Latest Gaming Law Struck Down...

Jeremy Lindstrom

http://news.com.com/Court+blocks+Illinois+video+game+laws/2100-1043_3-5983061.html?tag=cd.top

A federal judge in Illinois has blocked a pair of laws that would have made it illegal to sell or rent violent or sexually explicit video games to minors, finding that the laws violate free-speech rights.



It's too bad, there's no enforcement. I'm sure we all agree that kids shouldn't be able to purchase violent/sexy games but we shouldn't ban the sales, lets just enforce the current rating system, or change it to ages of appropriateness.

/shrug.. seems easy enough but too many political hurdles I guess.

KDR_11k

The games industry should do it like the MPAA, define fines for retailers ignoring the ratings and require payment if you want to keep your reseller contract.

Soccerman18

Hooray for Illinois! I disagree that kids shouldn't be able to buy violent games. If the parents decide that the kid is able to play those games the the store shouldn't stop them. We don't need the government controlling everything and constantly trying to punish someone. I certainly don't need some "moralistic crusader" looking to get votes deciding what's best for me and my family. Keep the current rating system so that people can make an informed decision as to what they or their kids are buying, after that let the parents decide what to do.

Fuse

the issue is not kids not having access to violent games, the issue is that they are being sold/rented to minors ..

there is a difference, if you feel you are responsible enough and your kid is mentally balanced enough to enjoy these games without any kind of blowback then you can rent/purchase it for him yourself.. no law can stop you from that ..

but enforcing the policy of not selling it to children directly seems like a logical sensible solution

Toomas

[ QUOTE ]
Hooray for Illinois! I disagree that kids shouldn't be able to buy violent games. If the parents decide that the kid is able to play those games the the store shouldn't stop them. We don't need the government controlling everything and constantly trying to punish someone. I certainly don't need some "moralistic crusader" looking to get votes deciding what's best for me and my family. Keep the current rating system so that people can make an informed decision as to what they or their kids are buying, after that let the parents decide what to do.

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And the kid goes home and tells hes mom "hey look i bought a M rated game!!! wee!!"??
The truth is that the parents dont have a clue what their kids play, if kids couldnt buy themselves then maybe they would ask their parents who would propably then look at the box atleast (and most likely see the rating).

Kids cant go to see R rated movies alone i belive, then why should they be able to buy M rated games alone?

KDR_11k

Toomas: Yes but in the US it's not the law that says "kids can't see R-rated movies", it's the MPAA. I think the ESA or whatever they call themselves these days should attempt similar enforcement. After all, the MPAA started doing it because the law makers threatened to introduce similar bills, why doesn't the ESA take the clue?

Jeremy Lindstrom

I believe the ESA is all about enforcement, it's at the end line consumer store where the enforcement needs to take place, the ESA can only suggest that walmart and best buy card it's customers, they can't actually make them.

jzero

The issue is, the MPAA has always had the movie theaters by the short hairs in terms of enforcing the ratings system. The ESRB doesn't get the same respect from retailers. It's probably got something to do with the 'games are for kids' stupidity that I ranted about in that other thread.

This kind of thing has happened before, of course. A ratings system, or in the case of comics, the infamous Comics Code, was voluntarily enacted to prevent exactly the type of laws that are being attempted now.

/jzero

Ninjas

These types of laws make it very dangerous for indie game companies to sell their games on the internet.

Toomas

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These types of laws make it very dangerous for indie game companies to sell their games on the internet.

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Like how? There are much more "dangerous" stuff sold on the net, porn and guns for example and they dont have a problem..

jzero

It's not a law if it's 'struck down', anyway.

But actually, Ninjas, your statement does bring a few issues to mind regarding 'ratings laws'. To date in the US, I don't think there have ever been laws on the books that regulated media content, and with any luck, there never will be. See above.

Think about what that would mean: if there were laws regulating game content, then every game sold would have to pass a government board of review, and just think about what THAT would be like. Oh, sorry, is this how it already works in Germany?

My point is, the movie ratings system in place now is really a guideline, although it has been working more and more like a marketing mandate. But many indie films are released in the US as "unrated", and they aren't subject to that system. You're on your own as far as whether your kids should see them, but that's how it goes.

That's why the ESRB should be respected, and used for what it is.

/jzero

Ninjas

Well, as a single person, I would rather not have to hire scads of lawyers just so I can sell something. Nor would I like to go through some government overview process.And if my game turns out to be a success? I'm sure I'll have all sorts of lawyers trying to sue me. It is bad enough already! What about mods? Do you have to restrict who downloads them? The entire concept is retarded. It has no place in the US, and it is ignorant people crapping on games because they are games.

KDR_11k

I'm thinking the ESA should work together with all publishers and make sure that retailers card customers or won't receive any games. Make them sign a contract stating that they will respect the ratings if they don't want to pay MSRP for their games (there's already contracts saying they'll respect the street date, I don't see a big change here). If they are found to violate it, fine them and if they don't comply they lose their contract. Walmart already cards anyway and companies like Gamestop have no choice but to obey and make sure that some retard doesn't ignore the ratings.

Kinda like a game publisher's union. The MPAA managed to do that, the ESA can, too. With "voluntary" enforcement that actually happens the government has less incentive to pass a law on the subject.

Sage

Actually all stores I have worked in ask that associate not sell video games, movies, music without asking their age first, Walmart and Sears do this all the time. What pisses me off about it is that the prompt shows up for every game regardless of the rating. So of course most people ignore it. I have never had the opportunity to say no to a kid just because it never presented itself. Also Walmart has a freaking commercial that warns about the rating of games every 5 to 10 min. 24 hrs a day. So someone is doing something, just not parents who complain and don't parent their kids. That's really my take on it. Parents need to parent their kids. If a kid asks for 50 bucks every month and you don't bother asking why he/she wants it for then you are a bad parent, simple as that. I know my mother always asked me what I was going to do with the money I asked for, and she was always concerned with the media I got exposed to, too. If there was a concern we talked about it and she got to decide. Of course games like Double Dragon didn't show violence in such a realistic fashion as it is today.

I think video games can be harmful if the people playing them just make it their life to play them, but that is still their responsibility. I am a bit concerned however at how realistic things in games are getting, mostly the look of things. I can't help but wonder if there is an impact on a persons mind to be able to cut up or torture "people" if it's presented in a hyper realistic fashion. By that I mean what's next we already have great sound, graphics, should developers incorparate touch and smell? And when that happens would developers be crossing the line if they can allow people to experience things like rape... I mean think about it for a minute you are playing some war game and then for sake of making the experience be realistic, if you get captured you get to experience the torture and whaever the hell the developer thought was cool. Just food for thought.

Alex

KDR_11k

The problem with completely voluntary enforcement is that some stores will just ignore it in order to get the business of kids without parents present. One such store is enough, it takes only one store to sell GTA to your kid.

If a kid asks for 50 bucks every month and you don't bother asking why he/she wants it for then you are a bad parent, simple as that.

Most kids have a fixed allowance that can already buy a bargain bin game every few months.

The most important part with potentially damaging games is obviously 1. not to expose your kids to material vastly out of their league (can cause trauma!) and 2. teach them to tell wrong from right. A kid who knows what not to do will not do it, a kid that doesn't know might do it if they see it in a videogame (hell, we tried jumping on each other after playing Super Mario Bros!). And always make sense to your child! "Because I say so" is not a reason, "because it can hurt you badly" is understood immediately. A kid who feels unfairly restricted (i.e. doesn't understand why they are restricted) will disobey you because they think they're only going against your will, a kid who knows that the restrictions are there to protect them will not disobey as easily.