Claiming to be Europe's most popular browser-based game, Farbflut Entertainment's controversial Bumrise, or Street Rivals if you're on Facebook, has finally come to the United States. Players begin as someone who is homeless and broke, with the ultimate objective of rising above your fellow homeless by becoming socially relevant and an owner of real estate. This is done by what I assume Farbflut considers to be "quintessential homeless behavior," such as stealing, attacking other homeless players, learning a musical instrument to play on the streets, or acquiring a pet to better guilt passersby out of money.

I doubt it would come as a shock that not everyone thinks this game is particularly tasteful. The Telegraph reported back in August of 2009 that French homelessness groups were up in arms about the game, with a spokesman for the Red Cross saying:

"It's a disgrace; it's degrading; it's humiliating to make the homeless the butt of derision. The image portrayed is exactly the one against which we've been trying to fight."

I can't say I disagree with him, though it seems Farbflut does. They have responded to criticism about the game by claiming:

"Although Bumrise holds many cliches and stereotypes, it is set upon a satirical and exaggerated context. With help from our users, we assist the homeless people in Hamburg, and soon New York, with a portion of our revenues, thus bringing attention to their situation."

Forgive me if I don't really buy Farbflut's response. Sure, they may be making random donations to causes benefiting the problem of homelessness, but I don't think that necessarily outweighs the fact they are making the money (and a profit) in a counterproductive and dubious way.

Source: Game Politics