Comments on: Editorial: Why the Ban on Violent Video Game Sales to Minors Would Be a Good Thing http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/ News for Gamers Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:36:36 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Meggo http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-13735 Meggo Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:31:06 +0000 http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/#comment-13735 Aw, boo, I put my email addy for my name... now I just look silly. :/ Don't suppose there's a way to edit that... Aw, boo, I put my email addy for my name… now I just look silly. :/ Don’t suppose there’s a way to edit that…

]]> By: Meggo http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-13731 Meggo Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:45:49 +0000 http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/#comment-13731 ah, crap. Didn't mean to put my e-mail as my name x_X oh noes. I take it there's not a way to edit that? ah, crap. Didn’t mean to put my e-mail as my name x_X oh noes. I take it there’s not a way to edit that?

]]> By: yourfamilygames@gmail.com http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-13730 yourfamilygames@gmail.com Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:44:08 +0000 http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/#comment-13730 You make some good points (especially in bringing up the fact politicians always overlook the older demographics of gaming), but I still think the Californian ban is a bad idea. As flawed as it is with a fuzzy definition between M and AO ratings, the ESRB system should be enough to help enforce this ban. the ESRB system puts the power in parents hands to decide if a game is okay for their kid. We all know in reality, it's very easy for a minor to obtain an M-rated game, but parents/guardians need to play their part and look out for their kids. If they think their 16-year-old is ready to play some M-rated game, then that's cool. The flaw in this system though, is that some parents just don't care. But we definitely should not have government regulation in place of parenting. That's not right. The biggest point of this case, too, is not just the 18+ ban was lifted, but videogames are recognized as being protected under the First Ammendment. That's INCREDIBLE. (The ruling, posted on GamePolitics.com, is pretty interesting to read: "“The government cannot constitutionally premise legislation on the desirability of controlling a person’s private thoughts. First Amendment freedoms are most in danger when the government seeks to control thought or to justify its laws for that impermissible end. The right to think is the beginning of freedom, and speech must be protected from the government because speech is the beginning of thought.”") I agree with Phil, too. AO is not going to be socially acceptable anytime soon. The best thing you could do about that is give it time. Sad. You make some good points (especially in bringing up the fact politicians always overlook the older demographics of gaming), but I still think the Californian ban is a bad idea.

As flawed as it is with a fuzzy definition between M and AO ratings, the ESRB system should be enough to help enforce this ban. the ESRB system puts the power in parents hands to decide if a game is okay for their kid. We all know in reality, it’s very easy for a minor to obtain an M-rated game, but parents/guardians need to play their part and look out for their kids. If they think their 16-year-old is ready to play some M-rated game, then that’s cool. The flaw in this system though, is that some parents just don’t care. But we definitely should not have government regulation in place of parenting. That’s not right.

The biggest point of this case, too, is not just the 18+ ban was lifted, but videogames are recognized as being protected under the First Ammendment. That’s INCREDIBLE. (The ruling, posted on GamePolitics.com, is pretty interesting to read: ““The government cannot constitutionally premise legislation on the desirability of controlling a person’s private thoughts. First Amendment freedoms are most in danger when the government seeks to control thought or to justify its laws for that impermissible end. The right to think is the beginning of freedom, and speech must be protected from the government because speech is the beginning of thought.””)

I agree with Phil, too. AO is not going to be socially acceptable anytime soon. The best thing you could do about that is give it time. Sad.

]]> By: Jetsetlemming http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-13704 Jetsetlemming Sat, 11 Aug 2007 07:18:35 +0000 http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/#comment-13704 Except that video games are still seen as a child's media to a good portion of the non-gaming public, and pretty much ALL these politicians. Do you think they at all recognize the concept of adults playing videogames? Not at all. Not to mention that the subversive intent of all these laws seems to be to take away the power the ESRB has and make it a federal board of game ratings. Judging what the "violence" of the law would apply to would be more than looking at T and M ratings. There have been T games such as Jurassic Park and Space Hulk that feature graphic gore and dismemberment, and M games like Leisure Suit Larry and Playboy that have no violence whatsoever. Legislated morality never works, and the end result of a ban on "violent games" for children would end up being just a ban on violent games period. The one and only true outlet for AO and truly adult material is and for a good long unforeseeable portion of our future the internet. I'd bet Valve would let 2k put Manhunt 2 on Steam if they asked nicely and gave them a nice cut. They didn't have any problems with horribly mutilated and burnt tortured corpses, disemboweled and cut in half zombies, and the biological alteratiosn of the combine and stalkers. :P Except that video games are still seen as a child’s media to a good portion of the non-gaming public, and pretty much ALL these politicians. Do you think they at all recognize the concept of adults playing videogames? Not at all. Not to mention that the subversive intent of all these laws seems to be to take away the power the ESRB has and make it a federal board of game ratings. Judging what the “violence” of the law would apply to would be more than looking at T and M ratings. There have been T games such as Jurassic Park and Space Hulk that feature graphic gore and dismemberment, and M games like Leisure Suit Larry and Playboy that have no violence whatsoever. Legislated morality never works, and the end result of a ban on “violent games” for children would end up being just a ban on violent games period. The one and only true outlet for AO and truly adult material is and for a good long unforeseeable portion of our future the internet. I’d bet Valve would let 2k put Manhunt 2 on Steam if they asked nicely and gave them a nice cut. They didn’t have any problems with horribly mutilated and burnt tortured corpses, disemboweled and cut in half zombies, and the biological alteratiosn of the combine and stalkers. :P

]]> By: Phil Migrowen http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-13659 Phil Migrowen Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:56:58 +0000 http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/#comment-13659 "But if the ban had passed, the AO rating would be more than commonplace; it would be on half the games out there, or at least a good third. In the least, the retailers across the country would not shy away from it..." You are wrong on that because it simply hasn't happened for the one entertainment medium which is already banned for minors by law in the U.S.: porn. Just as mainstream retailers do not carry pornographic videos since they are restricted to adults, they would not carry similarly restricted video games either especially since some adult games would conceivably contain the same type of content. It is simply too taboo. Lack of demand or lack of product is not the issue because there is plenty of demand for porn and plenty of product to meet that demand. Simply having more games with an "adults-only" label on the box is not going to get them sold in stores. It would take a massive change in public attitude on the subject, and that type of change usually takes at least a generation to develop. “But if the ban had passed, the AO rating would be more than commonplace; it would be on half the games out there, or at least a good third. In the least, the retailers across the country would not shy away from it…”

You are wrong on that because it simply hasn’t happened for the one entertainment medium which is already banned for minors by law in the U.S.: porn. Just as mainstream retailers do not carry pornographic videos since they are restricted to adults, they would not carry similarly restricted video games either especially since some adult games would conceivably contain the same type of content. It is simply too taboo. Lack of demand or lack of product is not the issue because there is plenty of demand for porn and plenty of product to meet that demand. Simply having more games with an “adults-only” label on the box is not going to get them sold in stores. It would take a massive change in public attitude on the subject, and that type of change usually takes at least a generation to develop.

]]> By: weclock http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-13581 weclock Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:26:00 +0000 http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/#comment-13581 This is something I've been telling people for a while. There are things that kids aren't ready for, and that's a good thing. This is something I’ve been telling people for a while. There are things that kids aren’t ready for, and that’s a good thing.

]]> By: Hutch http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-13568 Hutch Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:43:41 +0000 http://news.filefront.com/editorial-why-the-ban-on-violent-video-game-sales-to-minors-would-be-a-good-thing/#comment-13568 I think that some things kids shouldn't see should be restricted. But I also believe that censorship should be done by the parents as some children won't be affected by violence as much as others. Video games aren't for kids certainly and I think that the politicians believe that playing is only for kids. Stop making games a scapegoat! I think that some things kids shouldn’t see should be restricted. But I also believe that censorship should be done by the parents as some children won’t be affected by violence as much as others. Video games aren’t for kids certainly and I think that the politicians believe that playing is only for kids. Stop making games a scapegoat!

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