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Water Cooler Games served as the web's primary forum for "videogames with an agenda" — coverage of the uses of video games in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment.

The site was maintained at watercoolergames.org from 2003-2009, where it was edited by myself and Gonzalo Frasca. It is now archived here in full.
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Mel Gibson Newsgame
by Ian Bogost September 9, 2006
categories: Newsgames

Zach over at Gameology points to a newsgame about Mel Gibson's recent DUI incident-cum-incendiary drunken smear. So You Think You Can Drive, Mel is perhaps most interesting for its sponsor/publisher, The Game Show Network.

To play, collect tequila bottles while avoiding state troopers and the Stars of David thrown by hassidic Jews at the side of the road, whilst Hava Nagila plays in the background. A simple game, but it sports a nice inebriated driving mechanic.

On the subject of newsgames, I may have a little something up my sleeve. Stay tuned.

Comments (2)

By not including other cars in the set of formal objects, the game effectively portrays the solipsism of the caricatured Gibson, with Jewish conspiracies looming on the sides and State Troopers helplessly mowed down, and Mel being the singular agency.

Its funny when you get busted, the liscence plate says WTFWJD, which ostensibly means "What The Fuck Would Jesus Do".

brb, lol

GSN is up to it again with a Kim Jong Il game...

http://www.gsn.com/minigames/minigame.php?id=9