Supreme Court to decide hte future of Video Games

[sodacat]

You can count the numbers however you like, they're still going to side against you. M rated games don't sell anywhere near remotely as well as T and E rated games. The biggest game developer in the world is the owner of Farmville. You think they're going to waste time on M-rated games?

[FullMetalX]

Originally Posted by sodacat

You can count the numbers however you like, they're still going to side against you. M rated games don't sell anywhere near remotely as well as T and E rated games. The biggest game developer in the world is the owner of Farmville. You think they're going to waste time on M-rated games?

Farmville is a free game with microtransactions. Your logic is flawed.

Also, it's hard to judge numbers when you give me data on video game franchises that have been around for decades compared to those that are brand new.

Here are the numbers according to the NPD: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news...es-of-All-Time

4/10 games in that list are M-Rated, 2 of them ranking 3rd and 4th.

[Clickme]

Take into account also that the majority of gamers are over 18, and that average age of gamers is 33.

[vidgamer85]

Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with the way that games are marketed and sold right now. Most places DO deny sales of games to underage customers, which is completely reasonable. If a parent is buying a game for their kids then its their own responsibility to look into it beforehand.
I have only one issue. Really, why they don't just use the same rating system as movies is beyond me. The movie rating system is far more sensible, and having only one system would make the entire thing more intuitive.

[Clickme]

You're right on the parents looking into it thing, heres the real loop: in over 90% of sales involving a minor, the parent of guardian was present at the time of sale. Most kids that get M-games get them online, which this law doesn't so much as mention. IT only effects retail sales.

However, the FTC has hailed hte ESRB system above even the MMPA. Movies have a letter rating which stands alone... you already need to know what a PG or an R means before you get there, and if you wanna know WHY something's rated-R you have to look it up online. The ESRB system not only gives you a letter rating for quick reference, it also (in the same area) explains that (IE: M: for MATURE) and shows the general age for that rating (M: Mature; ages 17+), and on the back in easy to find print it lists the specifics such as Alcohol reference, mild language, blood, comic mischief, fantasy violence, blood and gore, suggestive themes, partial nudity, nudity, strong language, etc. I believe their are over 30 individual descriptors that can be used to let parents and buyers know exactly whats in a game.

[King Aragorn]

I was just thinking, Clickme: don't you think you are overreacting? And believe me, I would know a thing or two about that.

First of all, do you really think the people who buy videogames still buy it from retail stores? I don't know how it is where you come from, but where I live, the most played videogames are the ones on the Playstation 2 and 3, and most of those games are purchased by street vendors who got them by downloading them off the internet. Very few people buy videogames in retail stores where I come from.

And second, do you really think retail stores are really gonna stop carrying those games just because of the new rating? I don't think so. Just look at movies: I can easily find retail stores that sell movies like House of 1000 Corpses, Saw IV or even Blood Freak. If retail stores have no qualms about selling gore porn movies, then what makes you think that they are gonna be reluctant to carry games with the new "mature" brand? I seriously doubt all the stuff about video games becoming sanitized would happen, simply because I doubt retail stores would refuse to sell those games.

[FullMetalX]

Wow, I don't know where you live, but everyone I know still buys games from retail stores.

Also, those movies you just listed are Rated-R and there is no $1000 fine for selling those films to a minor. Basically, under the new provisions, a $60 sale can turn into a $1000 fine. Think about it. On top of that, the law does not make it clear just which video games would be affected. They're not targeting M-Rated games. They're saying they'll get to decide which games fall under the new law and which don't. Again, no retailers sell AO rated games for a reason. Categorize certain games on the same level as porn, which is what the law is actually doing, and normal retail stores will probably stop selling them.

[sodacat]

Aragorn, where do you live? Eastern Europe? South Africa? Things are vastly different in western Europe, North America, and Japan/S. Korea.

[tjlemke]

Everyone I know buys from retail stores and come to think of it I don't know anybody that has ever bought or downloaded a game illegally. Music though...that's another story.

[Drachen]

Originally Posted by sodacat

Aragorn, where do you live? Eastern Europe? South Africa? Things are vastly different in western Europe, North America, and Japan/S. Korea.

Forget it Jack, it's Chinatown.

[vidgamer85]

Originally Posted by Clickme

You're right on the parents looking into it thing, heres the real loop: in over 90% of sales involving a minor, the parent of guardian was present at the time of sale. Most kids that get M-games get them online, which this law doesn't so much as mention. IT only effects retail sales.

However, the FTC has hailed hte ESRB system above even the MMPA. Movies have a letter rating which stands alone... you already need to know what a PG or an R means before you get there, and if you wanna know WHY something's rated-R you have to look it up online. The ESRB system not only gives you a letter rating for quick reference, it also (in the same area) explains that (IE: M: for MATURE) and shows the general age for that rating (M: Mature; ages 17+), and on the back in easy to find print it lists the specifics such as Alcohol reference, mild language, blood, comic mischief, fantasy violence, blood and gore, suggestive themes, partial nudity, nudity, strong language, etc. I believe their are over 30 individual descriptors that can be used to let parents and buyers know exactly whats in a game.

Then there is no issue. The parent buys it, it's their damn responsibility. Buying a game willingly when the retailer is specifically selling it to someone who is of proper age should automatically make you responsible for it. I mean come on, when was the last time you heard of a someone suing a porno company because they bought it and their kid got a hold of it? same situation as far as I'm concerned.

As for the rating system, all I'm saying is why not have them all be the same. I don't give a flying fuck if the FTC somehow thinks the ESRB is better, we all know what the MPAA's rating system is, and frankly it makes more sense. The problem with the ESRB is that unlike the MPAA's system, it doesn't take into account parental consent. There is no equivalent for PG or R ratings, just these very black and white zones of what is and isn't within a certain rating.

But I digress, this crap still isn't going to be passed, so I'm not worried.

[FullMetalX]

Actually, the M-Rating is the gaming equivalent of an R-Rating. M is the 17+ rating. It says so right on the box. M - Mature 17+.

EC - Early Childhood = G
E - Everyone = PG
E10 - Everyone 10+ = Low PG-13
T- Teen 13+ = High PG-13
M - Mature 17+ = R

Unless the MPAA immediately starts rating video games, the ratings for them aren't gonna change. Besides...the ESRB ratings make more sense.