Game ad 'promoted revenge'

A television advert for a computer game promoted 'violent revenge' and was unsuitable to be shown before the watershed, a watchdog has ruled.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad for Stranglehold, which came out on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 last year, encouraged and condoned violence.

It has ruled that the advert should not be shown again after deciding time constraints would not address concerns.

The advert for the John Woo-directed game shows a "prolonged shootout" between four men.

Accompanying the action is a disclaimer explaining the images are not actual game footage and the voiceover: "Honour is his code. Vengeance is his mission. Violence is his only option.

"John Woo presents Stranglehold. The next generation of action gaming has arrived."

Viewers complained that the game, which features a motion capture version of martial arts star Chow Yun Fat, glorified violence and gun crime and could be a "dangerous incitement to susceptible people".

In its defence the advert's maker Picture Production Company said it had edited the footage to show all bullets going harmlessly into the air and not hitting people.

It was "clear", it said, "that the footage was animated game play and not real-life violence".

But the ASA explained in its ruling the advert was suggesting it was "honourable to seek revenge and that violence was an acceptable solution to a situation".

"Because the issues raised by the ad could not be addressed with a timing restriction, we considered the only solution was to withdraw the ad from transmission completely," a statement elaborated.