In America's wrenching argument over how and why we have so many mass shootings, such as the ones at Newtown, Conn. and Aurora, Colo., many have pointed the finger at video game makers to demand they take a good hard look at what they sell and its effect on impressionable young minds. And one CEO has said he will. That man is Bob Iger. Of Disney.
Iger, at a newsmakers luncheon on Wednesday, said he convened a meeting this week "to take stock in everything we've got that can be considered near the line or over the line".
I really have to wonder what the hell that would mean for Disney. Go search that word on the ESRB's website. I realize that doesn't return everything published under the company's name, or licensed by it, but as Disney insists on everything—films, games, TV shows—being officially titled Disney's Somethingsomething, it's a strong enough sample size, returning 322 results. Not a one of them is rated M, and that is no surprise. Just three are rated T: Tron: Evolution, and adaptations of The Incredibles and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Looking at that catalog and searching for titles which have "violence" in their content descriptors, we find games like Disney Sing-It: Party Hits, which got a finger-wagging for "mild violence" because it features music videos depicting "medieval characters engaging in swordplay, and brief scenes of people wrestling." Also, the Jonas Brothers. Take a close look, Bob. That might be close to the line.
A Disney functionary later told Deadline that "any official plans to review the titles have not been solidified." Yes, the company now owns both Marvel and Lucasfilm but, come on. When people are blaming video games for mass killings, they're not talking about Donald Duck, Spider-Man or Chewbacca. This is empty PR.
Bob Iger Taking Closer Look At Violence In Disney Video Games [Deadline]