Slamdance issues statement on Super Columbine Massacre game

The decision of Slamdance Film Festival organizers to pull out from the competition the Super Columbine Massacre RPG had some serious repercussions. It should be remembered that developer Jonathan Blow withdrew his game Braid from the competition as a sign of protest. Many enthusiasts, likewise, expressed their disapproval.

Slamdance has announced that it wasn’t easy for them as well. While the game has its own merits in terms of programming, Slamdance mentioned that they had to taken into consideration some “moral obligations” and possible legal consequences. Part of their recent official statement reads:

There are always legal checks and balances with any Slamdance program. Specifically with the subject matter of Super Columbine Massacre Role Playing Game, Slamdance does not have the resources to defend any drawn out civil action that our legal council has stated can easily arise from publicly showing it. Though the organization annually takes on legal matters in support of the independent artists in this case such an undertaking could mean the end of Slamdance.

They added that this decision does not mean that Slamdance lacks courage or wants to control freedom of expression. They are actually planning to hold a panel event at the festival on Sunday at 5 PM. Interested parties are invited so that the different positions about the public exhibition of this game can be heard and openly discussed.

The decision of Slamdance Film Festival organizers to pull out from the competition the Super Columbine Massacre RPG had some serious repercussions. It should be remembered that developer Jonathan Blow withdrew his game Braid from the competition as a sign of protest. Many enthusiasts, likewise, expressed their disapproval.

Slamdance has announced that it wasn’t easy for them as well. While the game has its own merits in terms of programming, Slamdance mentioned that they had to taken into consideration some “moral obligations” and possible legal consequences. Part of their recent official statement reads:

There are always legal checks and balances with any Slamdance program. Specifically with the subject matter of Super Columbine Massacre Role Playing Game, Slamdance does not have the resources to defend any drawn out civil action that our legal council has stated can easily arise from publicly showing it. Though the organization annually takes on legal matters in support of the independent artists in this case such an undertaking could mean the end of Slamdance.

They added that this decision does not mean that Slamdance lacks courage or wants to control freedom of expression. They are actually planning to hold a panel event at the festival on Sunday at 5 PM. Interested parties are invited so that the different positions about the public exhibition of this game can be heard and openly discussed.