing. You'll do better next time. Don't be sad. We'll bake you cookies."

 

[iTech]

nonsensical drivel
Reply written by pen won at special olympics stuck in anus hitting keys at random.

I never read posts before replying to them, because reading is reserved for retarded and gaysexual people exclusively.
I usualy just have some retarted gay person read the message out loud, afterwhich I form a well-thought-out scientifically-sound reply. The problem is retards can't read well, because they're retards.

 

[Shelleeson]

Ian Dury And The Blockheads released a song called Spasticus (Autisticus) it had lots of controvery but Ian Dury turned out to be spastic himself.

..and he's doing..

.. very well.


(I love Ian Dury!)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Dury

QUOTE(iTech @ Jul 1 2007, 07:27 PM)I never read posts before replying to them, because reading is reserved for retarded and gaysexual people exclusively.
I usualy just have some retarted gay person read the message out loud, afterwhich I form a well-thought-out scientifically-sound reply. The problem is retards can't read well, because they're retards.

i knew i was gonna put you on ignore for a good reason.

 

[Psyfira]

Bait meet fish. Come on drop it, you lot are smarter than this

 

[UncleChuckle]

Memories of saying "you joey" at school come flooding back. (That'll show your age!)