First Computer Game Based on Va Tech Massacre Stirs Up Controversy

There's a new game on the market, and it's starting a wave of controversy. A 21 year old Australian man hailing from Sydney has created the first computer game based on the massacre which happened on Virginia Tech's campus in April 2007. The game follows the killer, Cho-Seung Hui, during his killing spree that claimed 33 lives including his own. The creator, Ryan Lambourn, refuses to take the game off of his own private website. He is also sharing the game on a popular amateur game sharing website, where it is available for free download, and will not remove it from that site either. The website that is hosting his game has not removed the Lambourn's computer game but has set up a forum so that people may discuss the game and its implications.

The game is titled 'V-Tech Rampage' and has stirred up controversy in Australia as well as in the United States. Lambourn did make a statement saying that he would remove the game from his website for 2,000 U.S. dollars. Also he said he that for 3,000 U.S. dollars he would even apologize for the stunt, but later stated that he was just kidding when making the remarks.

Lambourn admitted to making the game as a joke, and made strictly 'for laughs'. He is now saying that he will not take the game off any website even if he gets a request from the victims' families to do so. He went one step further stating that he even empathized with Cho and that he himself was a victim of high school bullying. Lambourn actually grew up in the United States until the age of 14 years old where he moved back to this Australia (where he was born). Lambourn left a United States high school after the eighth grade citing that he was bullied and made fun of. Lambourn is currently unemployed and financially supporting by his mother, who remains in the United States.

Lambourn has a history of capitalizing on sad and disastrous American events. He had previously made music associated and relating to hurricane Katrina and the death of Steve Irwin.

This is not the first time that a computer game has been made following a tragic school shooting. There was also a game produced following the shootings at Columbine in 1999 entitled 'Super Columbine Massacre RPG'.

Australian Associated Press, "Anger over Aussie's V-Tech Massacre Game." Sydney Morning Herald News.
URL: (http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Anger-over-Aussies-VTech-massacre-game/2007/05/16/1178995231668.html)