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Forums - Gaming Discussion - House of Representatives Introduces Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act

thekitchensink said:
I believe that the very foundation of the ESRB is flawed. Of course, they theoretically provide a necessary service, as games should be rated just like movies and tv. But the difference is, if I'm not mistaken, that these other mediums are rated by government standards, and not private ones. Right now it's just a bunch of parents watching a video and saying "I don't want my kid playing that, so no others should."

 Your completely wrong. Movies and TV shows are rated voluntarily just like games. It's just that those ratings have become accepted.

 As for the bill, this time I see no issues. ITs a similar bill that is on movies. People can;t walk into a R-rated movie without age verification, at least not in the good theaters.



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The government wants more money.  That's what I see...



I thought most places already card you for M games anyway? And I know you can't go into a theater or buy rated R movies without being 18, so what's the big deal?



rocketpig said:
Good God. I wish people would step back and remember that this country is a Republic. This is the sort of thing states are supposed to handle. We don't need the Federal government sticking their nose into every fucking situation.

Individual states can argue that their State Constitution offers greater freedom than the U.S. Constitution, and that's where the Federal Government will falter.

Of course, there is that two/thirds of states voting for it which will make it enforceable nationwide.



The state's rights argument sounds good. I live in the city that declared war on the United States over that issue.

The reality unfortunately is that Congress may be run by idiots but our state legislature is run by their retarded cousin (idiots squared).

Of course none of this would be a problem if parents took the time to pay any attention at all to what their children are doing.(Note to Parents) Put some decent monitoring software on their computer and you will be in for a HUGE shock



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The question is, how many % of American parents would outright refuse to buy M/R rated games when their kids want them?

If the % is high enough, they'll have at least cut down a lot of unintended purchases.



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ssj12 said:
thekitchensink said:
I believe that the very foundation of the ESRB is flawed. Of course, they theoretically provide a necessary service, as games should be rated just like movies and tv. But the difference is, if I'm not mistaken, that these other mediums are rated by government standards, and not private ones. Right now it's just a bunch of parents watching a video and saying "I don't want my kid playing that, so no others should."

 Your completely wrong. Movies and TV shows are rated voluntarily just like games. It's just that those ratings have become accepted.

 As for the bill, this time I see no issues. ITs a similar bill that is on movies. People can;t walk into a R-rated movie without age verification, at least not in the good theaters.


Definately a good thing. I agree. And the fine is pretty good too. I'm surprised about the opposition seen here, since this is nothing but a good thing for people who like violent games. By preventing the kids from playing them, they get to come more widely accepted. Although, it would kill 80% of the market if it would work. You win some, you lose some. And besides, it would also give a lot more room for artistic freedom. For example in most countries in Europe, a principle is used that (nearly) anything is possible as long as it's rated correctly.

Ei Kiinasti.

Eikä Japanisti.

Vaan pannaan jalalla koreasti.

 

Nintendo games sell only on Nintendo system.

The opposition to this bill is mostly kids under 18.

lollers



Parokki said:
Can anyone name me a single game where the main character actually rapes someone? I honestly can't think of any. Plenty of games where you get "high scores" for killing the most people, though.

I support the principle of enforcing age restrictions, but the fine here is way over the top, and this guy's ridiculous rhetoric is making it very hard for me to sympathize with him.
The underground world of Japanese Hentai games (H-games) does have games where the protagonist can rape girls.

A google search revealed a game called "Eternity Rape"

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=com.ubuntu%3Aen-US%3Aunofficial&hs=F8p&q=h-game+rape&btnG=Search&meta=

 



Stever89 said:
I thought most places already card you for M games anyway? And I know you can't go into a theater or buy rated R movies without being 18, so what's the big deal?

 The difference is that the MPAA's ratings are not enforced under federal statutory law. Movie theaters, Blockbuster, and so on voluntarily consent to carding movie-goers, and can decline to do so if they so wish - if, for example, they have some sort of issue with the MPAA's rating process. The whole system is "opt-out," and it sort of works.

This bill would make it so that distributors and sellers of video games cannot opt out of the ESRB's rules for rating, in effect making them subject to the will of a private entity under the law. And that private entity is free to set whatever standards it will for censorship, irrespective of Constitutional or Congressional law. If you cannot see the danger here, then I'm just not sure what else to say.

So, the issue here is not one of keeping violent games out of the hands of children. Heck, doing so may very well be a good thing. But Congress does not have the power to delegate legislative authority to private, nonregulated entities, period. 

@ z64dan: There's plenty of adults out there (like myself) who are opposed to governmental abuses of power, no matter what form they may take.



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