Do game ratings actually work ?

[DarkHuntress]

I know the gaming industry has a rating system and uses it. However I know kids under the age of 17, way under, that have "M" rated games. The funny part of all of this is that most of the time its an adult or parent who buys the game!

Does it work? I don't think so at least not the way it was intended.

 

[delet]

It's up to the parents to actually enforce those ratings. Ultimately, the parent should make the decision as to whether or not their kid is mature enough to play certain games, but sadly too many parents drop the ball on this issue.

 

[Miumaru]

Bad parents are bad parents. If bad parents want to be bad parents, fine, but don't blame everything else for th faults of bad parents.

 

[dbmountain]

funny story, i turn 17 next friday. this tuesday i went to go buy RDR and the lady wouldnt sell me it...

 

[delet]

funny story, i turn 17 next friday. this tuesday i went to go buy RDR and the lady wouldnt sell me it...

Because you're technically not 17 yet. It could mean a good deal of trouble for the person who let you buy that game if you did get it on Tuesday, no matter how close you are to your birthday.

 

[Lightslei]

The rating system doesn't work and doesn't transfer well with the gaming generations. Look back at some of the earliest M rated games and today it's like "Wait, wait, wait, how is this supposed to have the potential to scar a kid for life?"

 

[MisterShine]

I was 19 or 20 at the time, and I went to go buy Bioshock (that was a whole other mistake)

I didn't have my license on me, though I did have my college ID. It is also important to note that I had an a large amount of hair, both on my scalp and on my face. I looked like I just climbed down out of the Appalachians with an axe and my trusty blue bull. So for whatever reason the dude asks me for my ID, so I say I'm sorry I don't have one that shows my age, but heres my college ID dated from two years ago showing I'm in college.

The prick actually told me he didn't believe I was 17 or older.. I was aghast. He made it clear that he wasn't just doing his job and following the rules, he honestly thought I was trying to pull a fast one on him. I walked out in stunned silence, went to the FYE next door and bought it. In retrospect I think Allah was just trying to tell me not to waste money on the game.

 

[PredatorKing]

Call Of Duty, Fallout 3, and Gears Of War.


No, I don't think the ratings system does anything.

And then there are organisations like Machinima based around exploiting the fact that little kids are out pwning n00b f@gs in Modern Warfare 2 and such...

 

[sircashews]

No it doesn't work and the resqon for that is the ratings don't make any sense a perfect example of this was in my junior year when I was sixteen Devil May Cry 4 came out. I went to Gamestop where the guy working there saw me get out of my car walk in and told me that I wasn't old enough to buy an M rated game. I had to call my parents and have one them come down to buy it for me. So while I was waiting me and the guy working there came to an amazing conclusion. It is perfect legal in the US to own a car, a two plus ton piece of machinery,and to work a job. But if the letter on a box is M it is crime to sell me the contents of that box. I'm glad that they try to keep the twelve year olds off online shooters but if obviously doesn't and just inconvenient mess for people between the ages or 15-16. I think it's good concept but it fails consistently in practice.

 

[Altorin]

they work as long as they give parents the information they need to make decisions about their kids gaming. If the parents don't care, then that's their problem, not the rating.

 

[Tallim]

It's up to the parents to actually enforce those ratings. Ultimately, the parent should make the decision as to whether or not their kid is mature enough to play certain games, but sadly too many parents drop the ball on this issue.

Exactly this, plus so many parents don't take the time to understand that games can be as graphic as movies. As the next generation of parents evolves they will be more aware as gaming is much more prevalent.

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