Beer Pong for WiiWare is Now Non-Alcoholic

Every so often, I’ll read a funny story online, laugh, and think that it’s some piece of amusing satire. And then I realize that it’s actually completely true. Like this story about the re-naming of the upcoming WiiWare title, Beer Pong. Apparently, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal was upset that the game had been cleared by the ESRB for minors as young as 13 years old, despite the clear references to alcohol. The ESRB’s president says the game was cleared because, while there is of course beer in the game, no one is ever shown drinking it. Still, Blumenthal is calling for the ratings board to change their policies regarding games involving alcohol. Meanwhile, the title’s developer, JV Games, has announced they are stripping the game of all reference to alcohol and changing it’s name to “Pong Toss.”

It’s probably for the best really. It’s important that kids don’t even know that alcohol exists until they’re at least 18; the same goes for sex and cigarettes. That way when they finally leave the comforting shell of their homes, they can experience all of these things at once during a magical time called “freshman year at college.” It’s the American way.

Via Courant