EIDOS PRESS AHEAD
WITH THUNDERHAWK
Copyright 2001 Media Guardian
[ September 20th 2001 ]
Eidos,
the company behind the Tomb Raider computer game,
will not scrap plans to release an all-action
game featuring a war against terrorists in the
Middle East, despite last week's attacks in the
US. Mike McGarvey, the company's chief executive,
said Eidos did not expect any problems with its
latest release, called "Thunderhawk." "It is an
action adventure game where you fight terrorism
in the Middle East with helicopters, but we don't
envisage any problems with it," he said.
Games
manufacturers have come under pressure to tone
down the content their more violent games, after
the events in the US forced Hollywood studios
to postpone the release of several action adventure
films. But Mr McGarvey said there was nothing
in the company's back catalogue to offend consumers,
although it would continue to monitor the issue.
"There is nothing that we have identified which
brings up content issues. We are taking a position
with our retailers, and our retailers will do
their own reviews as well," he said.
He said
there would not be a fundamental change in the
nature of computer games, which have been criticised
by consumer and parents' groups. "During the Gulf
war, war games and flight simulations did very
well. Violence in gaming is a very different issue,
and our ratings systems and the ways we make the
audience aware of our content are forging ahead.
I don't think violence in gaming is something
that is going to go away," he said.
Mr McGarvey
made his comments as Eidos released first-quarter
results for the three months to June. The company
reported a pre-tax loss of £15.3m, against a loss
of £22.3m for the same period last year. However,
turnover fell from £16.8m to £12.2m because Eidos
released fewer titles during the spring.
Eidos
expects the company to accelerate its move towards
profit with the release of the Microsoft X-Box
in November in the US, which should spark an upturn
in demand for new games. Computer games makers
have been in the doldrums due to the likes of
Sony and Nintendo delaying the release of new
consoles, but new products should mark a resurgence
in the games market.
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