School Massacre Video Game Stirs Controversy

A video game developed by Checkerboard Studios called "School Shooter: North American Tour 2012" - a release date for which has yet to be announced - is already causing controversy. The purpose of the game is to kill unarmed students on a school campus. 

Players use weapons modeled after those used in the shootings at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech , among others, Fox News reports. The game's creator, who goes by the pseudonym Pawnstick, says he hopes the game will prevent school shootings by satisfying violent urges in its players.

According to the Checkerboard Studios Website, players can commit suicide in the game at the end of their shooting spree. The voices of developers providing commentary will be masked to prevent potential backlash, according to the game description.

Writer Greg Tito, in an article from The Escapist in which he interviews Pawnstick, calls the game "morally reprehensible" and states that it is a step backward for the gaming industry.