Game hardware makers to restrict access to 'harmful' games

[BJ_M]

Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft, Nintendo and other major makers of video-game hardware are considering introducing self-imposed controls on the sale of violent games to young people, it has been learned.

The firms' proposal follows the Kanagawa Prefectural Government's classification of the PlayStation 2 game "Grand Theft Auto 3" as a "harmful publication."

The makers have suggested requiring buyers to provide identification when purchasing video games that are recommended for users aged 18 or over.

The distribution committee of the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, which consists of game manufacturers and other businesses, is considering cooperating with software makers and retailers in restricting access to games.

"We need rules to restrict sales, but we want to leave discretion on expression in games to the industry," an official from one manufacturer said.

Moves toward restricting access to video games increased following reports that a youth arrested for murdering and injuring victims in a knife attack at an elementary school in Neyagawa, Osaka Prefecture, on Feb. 14, was an avid player of an action game whose theme is to kill zombies.

In a scheduled briefing in March, Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa announced plans to place restrictions on violent games, a move that Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara praised.

[thecoalman]

I was asked for ID at Best Buy when I bought DOOM3. I don't even get carded at the state run liquor store and they card anyone that looks even remotely underage.

[mbellot]

Wow.

With as much Doom (the original, and still the best) as I've played over the last decade or so I guess I'm overdue for a murderous rampage.

[smearbrick1]

Wow, I used to be big Tomb Raider fan. Guess I should probably getting that sex change surgery so I can start my life a thrill-seeking (female) archeologist/adventurer.

[RottenFoxBreath]

theres a little known thing called "parenting",which in these days,seems to have been forgotten,and now its easier to pass the buck than to say,"oh yeh,i let my kid play a violent game,and he went out and knifed someone,oops my fault."
as a parent,my kids want to play my gtaa,i say no.
i didnt play resi4 with them in the same room,i dont let them see movies i think are unsuitable for them,and i assume there normal kids.
unlike some of the fucktards that go about whose parents couldnt give a shit,or dont punish them for doing wrong.
parenting skills are something they should be looking into,not just id-ing for stuff like this.
its all bullshit,passing the buck,and nothing will come of it,kids will still play them,murders,senseless attacks will still happen and the world still turns.
i mean,how many time did jack the ripper,the yorkshire ripper,ted bundy,et all play gta,doom,resident evil etc.?
answer-never.

[mbellot]

i mean,how many time did jack the ripper,the yorkshire ripper,ted bundy,et all play gta,doom,resident evil etc.?
answer-never.

But I have heard that they were all horribly addicted to the game hangman.

[VideoTechMan]

Showing ID's to buy Mature games I dont think will do much good, because all a kid has to do is say "mommy i want that game" and then the stupid parent goes out and buy the game, therefore defeating the purpose of the ID process and when they get home the kid gets the game and plays it.

I just dont see how that will work.

[BJ_M]

well it gets the parents somewhat involved

[lordsmurf]

So this is in Japan, right?
USA already cards for "M" games, must be 17.

[BJ_M]

i thought in usa it was suggested rating only , not a requirement, what do i know .. i dont buy much in games

[lordsmurf]

i thought in usa it was suggested rating only , not a requirement, what do i know .. i dont buy much in games

Self-imposed at all the stores I know of. I don't buy many games either. I mostly watch this happen to others in the check-out line. It's funny when some little brat is told by the store "your mother has to come in if you want to buy this".

[greymalkin]

as an adolescent/teenager i loved playing games filled with senseless violence and unspeakable acts against humanity. I would explode in laughter as I ran over crowds of people on the street and electrocuted them with my car-mounted ray-gun as body parts flew all over the place...the joy of playing the game was derived from the ridiculous amounts of gore and by the fact that we all knew it was a game.

If I was on the street and happened to see someone fall and break their arm i would probably hurl or at the very least look away in disgust. If someone plays a video game and then goes out and kills people that shows a serious mental issue there...the game can't be blamed for you being a psycho.

in short, i am in total agreement with the above statement that it is all a bunch of blame shifting. When I used to watch he-man they went around kicking butt, now the new he-man cartoon tries to tackle those tough personal issues like."i don't feel like i'm an important part of your team, he-man"

it's the wussification of america :P

so take out the belts, pull out the "because I said so"'s and "I'll give you something to cry about"'s...lets take our country back!

[Nilfennasion]

Funny... people like Ed Gein came from families where the head figure was a domineering bully that regulated every aspect of their children's lives and put funny ideas into their heads about human relations. Has anyone in America heard the word "overregulation"?

[RottenFoxBreath]

Funny... people like Ed Gein came from families where the head figure was a domineering bully that regulated every aspect of their children's lives and put funny ideas into their heads about human relations. Has anyone in America heard the word "overregulation"?

hmmmm,theres a game idea in there somewhere,now.....what to call it...oh,i know,"family bully",where you have to bully the shit outta yer kids,ruin there minds,bodies,and lives,then set them free into the wild.nice.all royalties payable to me.

[Joe The Dude]

If it were "On The Books Illegal" for a minor to be in possession of a game rated M, when a child does get his or her hands on a game, and then happens to commit a heinous crime, the game manafacturers will not be legally responsible.

Thoes who like to point the finger-of-blame at the game makers will only have the parents (and/or the actual responsible entity) to point to, as the games that are targeted at adults will Clearly Be Targeted At Adults.

The parents and/or whatever persons allowing a minor to be in possession of it will be legally responsible.

It appears, at least to me, to be just an extension of existing laws that help prevent minors from getting ahold of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and X-Rated materials.

Edited to add: If an average person lives for 70 years without any major health issues, and you subtract 18 years from that, one is left with about 52 years unbridled purchasing options.

[guns1inger]

Has anyone in America heard the word "overregulation"?

This is from someone living in Australia, where we now regulate software through the same classification system as our movies, except that if a game qualifies for higher than an MA rating, it does not get released.

It appears, at least to me, to be just an extension of existing laws that help prevent minors from getting ahold of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and X-Rated materials.

Edited to add: If an average person lives for 70 years without any major health issues, and you subtract 18 years from that, one is left with about 52 years unbridled purchasing options.

If the do gooders have their way, there will be no smokes, no booze, no porn. We will all live to 100+ years, but it will seem more like 300 years of incredible boredom. They will have to ban guns just to stop the population killing themselves because there is no fun left at all.

[mats.hogberg]

How come noone has protested over the parental control built into our DVD players? I guess it will be a similar mechanism in the game consoles.

/Mats

[guns1inger]

I don't believe I have ever seen a DVD that utilises it. At least, none of my (extensive) collection have mention of it on the cover or disk. What should I be looking for ?

[mats.hogberg]

Actually, No idea - but I've read that my player has some "parental password" option, that can be set at a level of my choice, and if the disc played has a rating "beyond" my password level, it can't be played back without the password. If the disc is unrated - then I guess it will play anyway. (As you might deduce, I've never used this "feature".)
I'd suspect games would work the same way - just that console manufacturers have greater control over those developing for their format, perhaps forcing the developers to rate their game. Is there any tool that reports this DVD rating?

/Mats