European Commission Urges 'Code of Conduct' On Videogames

[Shawn Andrich]

European Commission Urges 'Code of Conduct' On Videogames

The European Commission, a group that provides oversight and advice to the European Union, is urging European governments to agree on regulatory, voluntary standards for the sale and creation of violent videogames.

"Such partnership could for instance explore the usefulness of and necessity for a voluntary code of conduct on the production of interactive games for children," EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini. He also discussed applying common rules and labeling on videogames for all countries in the European Union.

Friso Roscam Abbing, a spokesman for Frattini, claims that Frattini does not want to prohibit violent games so much as he wants to encourage the videogame industry to exercise self-restraint. "One of the latest games recently available on the European market relates to a young girl who becomes submitted to psychological and physical violence. This has shocked me profoundly for its obscene cruelty and brutality," Frattini said, referring [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/newsroom/view/66257-Rome-Mayor-Wants-Rule-Of-Rose-Banned]to Rule of Rose.

The Commission has requested that the issue be placed on the agenda for the next EU interior and justice ministers meeting in early December, followed by a conference with the videogame industry in early 2007.

Source: Reuters [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2006-11-15T113120Z_01_L15618029_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-EU-VIDEOGAMES.XML&archived=False]

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[Echolocating]

While I was reading this news article, I thought it was just another committee trying to reduce violence in videogames, but the line "interactive games for children" made it seem like a positive thing. Let me explain...

The reason games are criticized so much are because they are aimed at children primarily. Adults enjoy them too (for the most part) so we feel the need to defend the games 'til we're blue in the face. Maybe, just maybe, if regulations for game content were put into place, we could see game developers/publishers targeting adults with specific titles. I mean, minors can't buy tickets to see a violent R rated movie... so what's the matter with having violent R rated games that only adults can purchase?

The kids that want them will still get them. I mean, our government is winning the war on drugs, right? ;-)

The adult gaming audience is growing every year (obviously) so it's becoming less risky as time goes on to produce mature themed games for older gamers. Who said videogames can't have violent content? ...that crazy lawyer guy? ;-) I think these regulatory bodies are just trying to restrict "inappropriate content" from being readily available to children is all.

Maybe gaming regulation isn't such a bad thing?