Nine States Support Game Industry Against California

[WanderingFool]

Snip

I'm not American so I don't really understand the system over there, so can minors buy games regardless of the age rating or do the dealers only sell to those above the ESRB rating for the game?
In Britain it's a criminal offence to sell games to any one below the age rating but it doesn't attach any stigma onto it.

the difference here (I'm in Britain) it's the same for movies but in America its legal to sell 18 movies to kids because they have artistic merit (even the expendables) but from my knowledge most shops in America enforce the age rating as a policy

It's not a criminal offense, but people don't do it anyway (for the most part). As I mentioned, there's an 80% compliance with regulation (the highest of any medium). Underage children simply aren't sold video games, or the salesman loses his job, simple as that. Parents can, of course, buy the games for their kids, but if they're good parents who think such violence is wrong, they don't. If they're bad parents who think violence is wrong, they sue, and get politicians to pass ridiculous regulations laws in order to covet votes from the fear-mongering people who think video games are inherently evil or corruptive.

I can agree with this from experience. I recently purchased FO3GOTY at a Walmart, and they carded me. I went to a bar not two days before, and the guy didnt even bother to ask for I.D. I figured that the bartender can tell im over 21, and the clerk at the store could tell also, yet he still carded me. So they do make sure people are over 18 before they allow them to leave with M rated games; I think the problem, pure and simple, is the Parents.

When a clerk sees an older man or woman buying a game, they know they are over 18, what they dont know is who the game is going too. Its not standard policy for a clerk to ask a person who they're buying the game for. So many underage kiddies get their M games from dear old Mummy and Daddy, and later those same parents are now complaining that their kid is playing an M rated game, probably completely forgotten (or more likely keeping it to themselves) how their kid got the game.

Im hopeful that more states will see reason (and that Pennsylvania is one of them)and not support this law.

 

[T-Bone24]

Can someone tell me why it's wrong of California not to want to see Mature games to minors?

I must be missing something here

It'll open the floodgates for "games are bad" bashers and they will all point at this and say, "See? We were right!". Games are already regulated by the people who make and care about them.

Take a look at this [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/1961-Free-Speech] and then come back.

i have layed out many times why this bill is bad, in other threads and bottom line this bill goes way way beyond banning the sale of video games to minors, it is simply a law that is trying to stop certain types of games being made and to stop stores from carrying them, period.

the fact that this bill is based on the war cry that video games cause violent behavior, which is patently false, it is not the state or the federal governments domain to be a parent, if you do not know what that is a bad thing then god help you.

parents need to do their jobs and stores need to help them but we do not need the government telling stores what games they can carry and telling video games makers what games they can make, especially when this law put a higher standard on video games than is on any other medium books and movies included. this bill seeks to equate violent video games as pornography is the bottom line of it, how many big name chain stores carry pornography exactly?

Uh, okay. Why was I the one that was quoted, exactly?

 

[Whichi]

Yes! Finally they realize that videogames lower crime rates! Half the time I go on them it's to blow off steam, better then me say, getting into a fight with the person that made me angry no?

Jack Thompson can take that information up his tailpipe and smoke it hard. After all these years of paying retarded college students to give him a chart that proved whatever he said right....

 

[Dragonblade146]

Props to my home state of RI, following what we do best.

 

[Distazo]

I actually feel pretty proud right now that Washington State is opposing California right now. I can only hope for the best.

 

[Irridium]

Glad to see there are some states and politicians on are side.

I really hope it doesn't pass. Its just complete bullshit, especially when one of the supporters is Schwarzenegger of all people. Yeah, he's a real perfect role-model for the kids. I wonder how many people saw his movies when they were under 18...

God damn, I am seriously disappointed in Illinois.

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

Snip

I'm not American so I don't really understand the system over there, so can minors buy games regardless of the age rating or do the dealers only sell to those above the ESRB rating for the game?
In Britain it's a criminal offence to sell games to any one below the age rating but it doesn't attach any stigma onto it.

the difference here (I'm in Britain) it's the same for movies but in America its legal to sell 18 movies to kids because they have artistic merit (even the expendables) but from my knowledge most shops in America enforce the age rating as a policy

It's not a criminal offense, but people don't do it anyway (for the most part). As I mentioned, there's an 80% compliance with regulation (the highest of any medium). Underage children simply aren't sold video games, or the salesman loses his job, simple as that. Parents can, of course, buy the games for their kids, but if they're good parents who think such violence is wrong, they don't. If they're bad parents who think violence is wrong, they sue, and get politicians to pass ridiculous regulations laws in order to covet votes from the fear-mongering people who think video games are inherently evil or corruptive.

I can agree with this from experience. I recently purchased FO3GOTY at a Walmart, and they carded me. I went to a bar not two days before, and the guy didnt even bother to ask for I.D. I figured that the bartender can tell im over 21, and the clerk at the store could tell also, yet he still carded me. So they do make sure people are over 18 before they allow them to leave with M rated games; I think the problem, pure and simple, is the Parents.

When a clerk sees an older man or woman buying a game, they know they are over 18, what they dont know is who the game is going too. Its not standard policy for a clerk to ask a person who they're buying the game for. So many underage kiddies get their M games from dear old Mummy and Daddy, and later those same parents are now complaining that their kid is playing an M rated game, probably completely forgotten (or more likely keeping it to themselves) how their kid got the game.

Im hopeful that more states will see reason (and that Pennsylvania is one of them)and not support this law.

Exactly what I mean. If the parents don't want their kids playing these games, they have the power to stop them. They don't need government intervention, but they want it anyway? Why? Either they can't be bothered to do their parental duties, they are inherently afraid of the new medium, or they just want a scapegoat for all the world's problems.

 

[thatcanadianguy]

Can someone tell me why it's wrong of California not to want to see Mature games to minors?

I must be missing something here

its not so much them wanting to stop minors getting mature games. they want to enact laws preventing the sales of them to minors. this opens up a whole mess of trouble, with every parents activist group and media censorship radical, to bombard the courts with reasons why this this, and that should be deemed "mature". and it wont stop at violence. evnetually it would get ot the point where ANYTHING even remotly offensive. religious overtones, a spatter of lood, a mumbled "bad word" would get a game or movie, or book, instantly banned.

that aside, its already illegal to sell mature video games to minors. if its rated M, and your inder age, the stores wont sell it to you

 

[KnowYourOnion]

Snip

I'm not American so I don't really understand the system over there, so can minors buy games regardless of the age rating or do the dealers only sell to those above the ESRB rating for the game?
In Britain it's a criminal offence to sell games to any one below the age rating but it doesn't attach any stigma onto it.

the difference here (I'm in Britain) it's the same for movies but in America its legal to sell 18 movies to kids because they have artistic merit (even the expendables) but from my knowledge most shops in America enforce the age rating as a policy

It's not a criminal offense, but people don't do it anyway (for the most part). As I mentioned, there's an 80% compliance with regulation (the highest of any medium). Underage children simply aren't sold video games, or the salesman loses his job, simple as that. Parents can, of course, buy the games for their kids, but if they're good parents who think such violence is wrong, they don't. If they're bad parents who think violence is wrong, they sue, and get politicians to pass ridiculous regulations laws in order to covet votes from the fear-mongering people who think video games are inherently evil or corruptive.

It is an offence

"In contrast to the system in the US, in the UK video games that depict "gross violence", "sexual activity" or "techniques likely to be useful in the commission of offences" must be classified under the British Board of Film Classification's (BBFC) film rating system under the Video Recordings Act of 1984. The Act provides that it is an offence to supply such a game to anyone below the age limit, punishable by a fine of up to £5000 or up to six months in prison. However, in the region of 90% of all titles released on to the market are exempt from this legal classification."

they're treated in the same fashion as films but a lot are exempt from it.

Ok, I think I get it. May I ask, however, if a similar rule applies to violent or overly sexual movies, books, or music?
If not, why? Are these movies inherently superior to gaming (even good games)? Is porn better than Portal, Braid or Bioshock?

Up until now, this distinction was never made in America, violent games were treated the same as violent movies, et. all. This law aims to change that, classifying games in the same category as porn (legally). That's why we take exception to the law. If it goes through, this medium will be treated as "the other" in an ocean of equal quality material, and those who enjoy games will forever be stigmatized.

If the government steps in to tell people what they can or cannot watch, read or listen to, that's a first amendment violation. The same should apply to gaming.

Yes, the board that classifies it was originally set up for films but now it has come to include games as well.
So yes films and games are treated identically under the law.
The government isn't saying that they can't watch/play them just that their parents would have to be aware of what their kid was playing or watching.

 

[2xDouble]

This was my exact reaction: "All right! Rhode Island Stepping up alongside... they're leading our side?... we're boned aren't we?"

I'm from Rhode Island. Anybody else (not from here) says bad about it will be reported.

 

[risenbone]

Why is this bad? I hate to say it but look no further than the Australian censors office as to why this would be bad. Australia currently doesn't have an adult only rating that applies to video games. This means any game that would be deamed 18+ can't be sold in Australia unless it is modified to fit whatever the rating below 18+ is. This is a big reason why games are generally launched up to 6 months after the rest of the world in Australia as they have to go through the censors office and then changed to meet the Australian standards if the developers can be bothered seeing as how Australia isn't realy that big of a market. It's also a big part of the reason why games in Australia cost upwards of $100 or there abouts.

This law would drag America back into line with Australa while Australia is fighting to drag itself up to American standards.

 

[mjc0961]

*standing ovation for the 9 states and Puerto Rico*

 

[Rad Party God]

If the stupid californian law wins, it will be just like in Venezuela, where they literally satanize videogames... at least that moron of Chavez does...

 

[RikSharp]

*standing ovation for the 9 states and Puerto Rico*

i join you in your ovation from over in ol' blighty. if this law passes, it will screw the whole world's game playing population over.

 

[Jared]

Nice to see somethibng on our side! Lets hope it will amouint to something

 

[SilverHammerMan]

Wow, that is really reasonable. Good to see that not all politicians are out of touch.

 

[poiuppx]

Good to see there's still some states with honor, even in an election year. Shame my state is the one leading the censorship, criminalization, and banning charge.

 

[Requx]

Government controlled media is very socialist...of all places the United states of America should know that.

 

[vanthebaron]

I expect nothing less from the state of IL.