Europe’s browser-based hit homeless simulation that challenges you to “rise to become king of the bums,” has made its United States launch. Yep, get ready for 2010′s first giant wildass video game outrage …

In Bumrise, players advance by pickpocketing, attacking other bums and ripping off vending machines. They can learn to play an instrument to pick up cash as a busker act, or adopt pets to increase sympathy while begging. Minding the booze intake is also a factor.

As you might imagine, for many of our thought leaders this will probably go over like a turd in a punchbowl. It already has in Europe. A French version stirred outrage there over the summer. In Bumrise, participants will play in New York City (other cities have included Paris and Hamburg). The ultimate goal is to move on up, to the East Side. To a deluxe apartment in the sky …

Bumrise’s developer, Farbflut (if possible, a name even funnier than Bumrise) concedes that its game “holds many cliches and stereotypes, it is set upon a satirical and exaggerated context.” However, “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.”

This game also is available over Facebook under the name StreetRivals.

Game Based On Homeless Hits U.S. [Game Politics]

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