Smokers Exploited Through Interactive Media

Ubisoft is developing a video game for the Nintendo DS system to "coach" smokers away from cigarettes.

According to Christian Salomon, vice president of worldwide licensing at Ubisoft, "the player experiences a truly interactive engagement with the game, through which he or she learns that it can actually be enjoyable to quit smoking."

... For those who wish to quit, they usually end up going back to the cigarette as their reasons for quitting are not of their own but rather a subconscious desire based upon the discrimination they face on a daily basis along side the ever-increasing tax hikes... A smoker eventually comes to ask themselves: Why even bother?

Why even bother smoking when I can't do it anywhere, where I can do it I am badgered, and am paying the most taxes from any American yet denied this simple pleasure... Why bother smoking? The flipside of that equation is: Why bother? Why bother quitting when I find some pleasure of that occasional cigarette similar to that occasional drink after a long day at work?

The cycle never ends. Those who truly wish to quit smoking quit. It's not a matter of physical addiction, especially not come the third day of being without, but rather an emotional one if any. But for those who truly are ready to quit, they can, they will, they do. With or without any cheap attempt to exploit the smoking community, farther giving us a bad name, and making headway into our subconscious.

I am absolutely appalled at this attempt by the video game industry to now exploit smokers. Already there have been exploitations of the supposed obesity "epidemic" in this country, the Wii console all around is a covert attempt at encouraging physical activity for a timeless pastime that was once relaxing.

Personally, despite owning a Wii console and having had waited in line over night, the first in line, to purchase my Wii at launch, I rarely buy titles for it... I'm sort of in boycott of Nintendo as the console is cheap, gimmicky, and the titles all suck except for two percent of the first-party titles.

Ubisoft's cheap shot at exploiting the smoking community and perpetuating the myth that cigarettes kill, porno turns you blind, and Bush is the most beloved President in our history... Appalling.

Turning the video game into a utility to join the assault against smokers is absolutely heinous.

The game is to feature a measly 15 mini-games to "dispel the illusions about nicotine addiction" and is expected to release November.

Going to think long and hard before purchasing any titles from Ubisoft in the future.