10 Video Game Controversies That Were Blown Out of Proportion

The news always makes video games sound way worse than they really are.

By PocketEpiphany

Published 4 years ago

History is filled with scandalous video games. Titles like DOOM and Grand Theft Auto 3 shocked the world when they were released by reminding people that gaming didn't have to stick to a strictly kid-friendly playbook.

But looking back on some of these video game “scandals” now, we can see they were actually pretty silly. Especially considering how few actual dangers video games present, it's a wonder people freaked out over these relatively harmless games.

So to relive those uptight fears, here’s our breakdown of ten supposedly scandalous games that were really very tame.

1
Wolfenstein 3D

At the time, Wolfenstein 3D hit several different scandal triggers. The first-person view allegedly glorified violence, and the presence of Nazis (and eventually Adolf Hitler) was worrisome to say the least.

In retrospect, this game was pretty mild. There wasn’t much gore, and the Nazi villains were cartoonish, ranging from the SS soldiers who screech “mein leben” upon death to Hitler’s over-the-top robot suit.

2
Conker's Bad Fur Day

Conker’s Bad Fur Day felt like an anomaly for Nintendo's “family-friendly” image. A title about an alcoholic and ultra-violent squirrel was shocking, complete with dirty language and constant references to drugs and sex.

In hindsight, Conker is more embarrassing than scandalous. It’s a good platformer at heart, but all of what once seemed scandalous just looks like try hard edginess now. Imagine a squirrel biting South Park’s style and you’ll get the idea.

3
Barbarian

Different decades and different places lead to some very different controversies. For example, Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior caused quite a stir over in England because of the cover art.

People said the scantily-clad characters were offensive, misogynistic, and even pornographic. Looking at it now, this cover isn’t nearly as horny as any scene from Conan: The Barbarian. It’s also far tamer than the Frank Frazetta artwork that inspired it.
4
Perfect Dark

In its own way, Perfect Dark is the most surprising game on this list. It was basically Goldeneye with a tad more violence. So what made it so controversial?

The simple answer is that it was the first M-rated game on the Nintendo 64. Concerned parents worried this would lead to a flood of violent and inappropriate games for the system. Instead, the most inappropriate game after this was Conker’s Bad Fur Day, which was controversial for everything except its violence.

5
Leisure Suit Larry

The Leisure Suit Larry series became infamous in the late 1980s. All of the games involved trying to get the titular Larry laid and emphasized sex and crude humor.

But if you play the old games now, it’s easy to see that most of the focus is on campy humor and bad jokes. The nudity is downright tasteful compared to any actual pornography.

Nonetheless, Larry’s games embraced the comparisons to porn, probably to help hide how tame it really is.
6
Daikatana

What if a single advertisement could make a game controversial? That was the case with John Romero’s Daikatana. He made the game sound super-offensive with an infamous advertisement that said “John Romero’s About To Make You His Bitch.”

It was a bold claim that riled up many gamers. But as it turned out, the only thing offensive about Daiktana is how sloppy and boring it is to play.

It’s no wonder Romero would eventually apologize for both the advertisement and the game.
7
Mass Effect

Mass Effect is another tame game that got a scandalous representation early on. Why? Because of sensational journalism gone awry.

When the first Mass Effect came out, an evangelical blogger claimed the game featured “rape and sodomy,” and Fox News claimed it contained “full graphic sex.”

In reality, there was no rape or sodomy, and the romantic scenes are almost embarrassingly tame (unless the mere sight of side boob and butts are now “full graphic sex”).

8
The Guy Game

Sometimes, there is a touch of real controversy hidden inside a fake controversy. Like with the cringe-inducing The Guy Game, where you're rewarded with women in bikinis for answering trivia questions.

That's because one woman was underage, and her footage was removed from subsequent game releases. But this made people think the game was filled with sex and nudity. In reality, the entire game is far less titillating than an episode of Baywatch.
9
Bully

Every now and then, it’s easy to see why a game made such scandalous waves. Bully alarmed plenty of gamers and parents because it seemed like it would glorify bullying, and the idea that it would be like Grand Theft Auto in a school was horrifying.

In reality, the violence never rose to the level of GTA and the game was rated “T” for teen. One of its most talked about features was the ability of your male character to kiss another boy. That seemed controversial in 2006, but it was actually pretty progressive.
10
Night Trap

What if a video game scandal could affect the entire industry and stir international debate? That was the case with Night Trap.

This game, along with Mortal Kombat, kicked off the infamous 1993 congressional hearings on video games that alleged Night Trap exploited naked women and gory violence.

In reality, all of the “violence” is over the top camp involving slow creatures dragging women in nighties offscreen. Nonetheless, the controversy and congressional hearings led to the ESRB rating system still in place today.