Labour MP Wants Clearer Labels on Games

[tomtom94]

You know what?

This isn't reasonable.

Every 5 fucking seconds there's something like this. The labels are on there, it'd take a mega-moron NOT to see them or the rating, and I've had enough of this being attached to games yet never to films.

Fuck off Mr Vaz, fuck off.

I think you have pretty much just summed up exactly what I wanted to say.

If we get another misguided bullshitter trying to badmouth videogames due to bad parenting I will find some way of getting my viewpoint to the media. Not sure how yet, but it will happen.

 

[RabidusUnus]

I don't know about anywhere else, but in the game stores and Wal-Marts here, the clerk has to read off the back of the game if there's a kid with you. Like, "This game contains, X, Y, and Z, and is rated M for Mature, do you want to buy it?" Now if the parent isn't listening or doesn't care, there's nothing you can do about that.

 

[Keava]

Yes. Clearly. 3/4 of box art should be big text saying that the game has violence or other 'inappropriate' content, there also should be some audio playing when you open the box with 'divine' voice yelling at full volume "Thou art about to unveil the horrors thine eyes should never see", and some confetti because everything is 2.5 times more awesome with confetti. It also should send a distress signal to nearest police station so that they could already call the SWAT team to watch the gamer in case he or she would like to take the violence out in the streets.
Great idea.
./sarcasm off

 

[Chipperz]

From the back of Transformers : War for Cybertron;

12. Violence. Online. From this, I can deduce that there is violence in this game, but nothing that isn't unsuitable for twelve year olds, and that it has online content.

There IS no swearing or sex in it (so far. The way they've written Megatron wouldn't leave me totally surprised if he skullfucks Zeta Prime), no substance abuse (unless you count Dark Energon, but that's just fucking stupid), and nothing else that needs to be brought to a parent's attention. If a parent isn't going to look at the back of something before they buy it, then the fault has gone from the games designers to the parents.

I'm not going to be happy if we get film ratings, because the last warning I ever want to see again is "contains mild peril"...

 

[Treblaine]

Sounds like a perfectly acceptable assertion to me. Perhaps a large noticeable color coding system on the labels... something like Yellow for Kids, Green for All Ages, Blue for Teen and Red for Mature.

Still, it does reflect poorly on parents unable (or unwilling) to tell the difference between the different ratings.

Colour Code still will not work as it depends on parents learning EVEN THE SIMPLEST THING a significant proportion will fail to even do that. I know, trying to prevent every... single... case of stupid parents buying little kids adult rated games is going to give diminishing returns no matter how extensive one's efforts are.

First you must consider that likely the little kid will be INCREDIBLY manipulative; emotionally, logically and rationally they will do whatever it takes to get that game bought.

Anything that isn't as explicit as:

If you let anyone under 18 play this game then we WILL find out, where we WILL take your children away and throw you in prison... then tell the Daily Mail to shame you some more

Will be easily bypassed by those little brats, I've seen my cousins to it with my uncle... hell I MYSELF was the master of getting my Mom to buy me over-age games and movies. Perfect Dark was (inexplicably) rated 18 but I played it back in 2000 when I was only 12.

 

[JediMB]

It's not that PEGI isn't clear enough.

It's just that people don't give a fuck.

 

[HigherTomorrow]

I think this is perfectly reasonable, and all the people attacking Mr. Vaz obviously didn't read the article, or even the little paragraph above the link. He's not trying to ban video games or make them look evil, only help distinguish what is appropriate and what is not. No clue what your guys' problem with him is. I think it's a good idea to regulate gaming, because I wouldn't want my future son or daughter, or even brother playing some of the games I play at a young age.

 

[Anaklusmos]

Stores which I go to won't sell 18 or 15 products to people unless they can prove their age. Also if two people go to a till with a 15 or 18 product BOTH of you have to prove your age. If one person cannot prove their age you cannot have said product, because they believe you will be selling/giving the product to the person.

Happened to my Brother and his wife, both 20, and shes pregnant, and they ID'd her, yet she didn't have her drivers license, because he was driving, so they couldn't have the game for his Ps3. I couldn't stop laughing when I heard.

It does make sense and it does work. Might seem harsh but, it's better than our flawed system.

 

[WanderingBiscuits]

Umm i don't think they could be any clearer and i don't think getting larger labels would have any effect really....but its cool because this is one of the more reasonable requests of a politican regarding video games. Plus it doesn't effect me whatsoever.

 

[LightspeedJack]

Are they going to make this like Australia where 18 rated games just have a grey box with a slit that shows the title?

 

[Tdc2182]

I think there needs to be some sort of awareness campaign, as, let's face it... a lot of parents don't game at all and still think everything's like Super Mario.

And then there are the ones that think everything out there is a Manson Family murder simulator.

OT: If he can find a way to make it more plain and simple to read, than go right on the fuck ahead.

 

[Archemetis]

What we need is lie-reading robots that can interpret whether a person is lying through a series of questions like.

Is this game being bought for your own recreation?
If not is it for someone elses recreation?
Are you going to just sell it on ebay?
Is the other person you're selling it to, of the appropriate age?

Failing these questions results in the robot shoving you in the face... Really hard... With it's hydrolic-arm.

 

[Lawyer105]

I propose an alternative...

Since it's pretty clearly marked on the packages, and only an idiot can miss it - it is obvious that the problem lies with the parents who are simply not involved enough in their childrens' upbringing.

So how about this.

Instead of banging yet more legislation on the poor game companies, let's start licencing people to have kids. Install permanent contraceptive devices (or something similar) at puberty, and only have them removed once you obtain a licence to have kids.

The licence should only be obtained after attending training courses and passing an exam (because if you actually WANT kids, you'll be prepared to put in the effort - so this might cut down un unwanted pregnancies as well!), and you're subject to review every 4/5 years or something.

Let's see what they think of THAT hmm?

 

[Boba Frag]

I think there needs to be some sort of awareness campaign, as, let's face it... a lot of parents don't game at all and still think everything's like Super Mario.

And then there are the ones that think everything out there is a Manson Family murder simulator.

OT: If he can find a way to make it more plain and simple to read, than go right on the fuck ahead.

True.

You can't really legislate for stupidity, though.
Oh,well.

 

[MrPop]

I think (like on packets of cigarettes) it should have written the negative side-effects of gaming.

And maybe a grotesque picture of a fat person.

[sub](I'm obviously joking)[/sub]

 

[Mr.Petey]

Personally I see the current age rating given out by both PEGI and the BBFC as a good example of clear 'n precise information on what a game might contain.
The issue lies with the fact that kids (not just today but always have been) are always finding ways to manipulate people such as their parents and video game employees to get their grubby mitts on that specific title, i.e it can be blatantly obvious that lil' Jimmy/Jenny is asking their parents or somebody older than them to buy it for them.

And it'll happen and a sale is made because the staff are sometimes under pressure to make that sale regardless of ethics and age ratings

It's just one of those areas where not one person is at fault here but it'll involve numerous parties all at once. If people hold by standards and laws, then in this case it is always the public to abide by them, consumer and retailers alike.

 

[Nazz3]

"Despite the 18 rating that the most violent video games carry, some children and teenagers are still able to acquire them"

Why do some people think that 18 rated video games are like drugs?

 

[Spaghetti]

I think (like on packets of cigarettes) it should have written the negative side-effects of gaming.

And maybe a grotesque picture of a fat person.

[sub](I'm obviously joking)[/sub]

I wouldn't be surprised if that DID happen...

Spoiler

 

[teebeeohh]

http://www.amazon.de/Red-Dead-Redemption-Limited-Uncut/dp/B0037SI68K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278350391&sr=8-3

since they put those huge ugly Labels on the boxes here in Germany no 14-year-old ever bought a game he shouldn't.not

i buy all my games in the UK to avoid ugly boxes(and because they tend to be cheaper), so please don't do this