I found a very interesting blog (http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=7443178) that talks about the controversy of JFK Reloaded. Some of the interesting question that it raised is why did JFK reloaded receive so much public attention, while other games that contain more violence are not heavily criticized. This did not occur to me, but that is true. Games such as God of War contains nudity, sex and decapitation, but yet receives great ratings compared to JFK reloaded, which is simply a shooter game . I believe JFK reloaded receive more criticism because President Kennedy was a symbol of the United States and an icon which many people living today still remember. If a designer created a game of how many ways can you burn/destroy the American flag, it would also receive the same negative reaction. Simulating an assassination of a respected President can actually provoke feelings of threat or endangerment. It is unlawful in the United States to depict any kind of threat to the life of a President.
I agree with a point someone made in class that if it was President Lincoln who was assassinated, then it would not have received as much publicity because no one knew him personally. On the other hand, the Kennedy family is still around and was the one who pushed for a lawsuit against Traffic (company that created the game). The game designer’s intention may be pure, but having an award of $100,000 to the person who can recreate the Lee Harvey Oswald shootings did not help them. Instead, the people see this as the company’s attempt to capitalize and promote the game in other ways than originally intended. In my opinion, Traffic did cross the line because they recaptured a very painful moment in American history without providing any background or context that this is a study or simulation of what really occur that day. The American people are not ready to have such sensitive topics be depicted in games. Therefore any games containing topics about 9/11, Columbine, V-Tech shooting will not receive any praise from the majority of the people.