Norwegian Retailer Indefinitely Bans 'Violent Video Games,' Even Though No One Asked

Ever since it came to light that Anders Behring Breivik, the psychotic killer who murdered more than 70 innocent people in Norway last week, happened to have a penchant for video games--chief among them World of Warcraft and Modern Warfare 2, which he ludicrously claimed helped "train" him for the attack--the games press has been on perpetual night watch for the first sign of some kind of knee-jerk legislative attack on video games. Let's face it: we've been conditioned to react with defensive aplomb every time someone thinks video games are to blame for anything. I suppose we can all thank the Jack Thompsons, Keith Vazs, and Fox News' of the world for our constant, Pavlovian "Come at me, bro!" reactions to these sorts of things.

Thankfully, despite a bit of blowhard lobbying from reactionary political groups, no governments have made any significant moves to try and curtail violent game sales to those who are of the proper age to purchase them. However, that hasn't stopped one retailer in Norway from pulling 51 'violent' titles from their store shelves, including all Call of Duty titles still in circulation, Homefront, Counter-Strike Source, and World of Warcraft.

Coop Norway's decision to remove the games was purely at the behest of the company itself, and done in "consideration for those affected" by the attacks, according to an interview with a company spokesman in the Norwegian newspaper Rogalands Avis (as reported by VG24/7).

"The decision to remove the games was made around the time we realised the scope of the attack," he said. "Others are better suited than us to point to the negative effects of games like these. At the moment it's [appropriate] for us to take them down. I wouldn't be surprised if others do the same."

While this company's decision to do what it feels is respectful to the victims and their families is entirely within their rights, the fact that a title as generally benign as World of Warcraft is being pulled off shelves solely because of Brevik's apparent fondness for it strikes as a slightly reactionary measure. World of Warcraft currently commands a T-rating on North America's ESRB scale, as well as a 12 rating on Europe's PEGI ratings board.

Still, Coop Norway seems resolute in their desire to keep these games off shelves for the foreseeable future.

"We have to think very carefully about when to bring these goods back. The economy involved is of no importance."

Seems shortsighted, but expected.

Sure, because this is a rational response. Nice job Norway.

*sigh* it has begun huh? Sorry Norway gamers..

Whatever.. nobody buys their games at a Coop store here in Norway

Note that they aren't blaming video games for the killings, merely don't want people shooting people for a while in videogames.

Crazy people.

I think the Norwegian Government has reacted as sensibly as any government could under the circumstances. Coop stores are run with the idea that the customers are the shareholders, I'm sure if management thought there was enough demand it was worth doing but I doubt it will be a widespread decision

well... Coop is a grocery store. it's disappointing, but it's not actually a big blow. 
it's not even a electronic shop. they sell stuff like tomato sauce. why are we caring again? 
  
Edit:
http://coop.no/ Here take a look. had something like Elkjøp or expert stopped selling games I would care but Coop? I've never bought a single game. this is just a charade to stop their game selling, because they're not earning any money on it. It's all economically motivated. 

@Disease said:

Whatever.. nobody buys their games at a Coop store here in Norway

Are they pretty big or something or are they trying to get their name in the media?

Argh, lets hope it stops with this. ignorant people. he would have done what he did regardless of videogames

This will only encourage piracy.

I can't remember the last time I saw Counter-Strike: Source on a store shelf.

As a norwegian I don't think this will resort to any ban. This is just temporary. The CD/DVD seller "Platekompaniet" may have pulled the games off their shelves, but still sell them online. The business Coop govern over are not the places most norwegians get their games. The pulled games will be back soon enough.

As a Norwegian I sort of get why they did it, but victims and killer played these kinds of games. It's just silly of them to do this. Who buys games at these stores anyway?

Especially concidering a Norwegian expert (I can't provide a link, it's been lost in all the terrorism stories) said that games actually can get people to be less violent, because they take their anger out on polygons, and not people.

I guess I'll go down to the local record store and ask them to remove all CD's by Helene Bøkslo, because the madman used her Age of Conan-songs to rile himself up.

Edit: Also, it's temporary, as Marnox said.

And if they don't care about economy, they're terrible at being capitalists.

Wasn't there a similar reaction after the Columbine shooting spree back in the day? Though that was more about films, if I recall correctly.

@Kyreo said:

This will only encourage piracy.

Uhm..quite a leap in logic huh?

no one cares Coop.

Nobody in Norway (should) buy their games at Coop anyway. It's not like it's a major retailer.

As a norwegian myself i dont consider it a huge deal since Coop is more a food chain who also sell other things. Its not a game store primarily. However it being the first something like this has happened here many are uncertain what to think, confused and sad many feel like they need someone to blame. So of course someone blames videogames. 

I'm a norwegian, and I didn't even know Coop sold games. They're basically the Wal-mart of Norway.

And now Norway is safe once again!

Yeah we'll see how long this lasts when they realize that they no longer have any business. :|

"Come at me, bro!"

In a news story?

Alex, I am disappoint.

@atomic_dumpling said:

Wasn't there a similar reaction after the Columbine shooting spree back in the day? Though that was more about films, if I recall correctly.

What I remember is they played Doom at some point and it was said they were training with it so it became a "murder simulator". That's pretty much the point where I stopped paying attention to the news. "If it bleeds, it leads." There was a different incident a couple of years later where a college student played a lot of Counter-Strike but supposedly his rampage was influenced more by "Old Boy".

@atomic_dumpling said:

Wasn't there a similar reaction after the Columbine shooting spree back in the day? Though that was more about films, if I recall correctly.

What I remember is they played Doom at some point and it was said they were training with it so it became a "murder simulator". That's pretty much the point where I stopped paying attention to the news. "If it bleeds, it leads." There was a different incident a couple of years later where a college student played a lot of Counter-Strike but supposedly his rampage was influenced more by "Old Boy".

@Mordi said:

I'm a norwegian, and I didn't even know Coop sold games.

Same here. Besides, I haven't seen many fingers pointed towards video games after the attacks before this. I don't think coop not selling games anymore is a loss for either them or us consumers.

@Kyreo said:

This will only encourage piracy.

Uhm..quite a leap in logic huh?

The "even though no-one asked" part is key here. It's just a misguided attempt to not loose customers by offending random grocery shoppers. No-one here has been stupid and insulting enough to attempt to blame the killings on games or music or comics.

When did the debate on whether violent video games are a blessing or an ill end with total support on the side of violent games?  Love is blind much?  "I love violent video games so that means that science says they do no wrongs.  End of debate."  
 
"Modern Warfare 2, which he ludicrously claimed helped "train" him for the attack".  What video game was it again that had the level where you mow down the innocent people who just happened to be at the airport?  What game was that again?  What game?  I forget what game it was that had the "murder the innocent people and win" level.  Super Mario Murder Simulator 64 Dimensions I think was the name of the murder the innocents game.

How fucking stupid.

Anyone gonna mention the guy was a right-wing, Christian fanatic? No? WELL HE WAS. 

Austrilla +1 Step 
Norway -1  Step
 
Back to square one.

I thought he meant those games trained him to be racist.

Anyone gonna mention the guy was a right-wing, Christian fanatic? No? WELL HE WAS. 

Hey wait a minute, that guy probably brushes his teeth, right? We better stop selling tooth paste as well, you know in respect for the victims. What a load of fucking bullshit.

No gamer with any self-respect would buy games from Coop anyway. No big deal, but WTF Coop, this just seems really dumb and highlights that "games were involved" or something stupid like that. o.o

I said they'd do this as soon as I saw his FB profile. Some nut is always going to point a finger. Too bad they don't go after the real issues. Like banning right wingers from the grocery stores. Let them starve.

Nobody buys games at COOP anyways.  
COOP have several stores, and none of them are electronics stores. They have a hybrid store with everything, but they mostly sell food stuff.

COOP is not a main retailer, didn't even know they sold games. But it still sucks, and it is a sign that things might get worse here.

If its the same Coop as in the UK (which I doubt), it's the kind of place you'd wander to grab a packet of cigarettes after waking up in a bush with no recollection of the previous night.

It's already mentioned and forgotten in norwegian media, the focus is on the right wing extremist belief and not videogames, allthough some have tried to blame it. But most people seem to know it's the wrong way to go.