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Gears 5 will not feature any depictions of smoking and the series will not highlight or glorify smoking moving forward

vestan

vestan

#REFANTAZIO SWEEP
Member
Dec 28, 2017
24,611
Gears 5' Will Eliminate All Smoking Depictions in Cooperation With Youth Anti-Tobacco Org
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"Gears 5," the forthcoming installment in the "Gears of Wars" third-person shooter game franchise, will be a smoke-free establishment.
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The game, set for Sept. 10 release, comes from Xbox Game Studios and game developer The Coalition. The decision to remove all smoking references from "Gears 5" came after not-for-profit anti-smoking organization Truth Initiative approached Turner, whose ELeague esports division has broadcast rights to the title, about making the change. Turner collaborated with Microsoft and The Coalition to strip out smoking from the game.
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In a statement, Rod Fergusson, studio head at The Coalition, said: "I've seen firsthand the devastating impact of smoking. It's always been important for me to not use smoking as a narrative device, which is why we made the conscious choice to avoid highlighting or glorifying smoking in 'Gears 5' and throughout the Gears of War Universe moving forward."
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Past "Gears of War" titles have included occasional scenes with tobacco use, with certain characters holding cigarettes or cigars. The removal of tobacco depictions in "Gears 5" has been months in the works, said Seth Ladetsky, senior VP, Turner Sports Sales and head of Turner Sports Digital and ELeague sales strategy and revenue.
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"This took a lot of time and a lot of good thinking," said Ladetsky. "It's the right image for ELeague — and the game itself — to project."
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Truth, which is dedicated to ending tobacco use among young Americans, has targeted smoking imagery in video games given their popularity among younger consumers. For example, 62% of esports viewers in the U.S. are 18-34, according to research by consulting firm Activate.
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Is there a double standard in keeping the violence while the parties involved congratulate themselves for their anti-smoking stance? For one thing, as the video-game industry has repeatedly noted, there's no evidence of a causal link between violent crime and gaming. Ladetsky said the elimination of smoking doesn't change the nature of the game itself, and he cited research that shows a correlation between higher exposure to tobacco depictions in entertainment and a higher incidence of smoking adoption among younger people. "As you remove these images, it does have an impact," he said.
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More at the link above.

Memes aside, this is interesting. Seems to be more of a business move to sanitize the game and make it eSports compatible but there's a very good conversation to be had about how media makes tobacco use seem fashionable which can influence young people (tho if you're playing Gears 5 you're most likely of age so I could hardly give a shit). I live in the UK and they crack down on that shit hard, drilling into us the harm smoking does to both you and the people around you. I mean the fucking anti-smoking ads over here are gruesome as fuck.

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Hell, this is how our cig packs look.

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TheInfinityGauntlet

TheInfinityGauntlet

Member
Nov 3, 2017
4,393
Kids already out here pouring their money into these damn mango juul pods, I promise you they're not thinking about cigars and cigarettes they're on some OTHER shit
 

More Butter

Banned
Jun 12, 2018
1,890
I just don't think this is important. I don't think kids will smoke because of smoking in Gears. It's a nice thought but doesn't mean much
 
Shantae

Shantae

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
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Feb 15, 2019
852
Dest said:
they will do weed instead
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This is the part about pro weed users that kind just rubs me the wrong way. I hate smoking in all it's forms, and there are people out there who also try to treat smokers like shit, and ban smoking this, and ban smoking that...

But hey all, let's go get high...yaaaaa boi...woooo.. -_- fucking hypocrites lol
 

Euler.L.

Alt account
Banned
Mar 29, 2019
906
When are we going to critical reflect about that killing thing in video games?
 
Linus815

Linus815

Member
Oct 29, 2017
19,720
i mean, i legit cant recall a single occasion of anyone smoking in the series so far, but besides that, holy shit, its a game that had chainsawing monsters in half as one of its selling point......i think smoking a cig or two wouldn't be so bad...
 
ProstatePuncher

ProstatePuncher

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
5,800
Smoking is 100% shit. Smells horrible, ruins lungs, teeth, finances, everything. Wish we could get rid of it in every media format.
 
Jmille99

Jmille99

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
2,098
Ok I guess. Doubt anyone is jumping on cigarettes because a dude in a video game is doing it though.
 
Crayon

Crayon

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,580
How sanitary. if I was out fighting a bunch of big tooth monsters everyday, I'd be smoking like an old Ford truck.
 
Cocolina

Cocolina

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,978
This focuses on the new class introduced in 4 right? That's fine. Kids these days are anti-smoking entirely, the culture has changed. As with Fenix and gang representing the older generation, it's fine for the new gang to represent the current.
 
Mengetsu

Mengetsu

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,806
I don't like smoking but this is dumb to do in a M rated product. Cutting people in half for Esports? That's cool though.
 
Mesoian

Mesoian

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 28, 2017
26,431
:🤷: Okay

Lannisters1798 said:
But why though, that's my question.
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Why not?

Honestly, Gears was one of the franchises out there where I never questioned in because the greater attitude of the populous is just bleak defeatism. "I'll smoke because we'll be dead tomorrow and we need to calm down, so who cares."

But with Gears is going, yeah sure.

Though I really don't care about depictions of smoking in games. Smoking hasn't looked cool in games in ages.

Bits N Pieces said:
Though please remember to buy our Limited Edition Taco Bell meal or Rockstar Energy Drink.
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To be fair, I don't often see games glorifying an eating pattern in line with obesity.
 

Danteyke223

Banned
Oct 24, 2018
937
This such a weird thing to do... just eh . whatever makes you happy, but a weird thing to do in a series where you chainsaw monsters and guts fly everywhere...
 
Alucrid

Alucrid

Chicken Photographer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,413
couldn't even remember who smoked and when they did in a gears game
 
Kolx

Kolx

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,505
ScOULaris said:
Glorifying mass murder and warfare? No problem.

But smoking? Think of the kids!
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I don't remember a time when I was a kid when I thought about going around murdering people because of video games. I do remember tho how cool I thought smoking was (not just because of games, because of media in general). That could be just me, but I did notice it in a few of my friends and relatives.
 
hikarutilmitt

hikarutilmitt

Member
Dec 16, 2017
11,406
Strangelove77 said:
Well, I guess it's better than replacing it with vaping.
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God, the last thing we need is more vapers. I'm not sure what's worse, that they usually think it's healthier or the goddamned flavors I smell coming out all the time.

So, it's eSports for multiplayer, but we're cool with all of the gore and violence? The same was said when SFV got hit at for some of the suggestive or fanservicey outfits. They can't even use Mika's default because of it being too revealing.
 
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