An 8-year old wants Gears of War 2

[Bob_F_It]

I was taking a look through Gamestation today and yes, and 8-year old kid is telling his mum to buy Gears of War 2 for him. It's got a fricking 18 rating on it! I didn't hang about for the conclusion of whether the mother would give a yes or no (there certainly wasn't an immediate no), but given the influence of pester power there must exist a fair number of parents who would buy it for their children.
What came to my mind is just how does that kid know he wants that game? It's not exactly pretty box art for someone that young, so I'm guessing he probably played the first one. Wait, what?

Perhaps I'm assuming too much at this point, but considering how much the press bitches about this, they might have a bit of weight behind them here.
No, games do not need toning down. What needs to happen is that the parents have to be told what potential content there is within games, and what the ratings mean. I've heard some parents actually believe that the numbers refer to the difficulty of the games. Someone smack some sense into them!

 

[Gahars]

Idiot parents who buy games their children aren't old enough for give Fox news ammo, which gives us gamers a bad name.

It needs to end.

 

[Rezfon]

if I were that kids parents I would continue to then pick up a copy of Gears 2, when he then says thanks i'll the proceed to say "Huh? I thought it looked quite good so I thought I'd buy it for myself. You won't be able to play it though cause its rated 18+" Then I would play it alot and not let them play

 

[xenus87]

That 'pester power' seems to be the reason most parents will just buy their kids anything, without question. Just to shut the kid up, and get a little peace for a while.

Although in the past, I have personaly known parents with younger kids ( 10-14 years old ) and they let them play stuff like gears, and resident evil, yet they wont let them watch films that are above a 12 age rating.

The games industry shouldn't have to tone down their games content just because parents don't pay attention to the age ratings on the boxes, thats just unfair on the people of the right age that can actually buy and play the games.

 

[Ink Hammer]

I was taking a look through Gamestation today and yes, and 8-year old kid is telling his mum to buy Gears of War 2 for him. It's got a fricking 18 rating on it! I didn't hang about for the conclusion of whether the mother would give a yes or no (there certainly wasn't an immediate no), but given the influence of pester power there must exist a fair number of parents who would buy it for their children.
What came to my mind is just how does that kid know he wants that game? It's not exactly pretty box art for someone that young, so I'm guessing he probably played the first one. Wait, what?

Perhaps I'm assuming too much at this point, but considering how much the press bitches about this, they might have a bit of weight behind them here.
No, games do not need toning down. What needs to happen is that the parents have to be told what potential content there is within games, and what the ratings mean. I've heard some parents actually believe that the numbers refer to the difficulty of the games. Someone smack some sense into them!

I dont see whats wrong with that to be honest, i mean enough little girls play with toy slags like barbie but that doesnt mean there going to go and get knocked up and when i was little i would play with toy guns and things as would many yound boys. I dont see the differance between a plastic replica and a compuer generated replica?

 

[hem dazon 90]

my parents bought me 18 games back in the day. they just sat down and talked to me about how it wasnt real and was impossible. i turned out good

 

[Amnestic]

On the one hand I don't agree with parents giving in to a child's pressure to own a game rated above their age.

On the other hand, my parents were smart enough to recognise that a 15 game won't corrupt my very soul and being and that, surprisingly, I can still turn into a productive member of society after having been exposed to such a thing at a young age.

Heck, when kids know all the ins-and-outs of sex (double entendre HOOOOOO!) at 11, why not show them other 18 rated things, as long as you explain to them that shit like that isn't real and that they have to accept the difference between reality and fiction.

 

[Bob_F_It]

You say that your parents explained all this bloody, nude mess, but you can't guarantee that all of them will, not even below a level of acceptable minority.

 

[notyouraveragejoe]

I am pretty sure that she said yes as did quite a lot of parents. I think the parents need to have a discussion with the kid before buying a game to see if they think they can handle it. For example an 8 year old probably couldn't without becoming a social recluse/sociopath (possibly) whereas a 15/16 year old could recognize the difference between the game and life. I remember when I was 8 and all I was interested in was...ok I can't remember when I was 8 but I do know that I had never heard of most of the FPS of that time. I was a Mario fan as a kid so guns and gore didn't interest me. If only the modern world could be like that to...*sighs*

 

[SirSchmoopy]

I dont see whats wrong with that to be honest, i mean enough little girls play with toy slags like barbie but that doesnt mean there going to go and get knocked up and when i was little i would play with toy guns and things as would many yound boys. I dont see the differance between a plastic replica and a compuer generated replica?

Your not playing with guns, you are shooting peoples heads clean off.

If barbie dolls came with a vagina and a video of barbie sucking ken off then yeah I guess comparing gears of wars to toy guns would be acceptable at that point.

 

[irishdelinquent]

I didn't hang about for the conclusion of whether the mother would give a yes or no (there certainly wasn't an immediate no), but given the influence of pester power there must exist a fair number of parents who would buy it for their children.

This is the problem that faces all modern parents: the "Pester Power". In the old days, if I begged my mom to buy me a video game (or something like that), she'd say no and explain why I couldn't have it. If I continued to press the issues, she'd give me a reaffirming smack upside my head. Now, I'm not trying to say I approve of violence towards children, but I'm saying that when used correctly it had it's place. Nowadays there's no ultimatum for children; they can either bug their parents until they get what they want, or the parents ignore them until they leave the mall (causing them to get a stomach ulcer).

However, the ratings system is entirely for the parent's discretionary purposes. Store employees can abide by the ratings, and make customers show I.D. in order to purchase a game, but they aren't a hard and fast law. The purpose of ESRB ratings is to advise parents that the game is not appropriate for their kids. It's the PARENTS responsability to monitor the games that their children are playing, much like it should be the PARENTS responsability when a kid does something terrible, and violent video games are blamed.

 

[Sunahamaru]

I dont know what game store you go to but any Gamestop or toysrus I buy Rated M games from they always read the back of the box as to why its rated M. Anyway people push to much blame on the games not themselves.

 

[DirkGently]

Sheeeeeeeee-it. Somebody needs to explain to that lady what Gears of War is about. Kids that young should not be playing body-exploding violence like gears.

 

[Amnestic]

Sheeeeeeeee-it. Somebody needs to explain to that lady what Gears of War is about. Kids that young should not be playing body-exploding violence like gears.

Do you think? I was playing Silent Hill at the age of 10. That's rated M by the ESRB. I turned out okay, although I am thoroughly afraid of zombie nurses. Non-undead nurses I'm fine with.

 

[ianuam]

The clerks shouldn't sell the games to the parent if they think that it's going to be used by a minor. It's simple.

 

[Avida]

Yeah, its the parents fault and blah blah... But why do 8 year olds and other well-underage kids want games like this? I mean, is this a sign that the marketing for these titles is screwy? What is it about killing and chainsaws that these kids are attracted to before even playing the game?

 

[Demir23]

Honestly, the ESRB is there to help advise the parent on what to buy for their child, not to provide a definitive list based upon their age. If the parent feels the child is mature enough to handle it, then awesome and good for the kid. If not, hell there are plenty of other good age appropriate games available. Though I don't approve of nagging at the parents, really it comes down to how they feel about it and nothing else.

 

[Nimbus]

Meh. I've been playing games like GTA since I was that age, I turned out fine. So long as a parent knows what is in the game and thinks that their child is mature enough to handle it, I have no problem with little kids playing agmes like gears 2.