JV Games Yields to Pressure on Beer Pong Wii Game

After feeling the pressure from drug and alcohol prevention advocates across the country, JV Games announced that they changed the name of its WiiWare Beer Pong game to "Pong Toss" and removed all alcohol references. Prevention advocates say that while the move is a start, ultimately the game should be removed from store shelves. In addition to changing the name, JV Games changed the sound that the balls make when hitting the cups. Rather than a splash sound, it makes a rattling sound. They also changed the throw-power meter from a glass of beer to a bullet.

In May, CADCA wrote to JV Games expressing its concern that the Beer Pong game normalized binge drinking among youth, particularly those who are underage, and urged the company to either remove it from the market or give it an appropriate rating of AO for Adults Only. The game is currently rated as "T" for teens, ages 13 and up, by the independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Despite the changes, the Nintendo Wii game still gives players the ability to practice the tossing skills required for Beer Pong, a popular drinking game on college campuses that involves throwing ping pong balls into other players’ cups of beer so that the other players are forced to drink the cup of beer.

In fact, research from the American Psychological Association has shown that video games with violence in them can increase a person’s aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors, and reduce pro-social thinking and behaviors. In addition, studies show that video games can be even more harmful than violent TV shows and movies, because they are interactive. “Taking action to change the name of the game and remove any alcoholic references and intent from the original game may be considered proactive, but if underage youth identify the game with beer pong, and are at risk for engaging in risky behaviors, this may influence them to experiment with the drinking strategies of the original game,” Dr. Novince said. “Of particular concern are the rewards—the points players receive for their behavior—which may also play a role in influencing individuals to engage in actual behavior.”