Just Creepy

JFK: Reloaded is a historical simulation that allows players to assume the roll of presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald and attempt to accurately recreate the events of November 22, 1963 according to the Warren Commission report.

Released on November 22, 2004, the 41st anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination, JFK: Reloaded challenged players across the world to take part in "the world’s first mass-participation forensic construction". Players are scored on a scale of 0-1000, although it is possible to have negative points. Points are awarded depending on factors such as shot fatality, shot timing, number of shots, etc. In the original release of the game, players could enter a contest to win up to $100,000(Giantboom).

On the surface, the game certainly seems like a loathsome piece of opportunism. The designers, though, claim the game's intent is to educate (Clive). After watching more than just one of the You Tube videos I am hard pressed to believe that JFK Reloaded was created with the intent to educate. One of the gamer took great joy in shooting what ever moved; plus the fact that the creator of the game is offering a cash award for the best shoot takes it out of the realm of education or historical simulation and into just creepy.

The Discovery Channel did a special every similar to JFK Reloaded. They used digital media to create a 3D model and using the sound recording form police radios, triangulated the signal to determine if Lee Harvey Oswald was a lone assassin. The difference is that the Discovery Channel was using digital media to determine the facts of a historical event.

I was still young 1963, but I still remember the horror of the event, and those that followed; the assassins Bobby Kennedy and King. I have to agree with late Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), brother of the late president, has condemned the game. His spokesperson calls it "despicable."(Tuohey)

Work Cited

Giantboom, JFK Reloaded,http://www.giantbomb.com/jfk-reloaded/61-5013/, 2004

Thompson, Clive, JFK Reloaded is just plain creepy, http://www.slate.com/id/2110034/

Tuohey, Jason, JFK Reloaded Game Causes Controversy, http://www.pcworld.com/article/118717/jfk_reloaded_game_causes_controversy.html,2004