Nolan Bushnell Hates GTA, Calls Halo 3 'Doom in Different Clothing'

GameDaily BIZ reports:

Following his recent comments about today's video games being "unadulterated trash," Atari founder and Pong creator Nolan Bushnell spoke with GameTap Read to elaborate on his feelings about the current state of the game industry. Essentially, he thinks the industry simply doesn't have enough innovation.

In his latest interview, Bushnell said Halo 3 is really "Doom 1 in different clothing" and Grand Theft Auto "values antisocial behavior." Bushnell, who had said the PS3 would be a failure before it was released, also had more to say about Sony's PS3.

The man who created the first commercial video game doesn't hate everything though. He actually praised games from Will Wright such as The Sims and Spore as well as music games such as Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero. Check out the full interview at GameTap.

[ATLRoAcH]

And everyone new the Wii would be a big fad.The PS3 is very innovative by the way.I wonder why we haven't seen Ataris in so many years.

[ktchong]

He sold Atari and cashed out in 1978 - back when the company was at the top of its game. He has also created Chuck Cheese, Catalyst Tech (which owned Etak that became MapQuest) uWink, and a bunch of other successful companies. He's a "serial entrepreneur" -- he creates companies, grows them, and then sells them and cashes out for a lot of money. Needless to say, he's a multi-billionaire.

[gamesR4fun]

Besides some of those Atarie game had some pretty rank themes and most of them involved blowing things up... Kinda makes this guy pretty biased for calling GTA anti social dont it.

[IdontTakeSides]

Well for him to go and say well GTA is well garbage not good for the youth of America is just ignorant...what is GTA doing that they can't turn on CNN and see..everyone kinda knew the Wii would be successful and to say the PS3 is not innovative is crap..it's up to the developers to do innovative things with the hardware...this guys is stuck in the past as we can tell...Tetris while still good for some isn't as ground breaking as it once was..vice versa with the sims....GTA is one of the most innovative games of last gen he didn't mention that and Rockstar will 1UP it with the GTA4....

[ironcreed]

Sorry that all games these days cannot meet the standards of 'Pong', Nolan ole' boy. Meanwhile, good luck with creating your next gen Chucky Cheese with Ping Pong tables. I will just stick to playing what you deem as today's "trash".

[Nicosia]

Well i don't agree with his harsh reasoning but for somebody who has been at the forefront of gaming revolution he should have a more open mind. Things have changed since the old pong days, things evolve. Same thing with movies these days, ''people in high places'' don't like digital filmaking..but you can't deny its the future.

I also think he is judging the wrong kinda games, the games he is talking about appeal to a less wider audience (like kids,elderly) but have key demografic. While games like pong have univeral appeal..there just games to pick up and play.

Games have changed some much.. there rich and complex. REAL gamers would like a story, some action, some puzzels and some freaky plot twists.

[FirstknighT]

Halo 3 a Doom clone???? Once you get to his age you lose all common sense. He probably still thinks Ronald Regan is the president.

[MRMagoo123]

I dont want to start an arguement here but funny how that fat guy that helped make half life complained about the ps3 every xbox fan loved him and said he made such a great game u should listen to him ps3 is crap thats what was said but now some "old guy" that made a pretty famous game more famous than half life i might add says something about halo hes stupid and old.Also when the ps3 fans laughed at the other guy for being too fat everyone jumped to his defense from the xbox side saying "dont call him fat he made an amazing game" but now the shoe is on the other foot its completely diff rules.Just wondering how this works.I dont like this guy and i think hes wrong about halo i personally dont like halo but he is wrong same about the ps3 not being innovative.

[aggh im on fire]

Great ,yet another old fart trying to tell us about games. Things have moved on old timer. And no, games like GTA don't encourage violence.... now move along before a baseball bat your face in.

[Genki]

My question is why on earth he would take video games so seriously anyway.

As far as Halo, you're a long way off. I'm not the series' biggest fan, but Doom is a far cry from Halo even at the most basic concepts. Thing about Doom was the weapons...bigger and better throughout the game. In Halo, there's different weapons to use for different situations, and you can even get creative in some cases.

In short, he's full of crap.

[InMyOpinion]

What has he done for us lately?

[G_CodeMonkey]

Gee, Nolan, how avant garde of you. How insightful. Let's see, your last contribution to society was Chucky Cheese?? I love how these idiots get published and somehow we're supposed to pay attention because they can criticize when they haven't done anything in years?? Meh... Same goes for Chris Crawford, etc... gCM

[CaliGamer]

These kids nowadays don't know what real gaming is. I founded Atari. I hate everything I didn't create, and get off my lawn.
Ramblings of an old man, nothing to see here. Get him some prune juice, a blanket and the latest episode of Peoples Court and he should be good.

[IntelligentAj]

Hahahahahahahah!!!!

That was funny I spit out my soda when I read that! Kudos.

[Prismo_Fillusion]

He's nutsy, but he has a couple points. I would like to see more high-quality completely innovative games. But I'd be upset if there were no games like Halo and GTA.

[Jamaicangmr]

I have great respect for Mr. Bushnell as a true pionner in the gamin industry but i feel that even though these are his opinions he is pushin it a bit far with his GTA comment.

However as i said he's entitled to his own opinion as long as he doesnt use his status and influence to make it seem like fact. Good for you Mr. Bushnell, good for you.

[americanGTA]

he's still suck in the 70s!!!

[caffman]

and we care why?

[vertigun]

He's right about Halo. It's not that different from Doom, it's an evolution, rather than a revolution. But I guess young people who didn't play Doom don't see that, and even if they do, they are teenagers, and teenagers HATE everything they don't like, as opposed to just not care.

About GTA, He sounds like an old man, but he's right in that the rating system doesn't work. Those kind of games shouldn't be played by minors.

[LeShin]

Wise words, a bubble for your comment. As much as I love GTA, minors should not be allowed to play it, simple as that. Fact is there are some imbeciles that are easily led and will try to "copycat" things that they see or play. I remember some star wars fan in the news over here who practically blew himself and another person up by filling up a florescent light tube with petrol and setting it alight thinking it would make a "cool" lightsabre......He was bloody 20 years old!

Idiot......

As for Halo, yeah I'm unfortunately old enough to remember playing Doom for the first time, and know what you mean in regards to Halo and practically every other 1st person shooter. But I suppose you can't innovate all the time.

[MRMagoo123]

Well if what u say is true "minors" shouldnt be allowed to watch the news either im not a teenager but i dont think it should be up to old ppl to choose what kids play it should be the parents and if the parents dont want there kids playing these games they should stop them themselves not put the blame on someone else.And if a kid is too dumb to understand real life from a game they shouldnt be allowed out of the mental institute they belong in.I personally think the news is worse than a game because the news is real games are not and anyone with one brain cell would know that.If a kid goes murdering someone then blames a game its wrong they wherent right in the head in the first place in my opinion.

[FFVIIFan]

Halo and the PS3? He'll get into the Record Books for having the most fanboys flame on him for this.

[MK_Red]

Well, Doom has different presentation, art style, graphics, story, settings (Hell / Mars), enemies, level design and patterns, puzzles (Keycard findings) and finally theme (It's a horror title while Halo is action). Aside from them the games are similair in which both are FPS.

I can't believe such an idiot started the commercial gaming. With such comments, it's obvious that not only he hates GTA (One of the best and most acclaimed series of all time) but also both Doom and Halo (2 of the best and most acclaimed FPS games of all time).

[PS360WII]

MK you proved his point in a sense he said "Halo is Doom 1 in different clothing" which in your first part talking about the different clothing. It's a FPS much like the games we get 4 or more times out of every month. Think of it as a complement if you want for Doom 1 kicked major arse.

[MK_Red]

I did not approve his point. What makes a game? It's NOT the genre (FPS or not) but the level design, theme, graphics, look and feel. And even if the genre makes a game, Doom and Halo are in two different genres. Doom is horror / survival while Halo is action.

"Doom 1 kicked major arse."
Agree with this part. Doom 1 and 2 are still my number 1 fave FPS games, even though I love BioShock and Half Life.

[Mr PS3]

When he said Halo 3 was Doom in differ'nt clothing!! c'mon Doom was way better grapichally than halo 3

[Daxx]

>_>

[progx]

Bushnell ran chuck E cheese into the ground.

[mighty_douche]

damn right it does! thats why i like it!

[DARK WITNESS]

it sounds like he needs to catch up a bit....when was the last time he played Doom and Halo ?

Not only that but halo is like Doom 1.....unless he is trying to say they are both the same in the sense that they have pushed FPS gaming to new levels.. apart from that those two games could not be futher apart.

[Monteblanco]

Actually, he is right in all accounts. Doom and Halo are all FPS and they don't fundamentally change in any meaningful way, although Bushnell correctly praises Halo production value. Regarding GTA, he didn't said anything about the game itself, but about the real problem of kids been allowed to buy and play it, despite being branded as a mature game.

[Tone]

Bubble's for you sir!

[The Ginsu Masta]

Whatever i think the industry has passed him by.He's old school.

[PS360WII]

Hmm just because you think he's wrong doesn't make him. You could be wrong on your ramblings. GTA does promote recklessness and whatnot don't tell me it's nothing but daisies. Halo and any other shooter out there is all the same just different levels. Not that it's wrong but to call any one FPS the best ever is silly because there is always another one coming out next month. Ah well you guys are to short minded to take stuff in perspective so why not bash him some more but guess what he doesn't give a hoot what you have to say either.

[ItsDubC]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[streetcutter]

well i hate him so now where even. did anyone else see him game head? ive never seen anyone more arrogent in my life. Hes done everything and everyone else is crap. i think hes just pissed that he sold atari and now has nothing to do with the game industry so hes just taking it on the industry. stick with your resturant bushnell

[THE_JUDGE]

and sell more. Get off your fatass if your so good at it.

[zonetrooper5]

Sorry but this guy is really stupid, things move on. Yes we do need innovation, maybe if everyone looked at mods created on the PC then you see what ideas they have. I could say that Killzone 2 is just doom 1 with different clothing. Most of the FPS market is pretty much the same. As long as the FPS game is balanced and fun then I will play it.

[iNcRiMiNaTi]

all these games require fast reflexes and alot of skill nowadays, something he doesnt have...he only plays easy games like pong where all u have to do is move up and down..

[Armyless]

Like Pong?

[MRMagoo123]

I dont know how these ppl make it onto this site same as the fat guy that cried about the ps3 making him sweat when he tried making games on it