Acclaim Entertainment, today responded to the widespread controversy surrounding the launch of its forthcoming mature rated release, BMX XXX. The response was a result of the recent refusal of many retailers to carry the game. Wal-Mart Stores , Toys R Us , KB Toys, Best Buy and Circuit City Stores all have made it clear that they are unwilling to supply the, mature rated, game upon its release.
Acclaim have, of course, tried to capitalize and are now offering high resolution downloads of their banned BMX XXX posters (one of which is previewed to your right) and the press release could be seen as part of the same hype effort.
As we have come to expect, The Parents Television Council, a group that usually condemns TV programming, issued a statement Thursday praising retailers for refusing to stock the game.
We believe that there is a general, unfair characterization of the interactive entertainment industry and as a result, our product is being held to an entirely different standard than other entertainment media with comparable content, including movies, television and radio, said Greg Fischbach, Co-Chairman and CEO of Acclaim. According to NPD's August report, more than 60 percent of all next-generation hardware owners are men over the age of 18, and this combined with the fact that last year's number one selling game was mature rated, fully supports our belief in the demand for this type of content.
While we acknowledge that we are setting new benchmarks with BMX XXX, we are disappointed that there are groups who fail to see how this humorous product is truly on par with such widely accepted mainstream entertainment experiences, including movies like American Pie, and TV shows like The Sopranos and Sex and the City, added Fischbach. As a leading publisher, we fully believe that consumers should have a right to choose their entertainment, and with that right comes the importance of responsible consumerism.
This product was not designed for, nor is it being marketed to consumers under the age of 17, and we fully support the Electronic Software Rating Board and encourage consumers to utilize their rating systems to make educated purchases, concluded Fischbach.
The first action sports video game designed specifically for today's mature gaming audience, BMX XXX features scripted jokes and events created by some of Hollywood's top comedic writers, more than 2,000 BMX tricks and an incredible in-game soundtrack featuring today's top artists. The product's official web site debuted a trailer, which has been downloaded more than 500,000 times since the beginning of the month.
BMX XXX will be available in November across all of the next-generation platforms at suggested retail prices to be determined.
