Is Lawsuit Looming Over God of War Shooting?

In Marble Falls, Texas last month, a 13-year-old boy shot a 15-year-old boy while they were playing the M-rated God of War. Troy is recovering from his wounds, but apparently has lost much of his eyesight. Although some gaming sites reported the news at the time, GamePolitics opted not to cover the story as the linkage to God of War seemed peripheral. Last evening, however, they received one of Miami attorney Jack Thompson's numerous e-mails.

[SPARTAAN]

wtf GOW doesnt even have guns and in most of the cases the parents themselves get the games for their kids do they cant even blame the retailers for it

they were playing GOW when the incident occured does that me if im watching tv when someone shoots me then it the tvs fault

[VirusE]

Spartaan I was thinking the same thing. If the kid killed another kid with a blade on a chain while running around half naked in red face paint i could understand but god of war doesnt even have guns!?!?!?

[Bleucrunch]

Great point Spartaan! I dont think they realize GOW is a greek mythological game and therefore cannot have any guns. But yet and still they will try to blam the game for that idiots random act of violence. Maybe we should shoot someone while we are watching C-SPAN....hahahahahahaaaa NOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

[Spinner]

Not to mention 12 and 15 year old kids AREN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYING GOD OF WAR!

Guess the giant "M/17+" sign on the cover went over their parent's heads.

They have no case...

[yesah]

....sue the parents, not some random video game company.

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

Where the hell did they even get a hold of a gun?

[aftrdark21]

13 yr old and a 15 yr old playing God Of War anyway...

edit@3fixme Exactly...it's an M rated game.

[Genesis5]

Only in America. Two kids are running around with a gun and a video game(one that has nothing to do with guns). One gets shot. So you sue the maker of the video game?

I think I would be a little more concerned with where they got the gun.

[VirusE]

3FIXME that is seriously a good point! Good eye.

[devilhunterx]

how dare you use logic around here???!! take it back!

[Kakkoii]

Another reason why USA needs to make better Gun laws like other countries have.

The Gun laws in USA are so lenient that almost every damn family has a gun stored in a closet or drawer. It's way to easy for a kid to get a hold of a gun in USA.

[Elvfam511]

wtf a kid is playing this if they can't control themselves and wtf a gun how the F**k they got a gun at that age that's super bad parenting why sue GoW it's not there fault it's the parents fault man stop blaming games for actions like this people with minds can control there actions well thats it.....

[IntelligentAj]

It's times like these when I really dislike the laws in the my country. These parents are blatantly responsible but they're gonna sue? Be serious.

[Hellsvacancy]

u sure it wasnt Gears Of War DUMBASS, N4G doesnt need posts like this, i get well fu<ked off when i read about silly sh!t like this, the knife/gun crime in the uk is bein blamed on video games, oh well ive just finished playin spyro the dragon, im gonna go burn things

[TruthBTold]

I just played Super Smash Bros Brawl on Wii so I think I'm gonna go jump on peoples heads and throw them around.

[gamesR4fun]

spewing his usual bs it might be news...

[chester]

i love how people blame the game and not the gun......or the kid that used it, or the parents that let it be in his hands.

[Fux4Bux]

Haha blaming a game that doesn't even have guns. How stupid can this crap get.

[MetalNCarnet]

It's just Jack Thompson again. Nothing to worry about. Remember, he has a restraining order from practicing law. For a minute there I thought this was someone els, but I guess wacko Jacko is the only one that cares nowadays.

[vegnadragon]

The kid was breathing AIR before this happen. So clearly the responsible for this case is the evil AIR.

[DViOUS1ONE]

hahahahaahha......

[CPTN MITCHELL]

so if i'm home watching menace 2 society and I shoot my friend. can he go after new line cinema

[Cyb3r]

I blame the kid not the game

[Vicophine]

Guns/games don't kill people, stupid people do.

[Snukadaman]

I see no merit whatsoever...you can ask the parents how did the kids get a M rated game being so young...but again..what does the game or the children getting the game have to do with the incident.

[adansirs6]

The U.S is going to hell in a hand basket.To blame a game for the actions of human beings that should know better further more, What the hell is this kid doing with a gat in the first place? And not even one gun depicted in the game.SHAME.

[rmedtx888]

I don't think a game will do that to anybody. It's the bad education the kids are getting at home. Besides even if the game had something to do with it, the parents are to blame for buying the game for the kids.

[beavis4play]

i think the parents ought to explain to somebody why their kids are "packing heat" when playing video games they aren't old enough to play.

[thedude17655]

and beat myself up and then shot myself in my head and think i would survive like ed norton could my family sue, because i am moron?..or i myself survive with serious injury to my dome piece.

[TwissT]

Ok first off all how the hell did a MINOR get a hold of a firearm? and second of all WHAT IS A PERSON UNDER 17 PLAYING GOD OF WAR FOR!? Jesus Christ, what is with the hate for video games?

[Science_NERD]

Why do you even use the name of Jesus in your comment? If you feel teh desire to use God's name just to prove a point, I suggest you consider that first that you may offend others, get out of here and go do it somewhere else, better yet dont do it at all. Or is your vocabulary so limited that you cant think of something more logical to say?

[Bloodwar]

Whats it to you if someone says hell or Jesus Christ? I'm a little concerned that you have named yourself Bleeding Rubies. This story has to do with a child getting shot in the eye by a gun and you are worried about someone saying something? I think you should pray for the kid and for gaming in general than to worry about someone saying Jesus F'ing Christ. Please. I've googled Bleeding Rubies oh high and mighty person who I speak to about your offence to a word or two. Here is a quote from the plot description of the rpg (and movie, "Sweeney Todd") your name is based off of. "Through the year, Sweeney Todd has killed many people, innocent or not. Through that same year, Mrs. Lovett has made each of the bodies, in turn, into meat pies." Pretty disgusting stuff, just as is any hypocrite who pretends to be religious. I'm not really being serious here. Maybe you, yourself should lighten up some. lol

[IzKyD1331]

oh that jack thompson sure is a silly goose(lol), not only was it never mentioned that the 2 boys shouldn't have even been playing an M rated game, but god of war has absolutely NOTHING to do with guns....its the parent's fault for letting the kids have access to guns, and buying games meant for 17 year olds, the kid who fired the gun obviously had some mental issues (my sympathy goes out to the boy who got shot)

[KratosKilla]

This incident wouldn't have happened if they weren't playing that game. WHAT! Are you kidding me. Why does a 13 year old have a gun in the first place. They must be so unsupervised its crazy. I don't even think these kids were playing videogames. These politicians just add that in to be able to pass there stupid bills of supposed morality. Come on. These are kids who are stupid enough to point a gun at your friend. And their parents were too stinkin lazy to lock the freakin guns away. BADDD CHILDREN! BAD PARENTS! BAD POLITICIANS!

[George Washington]

the bigger problem is WHY THE FUK DOES A 15 YEAR OLD HAVE A GUN???!!!

[Science_NERD]

because its america you know the land of "freedom". Heaven forbid that someone would take their constitutional right to bear arms...oh no! Blame the idiot american gun owners for why young children carry guns.

[Qbanboi]

Yeah man. I remember those good times, when i played GOW 1 and 2 shooting the crap out of Ares and Zeus with my shotgun. Oh wait, it wasn't God of War, BECAUSE GOW DOESNT HAVE GUNS. Damn, stupid people.

[Fruit Loops]

wow this story made plenty of sense (sarcastic)

[PS3n360]

1.5 your comment is dead on. One kid shoots another kid and no one even talks about the gun being involved. Might as well blame it on the kids socks. I love playing violent games but I am a non violent person. I don't play them until my 3 year old goes to bed. Parents need to stop babysitting their kids with television and games and start paying attention to them. I play Dora video bingo with my kid, there are games for children GOW is not one of them.

[Salvadore]

How did the boy get hold of the firearm and why were they playing M+ rated games to begin with? Oh wait, bad parenting.

[Solid_Snake]

Wow.. how can God of War be the cause of this when there are no guns in the game? Second, how are these kids playing this game anyway, when it is rated mature. Finally, where the hell did this kid get a gun from anyone??? Once again, games are being blamed for bad parenting.. this kid must of been screwed up anyway, because he asked a friend to help him toss the body in a barrel. I played Mortal Kombat when I was a kid, and I didnt go around tearing people's head and spinal cord out of their body, or throw knives at people. Some people just shouldnt be allowed to have kids.. home come we cant neuter parents?????

[RecSpec]

I'm tellin ya, they were fighing over whose turn it was to play the threesome game.

[HondaSIRowner]

Good'ol America and their always loaded guns. This will keep happening till the gun law gets CUT. But that will never happen.

"Only in America"

[Adamalicious]

Maybe if he had used some crazy retractable-chain sword thingeys it would be more plausible.

[Perkel]

ehh.. no comment, stupid kid.

[Bubble Buddy]

If there was like a Barbie Island Adventure at the shooting; would they blame it on the game, honestly...

[Enigma_2099]

... no one's even THINKING about blaming the PARENTS...

"If there was like a Barbie Island Adventure at the shooting; would they blame it on the game, honestly..."

This is Jack Thompson... OF COURSE HE WOULD!!!!!

[THUNDERMARE]

What puzzled me is that many people mention that children shouldn't be playing M-rate game, but you know what, F*** the M-rate. I've been playing m-rate games since I was 12, now I'm a college graduate and working as an investment banker and I never have any violent related crime. What puzzled me the most is that WHERE THE HELL IS A 12 YEARS OLD BOY GET A GUN FROM!!!

[Diugu]

You guys, investment bankers, aren't doing a very good job over there. (Assuming you are from USA)

[bluegoblin]

some one is going to get stabbed while playing CoD4 and they're going to blame the game.Well done you morons!!

[micbelt]

the fact that a 13 year old had access to a firearm, wtf?

[Lew_Ijgee]

but I always give each of my kids loaded firearms when they play video games. Its the best way to know that they will keep things fair.

[bluegoblin]

that deserves some bubbles!!!;D

[The Dark Knight]

okay number 1.

God of war has no guns.
2. there too young.

3.

THERE STUPID FA$$OT KIDS. God damn when will these mo fos and grow up and stop killing each other over a form of entertainment

[NexGen76]

I can clearly say that other parents are not being responsible when it comes to reading game rating i just witness this Monday in Ebgames when a mom got her son COD4 for 360 & that kid i know wasn't over 6 & the clerk told her about the rating & see said okay.When are parent going to be accountable & stop blaming video's games & movie's for there problems........

[gogators]

is the age of the child with access to guns. Did I read that right, that they were going dump the kids body in a bin?

[Dark General]

You read that right, the MOTHER of one of the witnesses suggested that her 12 year old son help carry the body out in their back yard and place it in a barrel of some sort. Luckily the child had some sense unlike the mother and decided to call 911 instead. Yet they are currently thinking about suing possibly Sony and a game retailer. Maybe if the mother of the witness was being a good parent and supervising the underage kids playing the game this wouldn't have happened. I mean it's bad enough the ESRB already heavily suggests that people 17 and older should be playing the game i mean just look at the description "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language and Sexual Themes". Let's not forget her bright idea to take the kid out in the backyard in a barrel AFTER HE WAS SHOT instead of calling the proper authorities. But yet somehow it's the game makers fault.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

While I feel terrible for the kid, it's not God of War's fault.

I blame that darn rap music!

[pegger24]

Because apparently you don't have to be responsible for your children and what they do during their free time.

I keep thinking about how different things would be if parents were held responsible for their children's actions. We might start to see parents actually caring about what their children are doing, instead of blaming the child's actions on stuff that the parents should have been paying attention to.

[Harry190]

not.

[TheKungFool]

So they're worried about where the kid got the damned video game.....and not where the kid happened to come across a friggin' handgun!?

If the kids have access to handguns, I think its a tad pointless to worry about what they're playing on their PlayStation.

[AGZEN]

wow i wonder if the gun just said, "hey kid cme pick me up and shoot da heck outa your friend" bull$#*¿ . . The parents are to blame for raising a dumb child and leaving a gun hangin around. infact they should get the lawsuit for being such ignorant parents

[cloud 279]

Few Questions:
1. How did the child get his hands on GOW?
2. How did he get his hands on a handgun?
3. Why is Sony & retailer getting sued?

First of all GOW doesn't have any guns in the game at all. So we know this can't be the cause. Second why the hell is Jack Thompson the advisor in this lawsuit? JT doesn't know crap about this game his specialty is GTA and Bully (sarcastic). Third why aren't the parents being blamed for this? the mother wanted to hide the body & kill the child who was still living, the 13 yr old had the right idea & called authorities. I hope the 15 yr old recovers soon.

Finally in the words of Barack Obama; "Parents should clamp down on games"

PS: I would love to see what David Jaffe has to say on this.

[Skerj]

He shot him!? He didn't even use magic or the damn blades of chaos, Santa Monica Studio should sue for defamation. How do kids keep getting these guns to shoot each other?

[Groo]

No one ever notices the M for mature ratings.....