gamepolitics: What Happens in Vegas Stays in Rainbow Six ...maybe

Game Politics (

gamepolitics) wrote,
@ 2006-07-13 08:17:00

Entry tags:

las vegas, maxime beland, oscar goodman, rainbow six vegas, terrorism, ubisoft

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Rainbow Six ...maybe

Given fears of terrorist attacks on American cities, it was probably only a matter of time before municipal leaders began objecting to their towns' inclusion in video games with terror-centric plots.

Now comes word from Las Vegas station KLAS-TV that city officials are protesting the gambling mecca's appearance in Ubisoft's upcoming Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas. The game is scheduled for release late this year on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

According to the KLAS report, Mayor Oscar Goodman and other Las Vegas officials plan to fight the November release of the game, although what actions they may take are not specified. Goodman said Rainbow Six Vegas is based on a "false premise," and that the game "could be harmful economically, and it may be something that's not entitled to free speech (protection)... I will ask... whether or not we can stop it."

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Mayor Goodman has not personally viewed any of the game's footage.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau is reportedly looking into whether the game, which is being developed and published by Ubisoft, infringes on any of the city's trademarks.

In a June, 2006 interview with IGN, Ubisoft's Maxime Beland said of the game, "In Rainbow Six Vegas, we are really pushing on the stress, tension and urgency elements. Las Vegas is under terrorists' siege and players will truly live the escalation of chaos."

Want to talk about it? You can discuss this story via the "comments" feature (click below), or in the new GamePolitics Forums...

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(75 comments) - (Post a new comment)

gatz111085
2006-07-13 01:04 pm UTC (link)

In a land of prostitution, gambling, and cosinos run by gangsters they'er worried about being in a videogame? Well the only thing Las Vegas' government could do to stop them is see if any of the Las Vegas trademarks are used like the articles said. Although, you could be shooting up places like Ceaser's Palace if they recieved permission from the actual casino thus superceding what the government wants. That's assuming that the actual owners of the business down there aren't siding with the city government.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	grls_r_gamers_2 2006-07-13 01:54 pm UTC (link)
	I agree. After all, Las Vegas is called "Sin City" for a reason. Besides, CSI takes place in Las Vegas and no one's bitching about that! (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

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ianc14, 2006-07-13 02:50 pm UTC

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rivet_geek, 2006-07-14 04:38 pm UTC

	anticron 2006-07-13 01:07 pm UTC (link)
	Goodman said Rainbow Six Vegas is based on a "false premise." ...duh? That's why it's a game and is not real? Are [they] going to sue Hollywood next, for using "realistic scenarios and scenery"? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	nedlum 2006-07-13 01:24 pm UTC (link)
	"In breaking news, a consortium of six major Las Vegas casionos sued Stephen Soderbergh for revealing 'trade secrets' in such a way as could severely hamper security." (Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) -

anatomyofreason, 2006-07-13 01:28 pm UTC

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njiska, 2006-07-13 08:37 pm UTC

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anatomyofreason, 2006-07-14 05:41 am UTC

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gatz111085, 2006-07-13 01:31 pm UTC

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semperar, 2006-07-13 01:54 pm UTC

Damn it! -

lordlundar, 2006-07-13 02:18 pm UTC

	wedgetalon 2006-07-13 01:17 pm UTC (link)
	Goodman said Rainbow Six Vegas is based on a "false premise." Has this guy not heard of a genre called "fiction"? Typically these "fiction" things are based on false premises. This guy needs to visit his local library more often or something. (Reply to this)

	brucenstein 2006-07-13 01:19 pm UTC (link)
	makes masturbation motion (Reply to this)

	deviancy 2006-07-13 01:34 pm UTC (link)
	Wait. They're bitching about being in a video game where you're trying to save Las Vegas? I'm confused. -e- (Reply to this) (Thread)

	anticron 2006-07-13 02:47 pm UTC (link)
	I can at least somewhat understand the concern with their being tied into a story involving a terrorist threat, as, after all, they very heavily rely on tourism. And, as we all know, tourists are idiots; and, as such, they might believe that Las Vegas was actually under threat. Meanwhile, back in reality, sane people will understand it is fiction. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	albedo777 2006-07-13 01:38 pm UTC (link)
	Apparently they haven't seen the zillion action/terrorist/etc movies that are set in real world locations. (Reply to this)

	jervo 2006-07-13 01:53 pm UTC (link)
	Has Las Vegas made any sort of complaint about the hit show "CSI", which is about the solving of brutal murders and crimes all over the Las Vegas metropolitan area? No? Didn't think so. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	lordlundar 2006-07-14 04:38 am UTC (link)
	That's because they get a cut of the profits. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) -

rivet_geek, 2006-07-14 04:40 pm UTC

	goodrobotus 2006-07-13 02:02 pm UTC (link)
	I assume this man has never watched Independence day, where aliens blow up the Whitehouse. That too is based on a 'false premise' but I don't see the administration of Washington DC throwing a tantrum over the fact. (Reply to this)

this is funny

enmitywithin
2006-07-13 02:16 pm UTC (link)

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau is reportedly looking into whether the game, which is being developed and published by Ubisoft, infringes on any of the city's trademarks.

There won't be any copyright infringments, your talking about the people who made the other rainbow six games, the splinter cell series, and the ghost recon series to say the least. I'm just curious to see how they are going to be looking into the game.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: this is funny traiklin 2006-07-13 03:35 pm UTC (link)
	all they need is that one little trademark (if there is ONE sign that says "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" they will sue the crap out of Ubisoft. I wish Ubisoft would issue a press release just blasting Las vegas now. Change the name of the city and say "It's a shame the Las Vegas officials don't understand the difference between fiction and nonfiction" (Reply to this) (Parent)

	shinobo 2006-07-13 02:48 pm UTC (link)
	Guys I think the internet is based on a false premise. I want to sue the internet and keep it from being released. (Reply to this) (Thread)

gabrielcelesta
2006-07-14 01:34 am UTC (link)

Guys I think the internet is based on a false premise. I want to sue the internet and keep it from being released.

The Internet. It's just not worth it.

This message was brought to you by
CITIZENS UNITED NEGATING TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFE AND PEOPLE'S SAFETY.

...Okay, I'm sorry for that GTA: Liberty City Stories reference, but I couldn't resist.

Anyway, on a more serious note, what about those end-of-the-world stoires and movies? Did they cause a global-scale uproar in real life? Nope, not at all.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	ianc14 2006-07-13 02:51 pm UTC (link)
	They should go after Ocean's Eleven first suely, if they that worried about been painted in a false light :p (Reply to this) (Thread)

	rivet_geek 2006-07-14 04:44 pm UTC (link)
	Wow, I'm gonna keep having to post the same thing over and over...there was cooperation by the casinos in the portrayals in Ocean's 11. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/oceans_eleven/about.php Read the section "About the Production" (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

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gamepolitics, 2006-07-14 04:46 pm UTC

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rivet_geek, 2006-07-14 06:14 pm UTC

iqpierce
2006-07-13 03:02 pm UTC (link)

Dude, I hope they haven't heard about this Counter-Strike map, that's set in a casino... and it's called de_vegas... and you can play as a terrorist and SET OFF A BOMB IN THE CASINO...

Dude this map has been out for like six years... how many teenagers have been trained to bomb Vegas casinos? Since Counter-Strike is, of course, nothing but a bomb-planting simulator which trains our youth on how to plant bombs, we know that all of our youth must be casino-bombing experts by now!!!

Vegas is SCREWED man!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	gatz111085 2006-07-13 03:34 pm UTC (link)
	yeah the whole concept of "training" is idiotic, technically you could "train" an offensive from watching and playing football it uses the same concept of a battle. Who ever has the ball could represent the commander who is gaurded by a rear gaurd and a forward gaurd to keep enemy units from taking him out while the linemen are your front attack force. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	... keddren 2006-07-13 03:12 pm UTC (link)
	What the shit is wrong with these people? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: ... jesdk 2006-07-14 12:15 am UTC (link)
	"When Earth Became StupidER!" (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: ... -

lightwarriorr, 2006-07-14 01:49 am UTC

muhammed
2006-07-13 04:08 pm UTC (link)

While they're at why don't they go after CSI, Las Vegas and if you really want to turn back the clock, Vega$?

Oh, let's not forget Con Air(a airplane full of convicts using the Vegas strip as an emergency runway is mighty scary), Ocean's Eleven(remake and original), Miss Congeniality 2, and let's not forget the worst offender, Honey I Blew up the Kid because we just can't let people think they can enlarge their 2 year old to go on an amusing rampage in Las Vegas.

Some people's kids, I tell you what.

(Reply to this)

Y'know what I'm waiting for?

al_wesker
2006-07-13 04:18 pm UTC (link)

I'm waiting for a terrorist attack to happen on a city where a video game about terrorism takes place and, afterwards, a captured participent says that they got the idea because "there was a video game about attacking this particular city, so why not?" Once that statement gets out, watch politicians, Jack Thompson, and whoever else, protest video games because they give terrorists ideas. Then, watch us go "Yes. Video games made them do it. In fact, if these people, who were terrorists to begin with, attacked a city then it must be the video games that made them do it!"

That, my friends, will be when I lose all faith in humanity. However, that's a really extreme situation so I rather doubt America could be that stupid... right?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Y'know what I'm waiting for? jesdk 2006-07-14 12:19 am UTC (link)
	However, that's a really extreme situation so I rather doubt America could be that stupid... right? Be in Doubt No More! National hero JackieBoy is out there RIGHT now making sure America CAN be that stupid. Support Stupidity, Support Jack Thompson Today! ;) (Reply to this) (Parent)

I don't see why LV is making such a big deal out of this

mikemil828
2006-07-13 05:08 pm UTC (link)

Seeing that:

1. Many (maybe all) of the Casinos and Hotels have different names (Villagio)
2. Some don't exist in real life (Calypso)
3. Said non-existing hotel doesn't really meet typical Vegas casino design (All Vegas Hotels have their main casino floors on the first floor, this one apparently has its casino much higher up
4. Some Hotels were removed all together (For some reason, The Plaza hotel was removed from the end of Freemont Street)

Just by casual glance one can see that Rainbow Six's Vegas is Vegas really in name and general appearance only, nothing to get fussed about

(Reply to this)

	Will these people get a life? terminator44 2006-07-13 06:49 pm UTC (link)
	I haven't seen these people complain about the parody of LV used in GTA:SA, and all politicians ever do is complain about that game. If they didn't go after it, why would they go after Ubisoft? (Reply to this)

...and now someone from Las Vegas.

lightwarriorr
2006-07-13 06:51 pm UTC (link)

Okay I was born and raised in Las Vegas. I still live here.
I'm a long time reader to gamepolitics.

I have not seen this on the new or heard about it untill just now here on GP.

My take of it is just everyone is a little paranoid in a post 9/11 world.

I'm going to plan to see the mayor. (again.) and I'll discuss this to him. Would you guys like me to mention game politics and such to him?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: ...and now someone from Las Vegas. gamepolitics 2006-07-13 06:57 pm UTC (link)
	either way, it's all good. Tell him I've saving the "oscar" screen name for him. ;-) (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: ...and now someone from Las Vegas. -

lightwarriorr, 2006-07-13 07:06 pm UTC

Re: ...and now someone from Las Vegas. -

jabrwock, 2006-07-13 09:19 pm UTC

Re: ...and now someone from Las Vegas. -

travisrichey, 2006-07-14 06:45 pm UTC

	Ha how pathetic father_time89 2006-07-13 07:42 pm UTC (link)
	Let's see if they lose then Rianbow Six is in Las Vegas if they win then the makers of rainbow 6 can just mkae a huge and incredibally obvious parody of las vegas in their game (Las Ventaurus anyone). (Reply to this)

	A possible solution father_time89 2006-07-13 07:44 pm UTC (link)
	Maybe Rianbow 6 can take place in Las Vegas in the year 2130 or some year far in the future or maybe an alternate reality which will become obvious in the game due to the presence of science fiction like plot elements. Maybe thne they'd be Ok with it. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: A possible solution terminator44 2006-07-13 08:46 pm UTC (link)
	Nice, except Tom Clancy's games don't deal in that kind of far out sci-fi. They deal with the near-future with current threats (the most common being, naturally, terroism). (Reply to this) (Parent)

Ya... okay...

scazza
2006-07-13 08:39 pm UTC (link)

Using that logic, Los Angeles is the lease safest city on the planet, thanks to -24- the tv show.

Also, mexico didn't really have too many problems with a coup d'ete in Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.

Reminds me of back in toronto here, in 2000ish, the Syphon Filter game wanted to include the Toronto Subway system in a viral outbreak scenerio, but the city had the game remove the level. How can vegas ask a game that has had millions already poured into it to remove the city from a game entirly based on it?

Think of it as a way for non-americans to see what vegas is like visually and maybe want to visit...

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Ya... okay... brainswarm 2006-07-13 11:29 pm UTC (link)
	How is this different than the television show 24? Does life really imitate art in this fashion? Considering over the past five years Los Angeles has been attacked by terrorists, using chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, it's a wonder anyone still lives there using this reasoning. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	theshroomguy 2006-07-13 11:20 pm UTC (link)
	ive played lots of games of games that have maps resembeling real cities. These officials just want to get reelected by making it seem like they actualy care about their constituants. (Reply to this)

grimm24
2006-07-14 02:20 am UTC (link)

*Terrorists sitting in cave somewhere in the middle east*

*Osama Bin Laden folds down an american newspaper and looks at his colleges surronding him*

Osama: Thats it! We'll bomb Las Vegas using the plan coordinated by the terrorists in Rainbow Six!

Terrorist: But, Osama do you really think the terrorist plot from an american video game will help us destroy america?

Osama: FOOL! Can you not see that the game industry is an even bigger threat to those infadels than we are!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	terminator44 2006-07-14 03:44 am UTC (link)
	You get a monster-truck tire-sized cookie. (Reply to this) (Parent)

It's not that it's offensive

lordlundar
2006-07-14 04:53 am UTC (link)

As I said earlier with the people wondering why the mayor isn't attacking CSI or other forms of media, it's not a matter of a not-in-my-backyard approach.

It's economics.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau is reportedly looking into whether the game, which is being developed and published by Ubisoft, infringes on any of the city's trademarks

and that the game "could be harmful economically,

Those quotes spill their hand. When any movie or TV show films in LV, they have to pay to rent the area. I'm pretty sure there's also a stipulation to get a cut of the show/movie's profits. A game doesn't need an area to be shut down, and as long as the game doesn't have anything that can be identified as a trademark, a city gets squat from the profits.

Anti-game? No.
Greedy? Now there's a possibility.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: It's not that it's offensive gamepolitics 2006-07-14 10:21 am UTC (link)
	yeah, I have been thinking along those lines. Bringing a movie crew into town spells pumping $$$ into the local economy. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: It's not that it's offensive -

lightwarriorr, 2006-07-14 06:19 pm UTC

What. The. Fuck.

zeroxphoenix
2006-07-14 06:34 am UTC (link)

Seriously.

It's as though elected officials couldn't possibly be any dumber, and then they go and raise the stupidity bar every other week. A false premise? Gee, did parasites rent out most of this guys skull or something? Something tells me the Mayor lacks a freaking BRAIN.

A lot of game story lines are fiction. So are movies. Are they going to sue the makers of the movie Executive Decision? What about Ocean's 11? Please, let there be some SANITY left in this world.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: What. The. Fuck. lightwarriorr 2006-07-14 06:26 pm UTC (link)
	It's now about wether a story is fiction or non-fiction. It's about the facts if terroriest will and can attack las vegas one day. He's been told Las Vegas is safe. But in reality no city is 100% safe. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)