(photo credit, CNET via EA)

In Dante-would-be-rolling-over-in-his-grave-news, a battle is brewing between the International Nanny Association and video game giant Electronic Arts over the forthcoming "Dante's Inferno" videogame that features, among other objectionable content, points for killing unbaptized babies.

When you get to Lust (located between Limbo and Gluttony for anyone who slept through World Lit in college), a topless she-demon spits out infants, and gamers who kill enough of them get "Bad Nanny" status.

(Honestly, when you look at the screen shots, the babies look more like little sword-handed aliens, but nevertheless the INA is Not Amused)

"INA is shocked by the amount of excitement and anticipation being expressed on hundreds of video gaming message boards and blogs over the unveiling of the lust level in Dante's Inferno," the group said in a release this week.

"INA feels strongly that marketing a video game that promotes “baby-killing” (a term EA has coined) to an audience that statistically has the highest percentage of individuals charged with child maltreatment is extremely irresponsible."

The group wants Lust re-configured, or the game's early 2010 release postponed.
 
The mudfight has generated plenty of commentary on video gamer blogs and websites, including a good piece by Scott Stein on CNET

Opinons vary, but most gamers say the nanny group is -- well -- being a bunch of nannies.

But the INA insists Dante's Inferno is especially dangerous because it is aimed at men in their 30s, the same group that statisically most likely to commit acts of child maltreatment nationwide.

They get some back-up from Lynne Kenney, a Scottsdale, Ariz, psychologist known as "The Family Coach"

"INA has not over-reacted," Kenney said in a statement. “We live in a culture that has become desensitized to killing. To encourage even adults to play games that celebrate and reward killing babies is disgusting and sick. Social isolation, gaming that emphasizes ‘kills’ and companies that spend man hours on this sort of game development contribute to the dehumanization of children, which is appalling."

I have a call into EA's PR people to get their side of the story, and will post an update when they respond.

What do you think? Is Dante's Inferno any worse than the other intense computer games already on the market? Leave a comment below, or drop me an email at enoonan@globe.com