Parents: Thoughts on M Rated Games

[Soviet Heavy]

I pose a question to all parents out here on the Escapist. I am not a parent, but in my upbringing, I was only allowed an M-rated game if I bought it myself. Which meant waiting until this June. My parents would buy me Teen or Everyone games, at the appropriate age, but not M.

So I ask this of you: how do you go about buying games for your kids? Will you buy your child an M-rated game based off your own opinion, or off theirs? Do you consider the factors buying an M-rated game for an underage child to be important?

How do you handle your child's gaming?

 

[King Toasty]

Actually, I'm interested in parent's response on this. It's a shockingly important issue, touching on freedoms and ageism.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I feel I must stress that the M rating is by far the broadest rating in terms of content. It could be rated M for something as minor as blood (like Halo), to something that simply cannot be performed under the restrictions of lower ratings (like Heavy Rain)

This is one of the reasons I posed this question. M-rated games should be considered more based on the content rather than the rating, since the term is so general.

 

[King Toasty]

Actually, I'm interested in parent's response on this. It's a shockingly important issue, touching on freedoms and ageism.

It really isn't all that important. Well, it's important because of this stupid CA thing but beyond that...it's not even worth discussion.

Well, actually, it's an increasing debate whether parents should be allowed to control things seen by their kids. I don't mean things like GTA; that's just ridiculous. But I know many parents who refuse to allow any games with any blood in it. You seem to be more sensible, but it still happens everywhere. Honestly, this is a big issue.

 

[MoNKeyYy]

I'm not a parent. So I guess I'm kind of breaking the rules. On top of that I'm only 16, so I may not be the best person to ask. However, this is a forum so I'm going to offer my opinion anyway. Now if I were a parent, I would have no problem letting my kids play mature games. But I would make damn sure that they knew it's only a game. I would tell them that Niko Bellic is a criminal and though controlling him in a fictional world is fun they just aren't acceptable in the real world. And I would make sure that if he ever swore or made a sex joke I would give him a quick slap upside the head.

 

[Treeinthewoods]

Since I play a lot of games, I plan to enforce an "I play first, I decide" policy for games. I would not allow a Manhunt 7 or some such game until my daughter is much, much older. Fortunately I won't have to worry about that at this point in time.

Also, she will have to learn proper mike ettiquette before I let her have her headset, and I promise to keep her offline until her voice drops to a reasonable tone.

Still, even with my (harsh?) policy my kids will never lack for games to play, they might just have to deal with me playing with them.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Snip

I'm not a parent either, but I feel that we as offspring should have our own say in the matter. One of the things that bothers me about many parents (no specifics) is how they feel that they should make all the decisions for their children. I not only find this patronizing, but insulting to the child's intelligence.

By all means, some measure of control is required, especially when buying games. But parents I feel should take the time to hear their own children out, and use the child's knowledge of the product to help them make better decisions.

 

[King Toasty]

Actually, I'm interested in parent's response on this. It's a shockingly important issue, touching on freedoms and ageism.

It really isn't all that important. Well, it's important because of this stupid CA thing but beyond that...it's not even worth discussion.

Well, actually, it's an increasing debate whether parents should be allowed to control things seen by their kids. I don't mean things like GTA; that's just ridiculous. But I know many parents who refuse to allow any games with any blood in it. You seem to be more sensible, but it still happens everywhere. Honestly, this is a big issue.

Well, if a parent doesn't want their kids to play videogames, more power to them. If a parent wants to rule out any game with a single drop of blood, more power to them.

As long as parents are deciding for THEIR kids, then I see no problem. The problem comes with parents and/or non parents try to tell others how to raise their kids and push for laws to deprive parent of choices.

I still think teens need independence. If they have their hand held by there parents, never seeing any blood until they're 18 (here in Canada)m then when they CAN, they'll go obsessive over it. Not knowing how to react.
Hypothetically of course. This generation of hand-holders I'm in is still young.

 

[King Toasty]

Snip

I'm not a parent either, but I feel that we as offspring should have our own say in the matter. One of the things that bothers me about many parents (no specifics) is how they feel that they should make all the decisions for their children. I not only find this patronizing, but insulting to the child's intelligence.

By all means, some measure of control is required, especially when buying games. But parents I feel should take the time to hear their own children out, and use the child's knowledge of the product to help them make better decisions.

Exactly. Instead of TELLING kids what to do, have a discussion. Not only is debate a great way to learn things, you'll hear their side of the story. And they'll hear yours. Of course, being teens, they'll ignore it for a bit. But we aren't totally ignorant.

 

[Koroviev]

I was at a video game retailer the other day and there were these two young brothers arguing over the Halo demo. More specifically, one brother was trying to enjoy the demo, while the other was broadcasting to the store, "Mom said we can't play Halo!" My thoughts not broadcast to the other patrons was that the one brother should quit being so damn lame. As you guys have already stated, it's content that matters, not some all-or-none rating, and as far as I'm concerned, there really isn't much for parents to worry about with regard to Halo. And there especially isn't much for lame slightly older brothers to be so obnoxiously concerned about.

 

[King Toasty]

Actually, I'm interested in parent's response on this. It's a shockingly important issue, touching on freedoms and ageism.

It really isn't all that important. Well, it's important because of this stupid CA thing but beyond that...it's not even worth discussion.

Well, actually, it's an increasing debate whether parents should be allowed to control things seen by their kids. I don't mean things like GTA; that's just ridiculous. But I know many parents who refuse to allow any games with any blood in it. You seem to be more sensible, but it still happens everywhere. Honestly, this is a big issue.

Well, if a parent doesn't want their kids to play videogames, more power to them. If a parent wants to rule out any game with a single drop of blood, more power to them.

As long as parents are deciding for THEIR kids, then I see no problem. The problem comes with parents and/or non parents try to tell others how to raise their kids and push for laws to deprive parent of choices.

I still think teens need independence. If they have their hand held by there parents, never seeing any blood until they're 18 (here in Canada)m then when they CAN, they'll go obsessive over it. Not knowing how to react.
Hypothetically of course. This generation of hand-holders I'm in is still young.

I think you're cutting them a little short here, they aren't stupid and besides, there's plenty of blood and violence on TV and in movies.

I think that parents should raise their kids as they see fit short of breaking any reasonable laws. What (if any) videogames kids and teenagers are allowed to play should be up to the parents, not the government.

I always shake my head when people think that kids should be protected from their parents by all the do-gooders who know better.

Oh, of course a parent will have power over the decision. But it should be very two-way.

 

[Koroviev]

I was at a video game retailer the other day and there were these two young brothers arguing over the Halo demo. More specifically, one brother was trying to enjoy the demo, while the other was broadcasting to the store, "Mom said we can't play Halo!" My thoughts not broadcast to the other patrons was that the one brother should quit being so damn lame. As you guys have already stated, it's content that matters, not some all-or-none rating, and as far as I'm concerned, there really isn't much for parents to worry about with regard to Halo. And there especially isn't much for lame slightly older brothers to be so obnoxiously concerned about.

I have a neighbor whose kid plays FPS games over XBOX Live every waking, non school hour. I think the mother should be worried, but hey...it's her call.

So long as the kids have taken care of their school and familial obligations, I don't see any harm in that. Of course, someone may point out that the kids aren't reading or getting enough exercise. And to this I simply say that if a parent values such activities, then they should make them prerequisites to picking up a controller each day. If a child has fulfilled his or her objectives for the day, then I think it is essential to the development of his or her autonomy that he or she be allowed to be his or her own person. That being said, such "alone time" should not go completely unregulated, i.e. parents should take the initiative to teach their kids that it is inappropriate to infringe upon the enjoyment of others in a public forum, including XBOX Live.

 

[Mr. Omega]

I'd do what my father did: not allow my kid to play the M rated game until I decide that they are mature enough to know that the stuff in games should be for entertainment only. He let me play GTA at 15, just saying "You're almost an adult now. You have had plenty of exposure to stuff like that with your friends. You've seen enough movies and read enough books to know the difference between fantasy and reality. You don't need me over your shoulder, you're smart enough to know right from wrong. Becoming 17 doesn't magically make you mature, you learn through experience."

I paraphrased that by getting rid of the parts where I asked questions, but I remember the gist of it.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I'm not a parent yet, but I am a gamer. As such I don't see anything wrong with letting a child play M rated games as long as I believe they can handle and understand it. I do see age recommendations as just that, recommendations that I, as an active knowledgeable parent would consider.

Would I let my child play, for example, Halo? Possibly. It's not really any more violent than your typical sci fi action movie or TV show.

Would I let my child play, for example, the new Splatterhouse game? Probably not as it's levels of violence and gore go beyond what I personally feel a child should be given open access to.

Both games are rated M and yet my job as a parent would be to know the limitations of my child and what I felt was appropriate for them.