JV Games Yields to Pressure on Beer Pong Wii Game

After feeling the pressure from CADCA and 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.

The move comes after a string of criticism from groups across the country and from Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. 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). Many CADCA member coalitions followed CADCA’s lead, firing off letters to the Beer Pong maker and local retailers, as well as editorials to local newspapers. Groups, such as the Alpha Sigma Tau National Sorority, a college sorority organization, also followed suit.

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. The game often results in binge drinking, since the objective of the game is to get as many balls in other players’ cups.

Deb Scott, from the Drug Coalition of Citrus County in Inverness, Fla., said the game still poses a major concern. “I think this is an attempt to tone down the negative response they were getting from the game, rather than a true effort to protect the health and well-being of our youth. However, it shows that when coalitions come together on an issue, we can make a difference,” she said. “It’s a start, but we’ll need to keep pushing stores that sell the game to remove it from store shelves.”

Dr. Loretta Novince, a developmental psychologist and Grant Project Director at the Northeast Community Challenge Coalition, in Cincinnati, said regardless of what the game is named, it will still be associated with beer drinking. “People in college, who the game is geared to, will associate it with beer pong and drinking, and we know from research that video games have the potential to influence behavior, especially among adolescents,” she noted.

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.”

In an Associated Press article, JV Games Co-Founder claims that the change was made on their own accord. ""It was something we were discussing before Attorney General Richard Blumenthal even got involved. It's for the most part the same game. But any alcoholic reference we simply removed. In the game we never focused on anybody drinking or getting drunk. We were primarily focusing on the sport of the game itself,” he says.

Dr. Novince recommended that coalitions add video games to their media literacy efforts with youth. They should also educate parents about the potential influence that video games can have on young people and encourage parents to monitor their teen’s video game use in the same way they monitor what their kids can and cannot watch, she added.

To express your concern about the revised game, write to company president Jag Jaeger at:

JV Games Inc.
PO Box 97455
Las Vegas, NV 89193