Jag Jaeger, Vice President
JV Games, Inc.
P.O. Box 97455
Las Vegas, NV  89193

Dear Jag:

My name is Jay Anhorn, and I am the president of the Association of Fraternity Advisors, a higher education association with membership comprised of campus-based professionals, inter/national organization staff, alumni advisors, graduate students, and companies who provide services to students affiliated with fraternities and sororities. I have recently learned of the upcoming release of your new Wii game, Beer Pong, and after giving it considerable thought, I am writing on behalf of our Association to express a few concerns.

In hopes of your reading further, I would like to clarify that this is not a letter intended solely to lament another scenario in which popular culture depicts the negative aspects of some fraternity or sorority chapters. Those of us who work or volunteer in this field have learned how to take the bad with the good, and we will work to identify ways to use this game, as we have with assorted television shows, movies, or advertising campaigns, to help educate the students we serve about decision-making, values-based leadership, and the need for positive change in the fraternity/sorority community. Our concerns are more generic to the overall welfare of the young men and women whom we serve and echo those previously expressed to you by various colleagues in ours and other fields.

The Association of Fraternity Advisors is very disappointed that Nintendo and JV Games, Inc. would choose to profit from the sale of a game that normalizes unhealthy and dangerous binge-drinking behaviors in those who use this game, a great many of whom will be under the legal drinking age of 21. As specifically educated professionals and volunteers who work with college students on a daily basis, we are concerned that Nintendo and JV Games, Inc. would knowingly promote this product to a wide range of consumers. We understand that the consumption of alcohol is not required to play this game and that Nintendo and JV Games, Inc. are not responsible for what their consumers choose to do. However, we believe that Nintendo and JV Games, Inc. should take more responsibility for the kind of behaviors it is promoting through this game. In many cases, Nintendo games promote intellectual and physical skills development; others are just for fun. But why would you choose to promote a game that glorifies unsafe or detrimental behaviors, especially one that is to some extent targeted to young people at a most impressionable time in their lives. 

Considering the Wii Beer Pong game is already in production, and promotions have been created, our second concern pertains to the game being labeled for the appropriate audience. Simply put, this product replicates a drinking game. We feel strongly that, as such, (a) the game should be labeled “AO” for adults only and (b) that a disclaimer to potential consumers denouncing underage drinking should be added to all promotions.

We appreciate your attention to our concerns about this product and hope you will consider how you promote it.  In the future, I am volunteering our services to review or sample any future products to give our feedback on how to best market your games.  As a Wii owner myself, I am willing to see any advanced copies and give you my unadulterated comments.  You may reach me at janhorn@elon.edu or 336/278-7326.

Best regards,
 
Jay Anhorn
President, Association of Fraternity Advisors