Switzerland Considers Tougher Rules for Game Sales

[Andy Chalk]

Switzerland Considers Tougher Rules for Game Sales

The government of Switzerland is pursuing efforts to impose tougher restrictions on the sale of "mature" videogames in the country and is also considering the possibility of banning them outright.

Two resolutions that seek to tighten the restrictions on videogame sales to minors were recently passed in Swiss Parliament. The first would outlaw the sale of games rated 16+ or 18+ by PEGI [http://www.pegi.info/en/index/id/952], the Pan-European Game Information rating system, to minors and imposes stricter requirements for identification on retailers. It would also become illegal for anyone in the country to purchase a videogame that hasn't been rated by PEGI.

The second resolution is simpler but also far more potentially troublesome: It seeks to ban "violent and adult" videogames in the country outright. Fortunately, while the first resolution passed unanimously, the second met with some modicum of resistance and only passed with a 9-3 vote, still a troubling majority by any measure but also a sign, slight though it may be, that at least a few people are thinking about something more than just the children.

The resolutions were originally filed back in December 2007 by Norbert Hochreutener of the Christian Democratic Party after a 21-year-old army conscript media report [http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Gun_laws_under_fire_after_latest_shooting.html?cid=6279992] managed to work them in anyway, writing, "The man then took aim at the 16-year-old victim, a trainee hairdresser, who just happened to be waiting at a nearby bus stop, as if in a computer game, reports say, and fired a fatal shot."

Swiss game sellers currently operate under a voluntary "code of conduct" which recommends against the sale of mature videogames to minors, but some members of the government believe the regulations should be codified into law to ensure they're properly enforced.

Sources: MCV [http://www.techeye.net/business/switzerland-wants-to-ban-violent-video-games]


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[Dudeakoff]

What happened Switzerland? You used to be cool.

 

[Jebusetti]

OK I can see and understand the first part, that is just some common sense legislation... But banning violent games outright? I am sure that it was the games that caused that soldier to shoot that girl, not the mandatory military service the Swiss impose; cause he learned how to shoot playing FPS games right?

GTFO Swiss fundamentalists. I am gonna enjoy watching our boys crush you on the ice even more tonight.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

/sigh

We're following the leader, the leader, the leader, we're following the leader whoever it may be...

 

[Simalacrum]

Ok, I can certainly agree with the first one... we do need to impose stricter regulations to assure that minors don't get their hands on adult-orientated videogames (something should probably be done about the "mummy, can you get me Gears of War 2?" problem as well).

But banning videogames outright? First Australia, now possibilities of Switzerland... I hope this whole war against videogames doesn't become a global thing =\

 

[WrongSprite]

"The man then took aim at the 16-year-old victim, a trainee hairdresser, who just happened to be waiting at a nearby bus stop, as if in a computer game, reports say, and fired a fatal shot."


Um....WHAT?

I don't get it, is it saying that all videogames have bus stop situations or what..? =/

 

[Fat Hippo]

What happened Switzerland? You used to be cool.

We're still cool. We're still cool! It's not our fault! Oh well, at least we aren't Australia.

Besides, I thought the first thing was already law. They won't give me the damn games, anyway. I'm not sure how I'd react to the second one. Does the PEGI simply refuse to rate some games or what? Otherwise...who cares?

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I actually think putting a legal restriction on games is the right thing to do. Setting the bar so low for banning them, however, isn't.

 

[Irridium]

"The man then took aim at the 16-year-old victim, a trainee hairdresser, who just happened to be waiting at a nearby bus stop, as if in a computer game, reports say, and fired a fatal shot."


Um....WHAT?

I don't get it, is it saying that all videogames have bus stop situations or what..? =/

Well GTA has bus stops, but in those situations you mow down the people with a sports car instead of shoot them. It saves bullets.

Wait, is it the sports car that causes the violence?

WE MUST BAN VEHICLES SO THEY CAN'T RUN ANYONE OVER! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

 

[Pingieking]

"The man then took aim at the 16-year-old victim, a trainee hairdresser, who just happened to be waiting at a nearby bus stop, as if in a computer game, reports say, and fired a fatal shot."

This sentence doesn't make a whole lot of sense. "the man took aim at the victim, as if in a videogame, and fired a fatal shot." As in, the man held down the left trigger, tapped the right trigger and went "BOOM headshot!"? Or if he's a right handed PC gamer, held down the right button of the mouse and clicked the left?

The man did not aim "as if in a videogame". He aimed as he would in real life.

The first law passed was good. Necessary too. Too many pre-teen kids playing stuff that they probably shouldn't. Second law is irrational. A knee-jerk reaction to... nothing, actually.
EDIT: On second thought, part of that first law can potentially be pretty bad. Isn't it kind of like saying "You can publish whatever you want, but if the government doesn't approve then nobody can buy it"?

 

[The DSM]

Wow I thought the aussies had some week stuff for banning games but...

The man then took aim at the 16-year-old victim, a trainee hairdresser, who just happened to be waiting at a nearby bus stop, as if in a computer game, reports say, and fired a fatal shot

As if? Are they just placing the game because they can now? thats pure BS.

 

[Woodsey]

Well, first off: " The first would outlaw the sale of games rated 16+ or 18+ by PEGI, the Pan-European Game Information rating system," That isn't a stupid idea.

Banning them outright is.

 

[Fat Hippo]

GTFO Swiss fundamentalists. I am gonna enjoy watching our boys crush you on the ice even more tonight.

Wow, if I gave half a shit about the Olympics, I might be offended by that.

 

[Jamash]

"The man then took aim at the 16-year-old victim, a trainee hairdresser, who just happened to be waiting at a nearby bus stop, as if in a computer game trained to do by the army in which he was a conscript, reports say, and fired a fatal shot."

Fixed.

There's grasping at straws, and then there's this utter bollocks. You can't seriously blame videogames for the gun related actions of (a member of) the army, since soldiers have been shooting people since ranged warfare was invented, hundreds if not thousands of years before videogames.

I agree with the first resolution though, since stricter age controls would be beneficial to the image of videogames, yet the second resolution, especially if it's based on the same kind of nonsense as that news report, I don't agree with.

 

[jimduckie]

gee i thought switzerland was a neutral country , oh well i guess any country that gives its soldiers a multi tool knife (swiss army knife ) with a corkscrew has to show some ballz by controling vid game sales to minors

 

[Sonicron]

Well, banning mature games outright is just about as stupid as the reason the appeal was originally filed, but I do agree that they shouldn't be sold to minors... if you're a clerk in a game store, what's so difficult about asking for an ID?

 

[Prof.Wood]

The First part that's what supposed to be enforced now and its understandable as will get little kids away from playing with adults (Not in that way, clean up your mind).
But the second part, I cant describe how far that should fuck off.

 

[UnravThreads]

Banning the sale of games not rated by PEGI? Wow, nice way to kick indie developers in the nuts there Switzerland.

PEGI is legally enforcable in most (or all, not sure) EU countries and what I think they should do is force an ID check at the point of sale.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Well, first off: " The first would outlaw the sale of games rated 16+ or 18+ by PEGI, the Pan-European Game Information rating system," That isn't a stupid idea.

Banning them outright is.

This times 10^300.

I really am starting to consider just shunning all government and labeling myself an anarchist.

 

[Regiment]

I'd post my thoughts, but I could easily summarize by saying that I agree with everyone else, basically. Restricting adult games to adults is a good thing. That's why the ratings are there. Because of the ratings, we don't need to ban things. It's pretty simple.

I suppose it's only logical that violent games get banned, since violent movies, books, television shows, music, plays, zoetropes, and flipbooks have also been banned, right? I mean, otherwise the government's just a bunch of double- standardizing hypocrites.