Gaming's dirtiest words
We investigate 23 of the industry's most taboo utterances
Hard Drive
The heavy, expensive thing that you bought a console to avoid having to use.
"What? So I bought this 20GB hard drive for my 360, and I can only use 60% of it?"
In Game Advertising
Responsible for turning gruff assassin Sam Fisher into an Airwaves-chewing, face-cream using knob, In Game Advertising is the reason videogame industry money men wake up panting withpleasure in wet sheets.
"In Game Advertising, gentlemen. It's the future of exploitation!"
Inspired By
Specifically, those products or videogames that technically have nothing to do with their source material whatsoever, aside from the title plastered over the box, from Gears of War novelisations to Burger King mini-games. [Alternatively: Spin Off]
"All three exclusive Burger King games are inspired by BK brand icons, such as the King and Subservient Chicken, into visually rich, three-dimensional environments that give players of all ages an entertaining, interactive experience on one of the most popular video game platforms in the world"
Jack Thompson
A one man crusade to remind us all to 'think of the children!'. Jack Thompson's disciplined and rational methods include branding Bully a "Columbine simulator', mailing explicit gay pornography to Judge Adalberto Jordan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and pissing off the Florida Bar Association.
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"Is it 'cos I is Jack Thompson?"
Kane & Lynch
A faintly ridiculous and at-all-times inexplicable event, comprising mainly of contrasting statements, ungrounded accusations (and subsequent counter accusations), out-of-the-blue developments, conspiracy theories and, for good measure, a fewpornographic tie-ins or promotions.[Alternatively: Hoo haa]
"Come on, it wasn't that big a deal. Don't make a Kane & Lynch out of it"
Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of 12DOVE. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.