GU Comics by: Woody Hearn

Believe it or not, I'm actually fond of the idea of introducing kids to gaming through platforms that help them learn. When I first heard of the V.Smile systems I think my exact words were "freakin' sweet". But, in the last few weeks V-Tech, the makers of the V.Smile, V.Flash, and V... other educational learning/gaming systems, have been airing a commercial that opens with a metal-clad orc blasting zombies to dust with an oversized laser gun. He quickly turns to the camera and says "What am I doing? Millions of kids are watching." This then segues into information about their system and its benefits.

Now, you guys know me, I'm very much a proponent of the idea of monitoring kids when they're playing ANY video games (not just violent ones). But, I think it's abhorent that Vtech opted to attack violent video games rather than let their system stand own it's own legs. In essence they've hopped on the anti-gaming bandwagon to appeal to the lowest parental common denominator of passing on the buck instead of accepting blame themselves.

This doesn't mean I will stop supporting educational gaming systems. And I have no intention of singling out VTech by saying "I'll never buy one of their products" (or throw away my cordless home phones) in protest. But as it applies to the issue of pouncing on games young kids probably shouldn't be playing in the first place, like Ted, my opinion is: kiss my ass.

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