Concerned about the violent content and its association with TransLink

New Westminster, BC – TransLink is demanding that the maker of a video game in which the main character slaughters innocent people and SkyTrain employees be taken down immediately.

“While we cannot control the subject matter that individuals choose to use in the making of video games, we do have legal rights with respect to our intellectual property,” said TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis.

“Out of safety concerns for our passengers, our employees, and the public at large, TransLink cannot be seen as endorsing or condoning such violent content.

“Any time the safety or sense of safety of our employees and customers is undermined – that gives me cause for concern. That’s why we are vigorously pursuing our legal options for having the video game removed from the public sphere.”

Jarvis notes that front-line employees have expressed concerns, and that some were particularly upset.

“Imagine working as a SkyTrain Attendant and watching widely publicized gory images of a video game that features a disgruntled passenger venting his frustration with system delays by using an automatic weapon to murder staff and passengers.”

One of the front-line SkyTrain managers said: “This has resulted in universal concern among employees who deal with a lot of problems daily. Now, it’s not just a problem, it’s a worry.”

One employee said her daughters saw the article and were very upset and worried for her safety.

“Our buses and trains are boarded 1.2 million times a day. And our employees are dedicated to helping people get where they need to go – safely and efficiently,” said Jarvis. “If someone made a video game like that about any other well-known provider of goods or services that touched so many lives daily – be it City Hall, an airport, a library, or a hospital - I’m sure that the employees of that company would feel the same as our people feel after learning about that video through the media.”

The game creator sought publicity and got it, Jarvis added. “Unfortunately, it was at the expense of real human beings – our customers, and the 6,700 employees who work for TransLink and its subsidiaries.”