The video game industry is certainly no stranger to controversy, with disputes between studios and their opponents typically focusing on (purported) excess violence, along with sexual and occult concerns.
As expected, Duke Nukem Forever isn’t immune by any means, as petitioners have singled out Nukem’s “Capture the Babe” mode – which allows a player to invade the enemy’s camp and, yes, you guessed it, capture a girl.
The player then hoists the girl on his shoulders and makes his way back to base. Once back at the base, the player is encouraged to slap the girl’s butt whenever she freaks out in order to keep her quiet.
The petitioners argue that the game trivializes physical and sexual violence against women.
They also assert the game “contributes to a culture in which 1 in every 4 American women will become a victim of domestic violence.”
As such, the petitioners are demanding the game’s removal from Walmart shelves.
Gunning for Walmart is a clever move. If the U.S. retailer agrees to pull the game, it would likely negatively affect Nukem sales.
But more importantly for the petitioners, Walmart’s action could create a domino effect that sees other large stores do the same.
Duke Nukem Forever has already gained near-legendary notoriety for its delayed release dating back to 1997, so this controversy is obviously not what the studio wants to be dealing with now.
That said, even if several chain stores ban Nukem, ardent fans of the game will just simply buy the title elsewhere – most probably online.
[Via Destructoid]
