It seems that the UK is cracking down on video game violence like it’s going out of style, one can hope that this trend is going out of style, but this is a battle that will be fought endlessly. Looking like a bunch of Johnny-Come-Latelies the Advertising Standards Authority has issued a demand that commercials for Stranglehold be removed from the airwaves and altered to what can be envisioned as a more peaceful look at the John Woo game.

Initial complaints registered to the ASA said that the violent ad was being shown too early in the evening and was available for anyone of any age to see. In combination with the constant gunplay and the voice over speaking of “honor” and “vengeance” the ad reportedly created an image that glorified violence and gun crimes. Apparently the board has a problem with the advertisement’s potential to raise a generation of gun happy youngsters. Well if guns aren’t acceptable in games, what weapons are acceptable these days?

Picture Production Company, Midway’s advertising agency, claims that they did everything they could to make sure there were no images of violence’s consequence such as bullets entering or exiting people. Furthermore the advertisement clearly displays the 18-age requirement at the end. Regardless, the ASA insisted the spot would have to be pulled.

The other media watchdogs, Clearcast, had previously given approval for the ad to be played after 7:30pm stating that the violence depicted was ”stylized, unrealistic and had a fantasy quality.” The ASA kindly disagreed stating that “We considered the ad was likely to be seen as encouraging and condoning violence.” Issuing the official edict that "The ad must not be broadcast again in its current form."

It is very interesting that this would become an issue now seeing as the game has been out for several months in the UK. The real story is that for some reason ads for Stranglehold are still being played. I was under the impression that, with attention spans being what they are these days, video game advertisements have a life span of two weeks before being pulled in favor of something newer. Of course, that is except for Sony commercials.

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