Violent Games - Should stricter laws be imposed on game devs and retailers?

[satch919]

Hi,

I am going to be doing a speech on the recent uproar in the gaming community about violent video games. This interactive medium has come under fire for not obeying the age restrictions(retailers).

I need you guys, the gaming community, to provide me with some data. Simple yes or no, and one word answers will suffice. However, if you'd like to explain your answer, you are more than welcome to do so.

1. Are the retailers to blame for selling the games?

2. Are the developers to blame for creating such violent content?

3. Should the government step in and make sure that mature content doesn't get into the hands of children? i.e. stricter laws, larger fines.

4. Would stricter laws help or hurt the gaming industry?

5. Should the devs tone down the intensity of the violence?

Thanks for your time. This data will help me form a more thorough speech.


I also posted this over at the Gamespot forums but they seem to have a problem with posting these kinds of questions so I hope you guys can help me out. Again, thanks for your time.

 

[Cole]

Here's the basis:
Children == Parents Responsibility.
Parents should control what Child plays.
Store should warn the parent when they buy the Child's game about anything bad in the game.

If a parent thinks a game named Killzone, or Grand Theft Auto is good for there child, well it's the parents fault not the stores not the developers.

 

[StardogChampion]

Hi,

I am going to be doing a speech on the recent uproar in the gaming community about violent video games. This interactive medium has come under fire for not obeying the age restrictions(retailers).

I need you guys, the gaming community, to provide me with some data. Simple yes or no, and one word answers will suffice. However, if you'd like to explain your answer, you are more than welcome to do so.

1. Are the retailers to blame for selling the games?

2. Are the developers to blame for creating such violent content?

3. Should the government step in and make sure that mature content doesn't get into the hands of children? i.e. stricter laws, larger fines.

4. Would stricter laws help or hurt the gaming industry?

5. Should the devs tone down the intensity of the violence?

1. No.
2. No. Video games were never made to be played solely by children. Just like comic books aren't solely for children. Just like movies aren't solely for children.
3. No. If a game has an 18 stamped on it, that's more than enough. It's the exact same with movies.
4. Hurt.
5. No, see 2.

 

[Ennui]

1. no
2. no
3. NO
4. hurt
5. no

 

[bvasgm]

1. Yes. Retailers should always check the ID of anyone who's not obviously over 18. If you're asking if they're responsible for parents giving it to their 12 year old kids who obviously aren't mature enough to handle the game, then no.
2. No
3. No
4. Hurt
5. No

 

[Freemanator89]

I agree with stardog, a mark showing age requirement and the intensity of the game is more than enough, if you think youre going to go on a killing spree just like the people in the game then you shouldn't really play games now should ya!?

 

[Asus]

1. Yes, although only as much blame as a movie theater does letting a young kid into a rated R movie alone.
2. no
3. no, at most up the standards to what a game would require to meet a Everyone or Teen rating.
4. hurt
5. no

I do think retailers should step up and handle game ratings like movie theaters do with underage viewers. Otherwise it's up to the parents. They should filter what their kid has access to, plays, views etc. I don't think game developers need to change what they are doing.

Although I do think some would adjust their content to get a lower rating if their target market is the younger gamer, that's if retailers would actually enforce game ratings.

 

[Anthraxxx]

1. no
2. no
3. no
4. hurt
5. no

Instead, laws should be made that place a fine on the parents of the minors who buy mature rated games. At least that way, the parents will pay more attention to what their kids are buying. Also, it wouldn't affect people who are old enough to buy the game anyway. It also keeps the crazy people from blaming the game industry/retailers(ie:Jack thompson).

 

[JellyWorld]

1. No
2. No
3. No, DEFINITELY not. I'm fed up with the restrictions banning me from watching a film just because it has, *gasp*, guess what? A nipple? Honestly, what is it with their perverse fear of nudity and violence? It's age discrimination, simple as that. I certainly hope video games don't go down the same route. And I don't see why my parents should have any say in what I want to watch.
4. Hurt, definitely.
5. No.

 

[Stigmata]

1. Are the retailers to blame for selling the games?
No.

2. Are the developers to blame for creating such violent content?
Hell no.

3. Should the government step in and make sure that mature content doesn't get into the hands of children? i.e. stricter laws, larger fines.
No. It's the parents' job to regulate what their children can play. However, I'm all for a non-biased, person-to-person insanity test to say if you "should" be allowed to play violent games regardless of what your parents say

4. Would stricter laws help or hurt the gaming industry?
HURT.

5. Should the devs tone down the intensity of the violence?
GOOD GOD NO. That's probably an infringement on the first amendment.

The movie industry is doing just fine regulating itself. Government involvement will only lead to widespread political and moral bias. If the government were to regulate the movie industry, porn would be gone, and nobody wants that to happen. Except the people who do. But they shouldn't impose their morals on the public.

</rant>

 

[Absinthe]

Hi,
1. Are the retailers to blame for selling the games?

Only to a certain extent, really. If a ten year old kid walks in to EB Games and is sold a mature title, then he should be held accountable, but only to the extent of whatever the store's policy is regarding such issues. However, if the parent comes and buys the title for the child, then it's out of his hands. The parent is responsible.

2. Are the developers to blame for creating such violent content?

Absolutely not. We don't censor writers and directors. We allow them to create their content. From that point, a rating is slapped onto it and it is up to the public to decide if they want to watch it. A minor walking into an R-rated film is entirely in the hands of the ticket vendor and the parents. In no way should the developer be held accountable.

3. Should the government step in and make sure that mature content doesn't get into the hands of children? i.e. stricter laws, larger fines.

The only time I will remotely advocate that is if they began to do the same for the film industry. I don't like double standards.

4. Would stricter laws help or hurt the gaming industry?

Might help for publicity. As for the sales, perhaps slightly. In the end, parents are still going to be buying these games for their kids. There will always be workarounds the same way there have been workarounds for films. That's an issue of parental responsibility.

5. Should the devs tone down the intensity of the violence?

If they personally feel like doing so, fair game. But they should be able to create what they want without any law imposing on the first amendment. The public will make clear their response with their money.

 

[torso boy]

1. Yes. Retailers should always check the ID of anyone who's not obviously over 18. If you're asking if they're responsible for parents giving it to their 12 year old kids who obviously aren't mature enough to handle the game, then no.
2. No
3. No
4. Hurt
5. No

^same for me.

 

[JellyWorld]

Why the **** do you need "maturity" to handle a game?

 

[navyseal2004]

Jellyworld, until you're 21, your parents are the ones who should be controlling you...

And you need maturity because only immature morons will go around killing people over a videogame. It's rare, but it does happen, especially in countries like Korea and Japan. People need maturity to be able to draw the line because it's not worth getting into trouble over a game. It's those immature people who think that life is all about gaming when it isn't. There is more than life to gaming. I'm sure everyone here isn't glued to their PCs 24/7. You have other things in life like your friends, sports, relationships etc.etc. But what I don't like is how different governments ban games because of isolated cases like stabbings etc.etc because it's not everyone who goes and commits those crimes. Like everyone has said, it's up to the parents to control what games their children play, not the government.

 

[KagePrototype]

1. Are the retailers to blame for selling the games?
>>>No

2. Are the developers to blame for creating such violent content?
>>>No

3. Should the government step in and make sure that mature content doesn't get into the hands of children? i.e. stricter laws, larger fines.
>>>Yes, some violent games shouldn't be sold to minors IMO

4. Would stricter laws help or hurt the gaming industry?
>>>It would depend on how extreme those laws would be, but I doubt they would be enough to cause damage

5. Should the devs tone down the intensity of the violence?
>>>No

 

[Smigit]

no, you just need a ratings system that allows adults to play games without letting children get them. Considering some of the trash movies you can buy, what is in games is hardly as bad (and when it is the system should prevent kids getting it)

 

[Griz]

1. Yes. Retailers should always check the ID of anyone who's not obviously over 18. If you're asking if they're responsible for parents giving it to their 12 year old kids who obviously aren't mature enough to handle the game, then no.
2. No
3. No
4. Hurt
5. No

Exactly what he said.

 

[satch919]

Thanks for all your comments guys! This will really help me out.

 

[Vigilante]

This is really weird...I JUST finished writing an essay about this very subject.