LogIn
Jack Thompson, who tried to sue Rockstar numerous times in the 2000s, now calls video games "the greatest teaching tool ever invented".
As the saying goes, a truly unusual day would be one where nothing unusual happens. However, I believe that March 26 should go down in history as one of the most unusual days ever in light of Jack Thompson, an ex-lawyer and one of the most infamous anti-video game activists, apparently switching sides and now speaking positively about video games.
Image Credit: Jack Thompson
For those who might not be familiar, Thompson gained notoriety in the late 90s and 2000s for his attempts to sue developers and publishers of games like Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt, Bully, Counter-Strike, Doom, and Mortal Kombat. Old-school fans of GTA, in particular, would recognize him for his unsuccessful efforts to link the renowned game series to various crimes committed in the 2000s.
Despite facing widespread mockery, failing to prove a link between video games and real-life violence, and even being disbarred in 2008, Thompson persisted in his anti-Rockstar crusade, claiming as recently as 2022 that playing Grand Theft Auto III made him sick to his stomach.
However, it seems Thompson has recently softened his stance, going so far as to praise video games and call them "arguably the greatest teaching tool ever invented" due to their cinematic-quality graphics in an upcoming episode of the My Perfect Console podcast, scheduled for March 26, 2024.
"Reality doesn't look as good as virtual reality, arguably," Thompson said. "And you've got the interactive nature of video games is what makes them so incredibly powerful. You are doing something. You are not passively watching a movie. You're actively a character in that movie or you're actively learning an important subject you need to learn."
It's essential to highlight that the remark was seemingly made within the broader context of technology overall, meaning that until the podcast airs, we can't say for sure if Thompson has truly changed his opinion on video games. In other words, a Redemption Arc is plausible but is not certain. We highly encourage you to follow My Perfect Console podcast on Twitter so as not to miss the soon-to-be-released episode.
Don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.