GameSpoon - Zero Punctuation: Spore

I think it's safe to say, we've all been waiting for this one!

"Can brightly colored monstrosities really compare to Batman?" (Yahtzee)

TuneSpoon - Madden Tracks '09; Does over-sensitive editing make people happy?

I take offense to suggestive vowels


EA loves to tell you how much they love music and love music in their games. It is something they take pride in. Proof? See press release for Madden '08 here. Year after year they include established and new acts on their sports franchise games. It gets a little much, yet in my opinion it is not the worst idea....... until this year.

EA has taken it upon themselves to edit this years music free from anything that they have deemed "suggestive" or "offensive". For example, words such as "Guns", "Arms", and "Loaded" have all been removed from the song "Hammerhead" by The Offspring. If they wanted to remove suggestive themes from the song, they may as well have had no lyrics in it. Guess what EA, the song is about school shootings [song meaning]. Is that the message you want to send to people while they play your football game?

There are instances where they are not consistent with the editing either. Using the example of Hammerhead again, the line "I'll take a life" is edit free. Seems a bit suggestive, wouldn't you think? Especially when another song on the game, "Inside the fire" by Disturbed, had the word "life" from the line "Release your life" edited from the song.

I do not mind editing of songs, but it has to make sense. Randomly choosing "suggestive" words without looking at the context of how they are being used isn't the way this should be done. Swear words are one thing, you shouldn't have to worry about the rest.

So what do you think?

GameSpoon - EA, adapt me?

GameSpoon - industry news



Will Wright is a genius. EA knows this and has plans set in motion to help revolutionize the gaming industry with the release of Mr. Wright's new game "Spore." So what is "Spore" all about? On the outside, it's an amazing PC game that allows you to dominate your own world with your digital offspring creatures. However, behind that fancy mask, lies money. "Spore" is expected to a rake in the dough, we're talking billions globally! But don't worry, you might get your own piece of the pie...if you're clever. Like those who found away to make real cash in Second Life or World of Warcraft, it is expected that "Spore" could lead to the foundations of new businesses...think about that?

Read on my friend, read on - ZDnet