Facebook VR Shooter Removed From Conservative Political Action Conference

Facebook VR Shooter

Those in North America are likely aware of the uproarious events that transpired over the last few weeks. This past Valentine’s Day saw a tragic school shooting claim the lives of 17 students and employees at a Florida high school, with the nation left emotionally devastated and tensely divided over how to proceed. Further opinion from Donald Trump has only contributed to the heated debate, making any upcoming projects that include violent gun usage an awkward affair to promote. Because of the potential controversy, a demo of Facebook VR shooter Bullet Train was removed from the recent Conservative Political Action Conference.

Bullet Train, a game focused on gun battles in public places, was quickly withdrawn after shortly being included in CPAC proceedings. While the conservative event often brings an audience of staunch pro-gun advocates, Facebook ultimately felt the game’s showcase was in poor taste following such a horrific massacre. Facebook Vice President of Virtual Reality, Hugo Barra, released a statement with Variety disclosing the reasoning and regret behind the move.

There is a standard set of experiences included in the Oculus demos we feature at public events. A few of the action games can include violence. In light of the recent events in Florida and out of respect for the victims and their families, we have removed them from this demo. We regret that we failed to do so in the first place.”

Facebook VR Shooter

While Facebook likely made the right call removing their Oculus setup, CPAC seems like a curious place to showcase such a violent experience, even if the event was also host to a firearm salute by the National Rifle Association. Conservative lawmakers are often opposed to such games, with some having suggested taxation or outright banning of Mature-rated titles from the public marketplace. These demands usually involve attributing violent media with murderous behavior, regardless of evidence claiming the contrary on a number of occasions.

What do you think? Are you glad Facebook had the sense to remove Bullet Train from the CPAC event, or should the Facebook VR shooter have stuck to its guns and stayed? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day.

Eric Hall2712 Posts

Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.

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