Water Cooler Games - Slamdance Judge Statement

Slamdance Judge Statement
January 10, 2007 - by Ian Bogost

As we cover the continuing controversy around the Slamdance festival's removal of Super Columbine Massacre RPG, we've heard from the festival itself, former winners, former finalists, current finalists, and a whole host of pundits and commentators. Yet to speak about the issue is a member of the Slamdance 2007 game festival jury.

We are therefore happy to host the following statement, from 2006 Slamdance Finalist and 2007 Slamdance Guerilla Game Competition judge Joe Bourrie:

Yesterday I was shocked to learn that Slamdance chose to go against the choice of the judges and remove Super Columbine Massacre RPG from the Guerilla Gamemakers Competition. As one of the judges, it leads me to believe that the dozens of hours that I volunteered to help choose these games was insignificant. Strangely enough, I care very little for the game. However the other judges saw something that I did not and the game was rightfully chosen as a finalist. I fully support the juries decision to add this "Art Game" to the roster. It breaks ground that no other game has touched, and just the fact that we are talking about it right now means that it has a strong effect on players.

Even more disturbing is the trend of games pulling themselves out of the festival. Some of these teams are students and other unknown developers trying to make a name for themselves, and now they are sacrificing that publicity to take a stand against Slamdances mistake. As a finalist last year, it would have been very difficult to pull Rumble Box out and lose the chance at getting noticed. I admire those that are willing to take a stand, but it hurts to see games that I love and pushed to get into the festival now leave due to one poor decision.

I encourage Mr. Baxter to own up to his mistake and reinstate Super Columbine Massacre RPG to the competition before the other half of the participants join the protest. Slamdance is meant to be a vessel for moving games forward. This controversy is only holding them back.

Joe Bourrie

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Comment from Nathan on January 10, 2007

I would say the people pulling out are receiving better press for doing so than they would have garnered from staying in the competition. The more this story convulses the more their names are mentioned and their sites are linked to.

If there hadn't been the controversy, they would have been mentioned once when the results were announced. Honestly this may have been turn of events for the contestants.

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