Games R Lit
Bully - Scholarship Edition
Key game features
Rated - T
Animated blood, crude humour, language, sexual themes, use of alcohol and tobacco, violence
Relationships
Sexuality
Publication Details
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Developer: Rockstar New England
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Awards: "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA); GameSpot's award winner for Best Original Music; included as one of the titles in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die, among others
Game Summary
Bully begins as 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins is dropped off at Bullworth Academy, a boarding school, after being kicked out of his previous educational institution. The open-world game puts players in the driver’s seat of Jimmy’s journey through the social structures of his new environment.
The school’s population is roughly divided into four categories: “Nerds”, “Jocks”, “Preps”, and “Greasers”; While the four cliques reinforce stereotypical understandings of the Western high school experience, the game’s narrative constantly offers critique. The town of Bullworth, which surrounds the academy, also works to mirror the social hierarchies within the school and highlight the inequalities between them, pushing players to reassess their own social understandings and biases.
Activity Recommendations
English educators can use the game as a companion text alongside the often-taught novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Pairing the 1960s novel with a more contemporary text could prove useful in grabbing the attention of more visual and hands-on learners. More specific activity recommendations could be:
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To have students play through the first chapter of the game or watch a walkthrough of the first chapter of the game as they’re reading through the novel. Students will have the opportunity to compare and contrast issues of class divisions and stereotyping present in both texts. The factions of the town of Bullworth (Bully) are similar to Tulsa (The Outsiders), while the east side (The Outsiders) where the Greasers are from mirrors New Conventry (Bully), the west side (The Outsiders) where the Socs are from mirrors Old Bullworth Vale (Bully).
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To have students compare and contrast the mission “The Rumble” in Chapter 3 of Bully to the final fight between the Greasers and Socs in The Outsiders.
Related Media
You can find information and guides in the following resources:​
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Thinking Critically Postgame
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What are your general impressions of how the game relates to adolescents/ce through narratives? Support your reflections with examples from gameplay.
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What are your general impressions of how the game relates to adolescents/ce through ludology? Support your reflections with examples from gameplay.
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What are your general impressions of how the game relates to adolescents/ce through ludonarrative harmonies and dissonances? Is this game marked more often by one or the other? Support your reflections with examples from gameplay.
Content Advisory
The game’s dealing with issues of violence, bullying, sexual assault, and substance abuse will require some unpacking on the part of educators. These topics, however, provide a good opportunity to open fruitful discussions with high school students.
YA Elements
Several YA themes emerging throughout gameplay are related to bullying, substance abuse, consent, and navigating identity and sexuality as an adolescent. Throughout the game, Jimmy is used, betrayed, and empowered throughout his various tasks, which all help to propel his coming of age journey.
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See our videos at the top of the page for deeper dives into some of these ideas!