BMX XXX: Скандалды ойын және Acclaim құлдырауы

2002 sports video game

BMX XXX is a 2002 sports video game developed by Z Axis and published by Acclaim Entertainment under their AKA Acclaim label for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube. While primarily a BMX based action sports title, the game places a distinct emphasis on off color and sexual humor, and allows the player to create female characters that are fully topless. The game also features unlockable live action footage of real life strippers courtesy of Scores, a New York based stripclub. BMX XXX began development in 2001 as a traditional entry in the Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX series, and was announced as Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 3. The executives of Z Axis and Acclaim — influenced by a crowded action sports game market, a dire financial situation, and the commercial success of the Grand Theft Auto series — decided to insert nudity and mature humor into the game to increase publicity and sales. Although Dave Mirra initially supported the pitched concept, his name was eventually dissociated from the title following its unveiling at E3. The development team members were displeased with the change in direction, with some attempting to distance themselves from the production. Despite an aggressive marketing campaign, the game's distribution was impeded by various circumstances; major retailers refused to stock the title, Sony Computer Entertainment refused to publish the PlayStation 2 version unless the topless female nudity was censored, and the game was initially banned in Australia. Upon release, BMX XXX received mixed reviews from critics, who felt that the game lacked innovation despite its content. Although the control scheme and voice acting were complimented, opinions on the soundtrack were mixed, and reviewers faulted the camera, level design, mission objectives, visuals, and humor. As a result of its limited distribution and loss of celebrity endorsement, BMX XXX was a commercial failure. It subsequently became a factor in a series of lawsuits against Acclaim by Mirra and the company's shareholders, and was cited as one of a number of failures that contributed to Acclaim's 2004 bankruptcy and liquidation.

Dave Mirra BMX XXX was showcased at E3 in May 2002. IGN PS2, in its "Best of E3 2002 Awards", named it runner up in the "Biggest Surprise" category, describing it as "a surprise in every sense of the word" and proclaiming that "any title that's working hard to perfect 'Boob Jiggle Technology' deserves a questionable double take". In September 2002, a rumor circulated that Sony Computer Entertainment would not approve the PlayStation 2 (PS2) version of the game unless certain sexual content was removed. On November 4, Acclaim representatives Alan Lewis and Tara Blanco confirmed the rumor, stating that the PS2 version would be edited to eliminate the topless nudity. An anonymous Sony representative claimed that the topless female imagery posed a detrimental threat to Sony's console brand, and believed that it was not fundamentally crucial to the gameplay experience. Acclaim launched an aggressive $3 4 million advertising campaign for the game, featuring irreverent jokes and the tagline "This is BMX?". On October 17, 2002, Acclaim unveiled the game's soundtrack, which consists of a mixture of classic and modern rock and hip hop. On November 7, Acclaim launched a "Ms. BMX XXX" competition, in which female contestants submitted a digital photo of themselves or a friend, which was subject to a public vote. The winner was flown to New York City and escorted to Scores by Gary Dell'Abate and K. C. Armstrong of The Howard Stern Show. On October 14, 2002, Reuters reported that Walmart, Toys "R" Us, and KB Toys had refused to stock the title. Although Guerrero regarded Walmart's motion as a "dagger blow", he found humor in the retailer's contemporary distribution of guns and ammunition. for the PlayStation 2 on November 16, and for the GameCube on November 25. In the United Kingdom, it was released for GameCube and Xbox on December 6 and for the PlayStation 2 on February 7, 2003. It would be Z Axis's last game for Acclaim before their acquisition by Activision, which was announced at the same time as the game's unveiling at E3. Those who pre ordered the game from EB Games or GameStop received a free t shirt.

BMX XXX received "mixed or average" reviews on all platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic, On October 27, 2003, Acclaim announced that Mirra's suit had been settled with no monetary or other damages being paid by either side, and that Mirra's licensing agreement would continue until 2011. Additionally, Acclaim confirmed the development of a new Dave Mirra BMX game for next generation systems. The game's limited distribution and loss of celebrity endorsement resulted in BMX XXX becoming Acclaim's lowest selling BMX title to date. Rosen left Acclaim soon after the game's release and eventually abandoned the video game industry, having established a koi pond business by 2017. Mike Williams of USgamer, within his list of "10 Games That Killed a Franchise", deemed BMX XXX and Turok: Evolution to be the "two nails in Acclaim's coffin". In 2015, the game was among several titles banned from streaming by Twitch. Todd Ciolek of IGN, in a retrospective feature covering major game publisher blunders, described BMX XXX as Acclaim's "last cry for attention" in a series of desperate publicity stunts by the financially ailing company.