| Earlier this week, the VideoGame Expo (VGEXPO) announced its lineup for a controversial video game violence debate to be held at the Philadelphia-based event. Ensuring a healthy level of controversy, anti-gaming advocate Jack Thompson and Moral Kombat director Spencer Halpin will attend the event.
Halpin's full-length documentary, which will premiere during the event, examines the issue of violence in video games by talking to game industry figures (including Thompson), legislators and activists. While the film's intent was to present a fair perspective of the issue, gamers have debated the movie's balanced view based on a trailer that was posted on YouTube last year.
"I'm really pleased to screen the movie at VGXPO and I envision us having a panel discussion with participants from the documentary debating the matter thoroughly," said Halpin in a release. "The interviewees were so thoughtful and passionate about their perspectives that we just didn't have time to include as much of the dialogue in the final product as I would have liked, which gave me the idea of holding panel discussions; allowing the film to jump to life and the audience to engage in the debate."
Jack Thompson, a lawyer best known in the media as an outspoken critic of games and the games industry, will also join the panel as a prosecutor of sorts as Lorne Lanning, best known as the award winning creator of the Oddworld series serves as defense. Newsweek gaming journalist N'Gai Croal will moderate the panel proceedings.
The VideoGame Expo takes place November 2-4 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. If you'd like to take part, more information about the expo, the included events and local accommodations are available on the show's official web site.
by Micheal Mullen
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