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Tim Kretschmer, the German 17 year-old responsible for killing 15 people at his school last week, played Far Cry 2 the night before committing his crime, the Times reports.
Kretschmer played the FPS from 7.30pm to 9.40pm the previous evening. The Times report claims there are “remarkable parallels” between the game and Kretschmer actions the following day, in that he hijacked cars and wore a camouflaged uniform.
“Most sinister of all,” the Times went on, “Far Cry 2’s killer uses a Beretta 92 handgun, the weapon fired 112 times by Kretschmer. The game, which carries an 18 certificate in Britain, includes sequences in which the aiming, firing and reloading of a Beretta are portrayed in vivid detail. It also rewards players who shoot their victims in the head, the style of killing chosen by Kretschmer.”
Kretschmer also played Counter-Strike on the same night.
The report does add, as its final two paragraphs, that Walter Hollstein, a sociologist working with the Council of Europe, said: “It’s nonsense to assume they turn adolescents into school shooters.
“A variety of factors, such as helplessness, anger and loss of control, must come together for them to become the trigger, but the games themselves don’t make anyone a killer.”
Glad that’s cleared up.
Viewing 18 responses
JesteR said:
Wow here in Germany they actually dont really blame the videogames……yet.
f1r3storm said:
I played Far Cry 2 on Saturday, too.
Fear me.
Gekidami said:
The only people i wanted to kill after having played FC2 was the dev team…
Hero of Canton said:
It’s been a while since I played Far Cry 2, but I don’t remember being ‘rewarded’ for headshots.
Games don’t make killers, they make killers more creative. Or derivative, even.
Blerk said:
Seems over for games.
desiredtime said:
I’m worried, I’ve played both Counter-Strike and Far Cry, does this mean I’m going to kill?
Hero of Canton said:
Depends. Are you German? Does your father have access to a ridiculously large cache of weapons? Are you a bit mental?
If the answer to all of the above is ‘yes’, then you’re probably already recreating the opening from Operation Wolf and know full well what you’re about to do…
G1GAHURTZ said:
What’s with the german bashing?
Don’t forget the likes of Dunblane and Columbine.
These sort of things are not exclusive to any particular nation.
Whizzo said:
It’s really odd how the press gets versions of games that are completely different in a lot of aspects to the ones that the general public buy.
I think having a father who was really into weapons was possibly a bit more of an influence on this bloke than Ubisoft’s game.
Hero of Canton said:
@ G1GAHURTZ – I’m well aware of that, I was just referencing this particular case, as desiredtime specifically talked about playing Far Cry 2 and Counterstrike.
ManicMarvin said:
Did Kretschmer also run over a herd of zebras and attempt to heal himself with a pair of pliers?
Retroid said:
The Press always play ’special’ versions of these games, drawing parallels where none really exist except in the most generic ways.
DID YOU KNOW THE CHARACTER IN FARCRY 2 PROPELS HIMSELF USING BIPEDAL LOCOMOTION?! :O
Once again, it’s easier and more ‘fun’ to convey symptoms (if that’s what they are) as causes.
stodge said:
Guns (and games) don’t kill people, people do. Oh and parents who leave guns lying around the house.
TheDifficult3rdAlbum said:
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc.
DaMan said:
what the fuck is this shit? seriously, first they say he played Far Cry and then they say “games themselves don’t make anyone a killer.”
well, who gives a shit then?
Plainview said:
bloody PC gamers
cachucha said:
not really cool making fun of a tragedy, but yeah some guys are fucked up in the head and playing shooters wont help them at all.
endgame said:
they r not making fun of the tragedy, they r making fun of the press, which deserves it. hell, i just told my mum about what the press had to say about him and videogames and she actually agreed with the press. kind of.. which makes me think, if one person believes the press is, a bit right, how many others believe the same thing? i’m sorry but this is f**ked up. we, gamers, might actually suffer because of this. so again, if they attack us for no reason, then we r clear to return fire at will.
not literally!