Looks like the Neanderthals at Microsoft are still experiencing difficulty grasping simple civil rights concepts. But they're working on it.
the free expression of their customers sexuality doesnt make money. the controversy in expressing sexuality through games, however, does. this is hilarious: “As stated in the Xbox Live Terms of Use, a member may not create a gamertag or use text in other profile fields that include comments that look, sound like, stand for, hint at, abbreviate, or insinuate content of a potentially sexual nature. Profiles that do are asked to change the language and suspended until changes are made. In regards to sexual orientation, for gamertags or profiles we do not allow expression of any type of orientation, be that hetero or other." sooooooo...its a case of "do as i say, not as i do."
its just about personal expression...but if microsoft is releasing a GTA title with sexual orientation implied in the freaking title of the game, then maybe they need to re-examine their own rules.
I think the difference might be the implication of a rated M game (which is, supposedly, marketed to a particular audience age range) vs. the implication of gamertags that can be viewed by all, including children. I'm not stating that I agree with MS if that is the case, but I can see them thinking along those lines.
It may damage their precocious, pure, fragile, and gifted minds, 'cause all kids are innocent and gifted these days. But honestly, anyone that's too young to know what being gay or a lesbian means shouldn't be on Xbox Live, but should have a Nintendo DS or a Wii. But I'm thinking this is more along the lines of human rights and political correctness. I still think it doesn't matter when you're doing something that's non-gender specific.
It's more like a corporation being worried about being open to lawsuits and protests, etc. At the end of the day, the purpose of a business is to make money. Sadly, anything that can somehow someway infringe on that in any way, however remote and minute, is in the corporate mind "not worth sticking their necks out for".
