Poll: My opinion in what games are suitable for "young people"

[Contun]

As long as kids can play the game maturely and distinguish reality from fantasy they should be fine.
I've also learned that showing players respect will benefit you greatly.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

As soon as kids get to middle school they've hear every swear word on the english language and seen countless numbers of playboy magazines anyway, and provided their parents dont use parental blockers they've probably seen the most violent shit HBO has to offer when mom and dad where out to dinner. You're not really corrupting them with anything at that point.
Now, being allowed to use xbox live on the other hand, or at least the voice option on it, that should wait until they learn how to shut the fuck up.

 

[insectoid]

Normally I'd say when the parents think it is appropriate, but we are not yet at the point where most parents can make an informed decision, especially in regards to a media such as videogames, which they are unlikely to understand, or really care about.

 

[Dr. Gorgenflex]

There are some retarded 13 year olds that shouldn't be exposed to violent games at that age. I saw the results in my youth seeing kids who are that young, playing violent video games, and taking them out of context. But many kids can handle these video games though. By high school (grade 10 in Canada) everyone should be able to play any game including those rated M.

 

[gxs]

I think that the parents should decide when the kids get to play mature games. Because they know best when they are grown enough. The only exception is when the parents don't care or when they are overprotective .

 

[twistedshadows]

I would say when their parents think they're ready, but some people have completely ridiculous/irrational parents. Still, maturity has little to do with age, so I can't really give a standard age by which I think all people would be ready to handle playing mature games.

 

[KiKiweaky]

I was playing games that were 18+ when I was a kid dont think they've had much of an effect upon me. Except I'm addicted to violence and I love it =D nah seriously I dont really think they're that bad... certainly arent the root of all evil anyway.

Common sense really, kids shouldn't play games like manhunt etc... most shooters and stuff would be fine.

 

[Georgeman]

Completely up to the parents. No excuses. End of story.

 

[Iron Mal]

While it should be down to the parents to make that judgement it goes without saying that not every parent seems to have the responsability to do that (hence the huge number of pre-pubescent shits you'll encounter on Xbox Live) so we have a proverbial catch 22.

My parents were fine with me playing violent and adult games from a young age (the earliest I remember is Splatterhouse 2 when I was about six) but then again, I'm a rather passive and calm person (no risk of me going postal and blaming it on GTA).

In an ideal world we would be able to judge everyone's nature and temperment to see if they should really be exposed to certain things, sadly, we don't have the time or capacity to do such a thing.

 

[Pyotr Romanov]

Personally I think the ratings should be law. Any store caught selling/renting to anyone underage should face a hefty fine and the employee doing the selling should also face a fine.

They aren't, wherever you live? Here in Holland a shop can get fined quite a lot for selling something they shouldn't to someone who shouldn't buy it(best. sentence. ever.).
It took me 3 shops to get my copy -the game which I shouldn't name, as people will get off-topic-.

 

[FallenJellyDoughnut]

Personally I think the ratings should be law. Any store caught selling/renting to anyone underage should face a hefty fine and the employee doing the selling should also face a fine.

They aren't, wherever you live? Here in Holland a shop can get fined quite a lot for selling something they shouldn't to someone who shouldn't buy it(best. sentence. ever.).
It took me 3 shops to get my copy -the game which I shouldn't name, as people will get off-topic-.

I shall devote the next few days to finding out what game it was! ...
...
So what game was it?

 

[Pyotr Romanov]

Personally I think the ratings should be law. Any store caught selling/renting to anyone underage should face a hefty fine and the employee doing the selling should also face a fine.

They aren't, wherever you live? Here in Holland a shop can get fined quite a lot for selling something they shouldn't to someone who shouldn't buy it(best. sentence. ever.).
It took me 3 shops to get my copy -the game which I shouldn't name, as people will get off-topic-.

I shall devote the next few days to finding out what game it was! ...
...
So what game was it?

It might have been the one that was part of a major FPS series, and then left it, only to join it again...

EDIT: See? We already went off-topic

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

It should be up to the parents.

If the parents are incapable of making an informed decision about it via the labels on the back of the box, the children should be removed and put into care until suitable foster parents can be found for them.

Social Services is already bursting at the seems. Putting half of all children in foster care is asking for trouble.

But in all seriousness... the rating system is fine in terms of how games are rated and tends to be more strict then the MPAA. Retailers such as GameStop should at least pause when a parent is buying a M-rated game with a younger child and reiterate that it is a Mature title that they are purchising. The ESRB just needs to loosen up on online video content and it would be a shining example of a rating system that both works and isn't an arm of the government.

One note for the original poster: sentence structure is a wonderful thing, especially periods.