Scandalous Games

Scandalous Games is a video game history podcast that takes a closer look at video game related controversies. Every episode, historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story about a scandalous event from gaming's past to his friends who offer commentary on moral panics, ill-advised advertising campaigns, unusual figures, and any and all topics related to video game scandals and how they shaped the medium. New episodes drop on the first and third Tuesdays of every month! Check out more info, including show notes and sources, at http://scandalousgamespodcast.wordpress.com.

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Scandalous Games

Manhunt, Part Three: Murder by PlayStation

December 05, 2023 • Scandalous Games • Episode 38

Historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story of a video game controversy to his friends: Kate Lynch, Kayt Ahnberg, and Ryan Weaver. Today, some of us are still here and alive to cover part three of our four-part series on Manhunt, Rockstar North's brutal 2003 survival horror title. This time, we examine whether Manhunt caused a real-life murder (spoiler alert: it did not), and how the British tabloids gave us the infamous July 29, 2004, headline "Murder by PlayStation."

CONTENT WARNING: brief discussion of a murder (5:30-7:17)

Topics discussed include: The British papers have a wobbly over Manhunt, a fun look at some Daily Mail headlines, the positive aspects of playing horror games, and how to "accidentally" turn a video game into a best seller.

Theme Music: Occam's Sikhwee by Sikh Knowledge (Free Music Archive: https://bit.ly/33G4sLO), used under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US (https://bit.ly/33JXogQ)

More info, including show notes and sources at http://scandalousgamespodcast.wordpress.com.