Video game Bans

ARE THEY SERIOUS?!!?

« Last edited by Pokemonaster on Jun 26th 2007 »

Please post something other than a link. I can tell you're against it obviously but elaborate... Types of controversial topics should stay here though, so any super mods / administrators, please don't move this.

I think it's a good idea to put some type of rule up for selling violent games to minors, but a felony? No way! Probably one of my more satirical posts here, but- What do a bunch of old people in politics know about the effects of video games on children?

This is just yet another example of how video games are scapegoated for violent crimes comitted by minors. It was discussed in detail in another thread, I believe.

This has been gone over so many times.

...

The review board can disagree with violent games sure, but if adults are allowed to watch and purchase the same level of gratuitously explicit movies, then why not games? It's reidiculous.

Something else that annoys me is the fact that Australia is the only Western Country that doesn't have an R18+ rating for video games. This means that any games deemed too excessively explicit for the MA 15 rating get refused classification, therefore never being released, and getting banned.

Some examples...

Reservoir Dogs,
Mark Ecco's Getting Up,
Original Version of GTA: San Andreas,
Bully (the title was only released after agreement to rename it "Canis Cavem Edit")

Reservoir Dogs is brilliant.

Video games are blamed for violence because society cannot admit that it is to blame for its own decline. There has been violence since the dawn of mankind, and there have been video games since maybe the 1960s. Does anyone else see the slight time gap there?

I wouldn't be too keen on moving to Australia, if that's the case.

I agree with what Pandaemonium said. The government doesn't like the fact that kids today are staying indoors playing video games when they should be going out and enjoying the sunshine. What the government appear to fail to realise is that there's no sunshine 24/7. In fact, in the UK it rains more than all other weather systems put together. But it's due to this fact that the government will blame video games and their "effects" on children.

Besides, has anyone heard of big historical society declinations such as peasants revolting and attempting to throw down their leaders? Plenty have happened in the past, and I'm still trying to think of one that's happened since video games were released.

Actually Haiti Revolted in 1964 when Dr. Francois Duvalier Declared himself president for life, but back then haiti was a relatively poor country, and could not afford video games. (I am part hatian, so i know ths stuff)

These people seem to think that it is entirely the games fault if a kid plays a game and then does something because of what he played, I've yet to play a game like GTA and come off it thinking 'that was fun, but i bet it would be more fun if I did it for real'. There needs to be something wrong with the kid in the first place.

But the thing is, nobody can protest, as that would prove that we are too "attached" to these games... Razzin Frazzn Mthrfkrs

I actually think that they should make it illegal to sell highly rated video games to minors. I mean, it does make sense, once you think about it. some kids are just too immature to handle some very violent games, and should not view/ play them until they are of age.

^ My argument for teens that are under the age restriction has always been...

Don't let the dumb kids who can't tell the difference between reality and game play those vioent games. The responsible ones should be allowed to play them as much as they like.

Agreed. The stupid impressionable ones who imitate everything they see should be made to play Tetris until they're 20, then sent to work on construction sites. That way, they'll become contributing members of society and video games will gain points for helping.

On 28-Jun-2007 Pandaemonium said:

Agreed. The stupid impressionable ones who imitate everything they see should be made to play Tetris until they're 20, then sent to work on construction sites. That way, they'll become contributing members of society and video games will gain points for helping.

But then when they complete a row, and it doesn't dissapear, they're likely to be highly distressed and prone to suicide.

Bugger. I clearly didn't think this through well enough.

On 28-Jun-2007 TestVirus101 said:

But then when they complete a row, and it doesn't dissapear, they're likely to be highly distressed and prone to suicide.

So you're actually saying that stupid people committing suicide is bad? It keeps the population in check AND the smart people aren't the ones who die.

*agrees with Volke* It's a win-win situation. Well, ok, maybe not so much for the stupid people, but...

Seriously though. If kids are impressionable enough to get seriously influenced by violent video games, their parents should be able to recognise that and stop them playing violent video games. In fact, with most kids, the opposite's true. For most kids, playing violent video games actually reinforces the distinction between right and wrong.

On 28-Jun-2007 Volke said:

So you're actually saying that stupid people committing suicide is bad? It keeps the population in check AND the smart people aren't the ones who die.

Ah yes, but then then if they all commited suicide... video games would get banned and that wouldn't be very fun at all =/

On 29-Jun-2007 TestVirus101 said:

Ah yes, but then then if they all commited suicide... video games would get banned and that wouldn't be very fun at all =/

Actually the wouldn't, because smart people still play them without receiving any negative effects. And it's not like the government cares for all the idiots anyway.

All the politicians like to blame the games for creating all of this bad behaviour because its a good excuse for them, instead of the fact that they are failing to stop this sort of behaviour, its not there fault so it must obviously be the games fault.

i think this is riducles most places here (dallas texas)already wont sell a m game to miners here
but i can buy any m game or explict cd i want
even though im under age i still look like im 18 or so they say