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+--- Thread: News - Gears 5 to drop depictions of smoking after urging from Truth Initiative (/thread-91388.html)
News - Gears 5 to drop depictions of smoking after urging from Truth Initiative - xSicKxBot - 07-17-2019
Gears 5 to drop depictions of smoking after urging from Truth Initiative
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/gears-5-to-drop-depictions-of-smoking-after-urging-from-truth-initiative.jpg" width="200" height="200" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p><em>Gears 5’s </em>rootin-tootin chainsaw-gun-wielding COG soldiers won’t be blowing any smoke when the game launches later this year. That’s because Microsoft-owned developer The Coalition has announced the development team is working to remove all depictions of tobacco use and smoking after urging from Turner and anti-smoking advocacy group Truth Initiative. </p>
<p>The cause-and-effect of this decision is actually rather notable, as The Truth Initiative began this push by approaching Turner, who has exclusive rights to broadcast <em>Gears 5 </em>esports events through the ELeague sports division. <a href="https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/gears-5-xbox-smoking-eleague-truth-initiative-1203265854/">According to Variety,</a> Turner then worked with The Coalition and Microsoft to ensure <em>Gears 5</em> would be the first <em>Gears of War </em>game where characters didn’t use cigars or cigarettes. </p>
<p>Senior VP of Turner Sports Sales pointed out to Variety that while it may seem hypocritical to keep Gears’ intense violence while removing smoking, there’s <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/126/4/791">a large amount of research </a>indicating a correlation between depictions of tobacco use in media and use among smoking in young people (who are the target audience for Turner’s ELeague). The link between game violence and real-world violence is <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-33466-001">a far fuzzier correlation.</a></p>
<p><em>Gears of War </em>development veteran and studio head of The Coalition offered a particularly interesting perspective on what Truth Initiative’s ask meant for the Gears of War 5 team. “I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of smoking.”</p>
<p>“It’s always been important for me to not use smoking as a narrative device, which is why we made the conscious choice to avoid highlighting or glorifying smoking in ‘Gears 5’ and throughout the Gears of War Universe moving forward.”</p>
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