Ailwon

Just curious how people on this board feel about this:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ame_violence_1

My pesonal take is this.....where's the discussion about the parents of these "kids". Politicians always want to put all the blame on the companies that produce these games or the retailers that sell them. Why the hell aren't the parents of these kids keeping an eye on what their kids are playing on their PCs and game consoles. The ultimate responsibility is in the parents. Granted I think game producers should be required to have their games rated for content and retailers should show due diligence not to sell M rated games (and R or worse movies) to minors....but the parents should be involved enough with their kids to see if they are playing games that are too violent.

I play some of the games they are talking about...just picked up Far Cry over the weekend (great game btw). I wouldn't let my 8 year old play, and turn off the gore, just in case he sneaks in to watch. He probably won't be able to play something like that for many more years. One of the biggest problems I see lies in the inability of some of this county's parents to distinguish what is appropriate for their kids and the outright apathy of some others.

Ibudin

Thing is I thought men ages to 18-35 are the largest consumers of video games these days. Easy fix..sell them were kids are not allowed. Parents need to wake up and actually start looking at what they are buying. It takes virtually minutes to decide if its suitable or not.

fildien

I agree completely!!!
Parents need to be parents and actually be responsible.
The idea of selling them where the kiddies can't go is a good one but I can see that causing some major gripes from the game mfc. In the end the parents should be more in tune with their children and what they are watching, doing, into, playing, etc.

__________________
Nurta <Shark Baby>
Mind Trick - Empire

Thormir

Blaming parents for their childrens' ills is politically unwise. Far better to play upon parental fears by telling them that video games, heavy metal/rap, and other scapegoats are to blame.

Kelraz Bladesinger

Thing is I thought men ages to 18-35 are the largest consumers of video games these days

That depends on how you want to frame that. Technically the largest consumers of video games are women between the ages of 25 and 55 I believe (according to Popular Science and The Washington Post recently, though I don't have links or anything). That includes all those games on Yahoo! and whatever that are free though, and other web based crap ... as well as hearts and whatever that comes free with Windows ... so its not the prime demographic and I'm not even sure if you can call them "consumers" as they aren't paying to play these games just playing in exchange for viewing advertisements. But just like how you can frame the argument one way, you can frame it another. Just because younger children aren't the prime demographic, they do still make up a big chunk of the industry.

Video Games are far more popular and make more money than the film industry. Even a few % of that multi-billion dollar industry (the young kids) is more than enough money to fill a few giant swimming pools for these violence peddlers!

Sadly what Thormir says is true, and Japan having a much larger share of the violent and graphic video games but a far lower share of the violent crimes seems to pass on deaf ears. Personally I love violent video games and one day down the line will be sure to have my kids play them with me.

fildien

I still think that parents should take the time to actually consider what that game is about that they are buying beforehand rather than just blaming the industry. The difference with you is that you know what it is and you will play it with your children, that's a big change from the parents who just buy, rent, whatever, games and give them to their kids so they can have a cheap babysitter. Parental interaction is better than just appeasing your child's wants.

I agree the argument can swing both ways but I still feel that it is up to the parents to filter and help their children interpret their entertainment choices. I like violent video games myself but I wouldn't let my kids play them until I feel they have reached a high enough age to understand some things. But, that's just me.

__________________
Nurta <Shark Baby>
Mind Trick - Empire

Tibbert

It should be left to indivdual families and parents to decide what their kids can watch, not law makers that know nothing about you or your family.

Cados Evilsbane

Agreed. Parents should regulate. I mean, I wouldn't want video games to be all about p0rn and what not, but nothing beats a few minutes on the virtual streets of Vice City. And another note, many times kids can walk into a Wal-Mart or Gamestop and buy a mature video game without the cashier giving them a second look. The ratings on games should be heavily enforced as far as the actual selling goes.

__________________

Ailwon

To some degree yes. I think the gaming industry has done what they needed to do by coming up with the rating system. The next step is getting retailers including internet vendors (though I'm not sure how that would be done short of what they do for adult checkers now) to shore up there end to make sure juvienals aren't buying M games on their own.

I think the movie industry needs to step up a bit too, making 'R' simply, under 17 not addmitted...period, end of story. I've seen too many idiot parents in 'R' movies with 4 year olds.....some people are too stoopid too stoopid to decide for themselves.

Trakeen