Norway Terror Suspect Used MW2 for "Training"

[Crazy Snake]

Found this on IGN just now, and damn is it going to stir up some shit.

In his 'manifesto', Anders Behring Breivik, the suspect in the brutal slaughter of 93 people in Norway last week, wrote about his enthusiasm for videogames, and how he used them as part of his "training".

The 1,500 page manifesto is currently being scrutinized by law-enforcement and media alike. It includes a desire to form a Europe, free from non-Christian religions. It's a bizarre hodge-podge of extreme right-wing views including a negative fixation on Muslims. Breivik also enjoyed gaming. He wrote, "I just bought Modern Warfare 2, the game. It is probably the best military simulator out there and it's one of the hottest games this year. I see MW2 more as a part of my training-simulation than anything else. I've still learned to love it though and especially the multiplayer part is amazing. You can more or less completely simulate actual operations."

He also used World of Warcraft as an excuse for friends and family to cover other activities. "For example, tell them that you have started to play World of Warcraft or any other online MMO game and that you wish to focus on this for the next months/year. This 'new project' can justify isolation and people will understand somewhat why you are not answering your phone over long periods. Tell them that you are completely hooked on the game (raiding dungeons, etc.)."

[BloodChuckZ]

Ahh, I can just hear it now....."It's The Videogame's Fault !!"

None of this has made the mainstream news media, yet.  First I've heard of it.  I'll keep a close ear on the news for a few days and see if they jump on this aspect.

[Crazy Snake]

That's what I'm waiting for.

[King Cobra]

People will blame and ban a game any chance they get. You're talking game haters here. These asswipes support people like JT.

When they hear things like this they all come running out like the plague thinking they have to stop the game for the good of society when all they're doing is fucking things up.Wastes of life.

[Hayley]

He was on steroids. He hated everybody who didn’t believe in his own beliefs and followed his religion. You can’t blame video games for that...

[King Cobra]

Nope. These people are oblivious to that though. The only thing they're paying any attention to is what they say. Any possible reasoning in support of the game these people won't even look at.

They think that getting rid of a game is doing a favor when they're actually pissing people off. Once again, they're oblivious to that as well.

[Hayley]

And it’s not like removing a game from store shelves is going to rid the world of terrorism...

[King Cobra]

No, it's not.

I guess this makes playing games an act of terrorism now?

[Hayley]

There might be super crazy anti-video game people who think that. But these people will find anything in a game to bitch about. I'm lookin' at you, Jack Thompson.

[King Cobra]

These people support what he does. He's like an inspiration to these asswipes. They think banning games is gonna help us when they probably can't even help themselves.

[Hayley]

Exactly. I feel that this sort of ties in with the ratings given to games. If a game is rated M, it means you have to be mature about the contents in it. While Jack might try to be mature about things, it’s making him look like an immature fool.

If the game has hate crimes in it, remember that it’s not pushing you in to do them irl. If there’s guns and killing people in the game, don’t go out and get a shotgun and kill your best friend. Video games are not telling the person to do these things; it's the person who decides "oh this looks fun I'm going to go do it now."

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: If somebody doesn’t like the subjects in the game don’t buy it at all. Don’t try to remove something that everybody else enjoys just because a few people don’t.

[King Cobra]

If someone mimics a game that's from a decision they made or they have some real mental issues. Don't blame games.

And I still see no need for games to even be banned. People DON'T HAVE TO BUY THEM. For some fucked up reason people are banning these games and taking them away from everyone. It's totally pointless in doing this.

[BloodChuckZ]

I see the death count has been 'revised' down to 68 now.

[Hayley]

I don't really like when people use the excuse "mental issue." In Anders' case, his lawyer claims he's insane.

People don't seem to understand that it's all a matter of choice. If somebody decides to look like their favorite celebrity it's their decision. That celebrity didn't threaten or ask that person to look like them. Just like how the main characters of MW2 didn't tell Breivik to slaughter 68+ people irl.

[BloodChuckZ]

LOL, that would be funny in a sick sort of way, wouldn't it, if video game characters just stared at the screen at you and commanded, "Go Kill !"