Poll: Not allowed to buy an M-rated game

[PrayerofRefugee]

I went to Gamestop to buy BioShock because of their sale and I was asked for id. I showed him my driver's license and he said he was not allowed to sell the game to me.

I turn 17 in less than one month! (M-rated games say 17+)

Also, the majority of my game collection are rated M to begin with.

So do you think they were right to say no to me buying the game?

EDIT::::

After the responses I have received from this thread (along with convincing reasons), I also believe they are right.

 

[Holty07]

Rules is rules. I went to buy a game when I was under 15 (Ma is 15+ in Aus) and I was refused. Mum had to go and buy the game for me. I think it's fair. If a game has been deemed unsuitable for a particular audience then the store has to impose the classification. Otherwise what's the point? I think at least if your parents do buy it they know what they are getting.

 

[Sovvolf]

Sadly, yes, he was in the right. I know it sucks but you are one month off, by law he can't serve you no matter how close to the age you are. Yeah it's a pain in the arse for you but him doing so is both against the law and a sackable offence... Think about it, put your self in his position, would you risk being sacked just so some kid could obtain a game illegally?. He probably has no opinion on you or the law, it's quite possible if it was up to him, he'd sell you it no problem. Remember, this fellow would have been your age before and known what it was like. However it's not up to him, it's up to the law.

 

[delet]

Technically you should be able to buy it. You're at least 17 or older so you should be able to buy a game rated for people age 17 or older.

 

[MellowFellow]

I think they were right to do this because it is 17+ and you said you are not 17 so they have the right to not sell you the game.

 

[ethan22122]

if you only a couple months off 17 then they should fair...

 

[dls182]

Having been on the other end of this situation, they were absolutely right. The law must always be upheld wether you're five years or or one day away from turning 17.

I'm not willing to cop a $5000+ fine because I let someone hire an MA15+ movie/game the day before their 15th birthday

 

[Amondren]

Unfortunately your not 17 YET so yes i call it fair but whatever if i was in charge i wouldn't bother with rating after all you just ask your parents.

 

[Valkyira]

Yeah... You answered your own question by saying that you aren't actually 17 yet.

Game store workers are required by law to ask for ID, if they don't, they would get into trouble.
I used to work at such a store and although I knew these underage people were mature enough to play, I still had to ask for ID because otherwise I would've been fired...

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Yes. You're still a month off. It may be a stupid rule, but it is still a rule, and if it wasn't in place and enforced, people would be able to exploit it, or the entire system would collapse.

You might say, what difference does a month, a day, or whatever make, but then it gets dangerous, because if a day off doesn't matter, surely two days doesn't, if a month doesn't matter, surely two months doesn't? And sooner or later the entire system collapses, meaning 12 year olds are legally allowed to buy games.

A line has to be drawn somewhere, you just ended up on the wrong side of it this time.

(Of course, I can say this because I'm 20 and British, which means I'm basically entitled to do anything I want in my home country, with no age restrictions on anything.)

 

[yankeefan19]

They're just following the law. In less than 1 month you can go in and buy M games legally.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Those are the rules, I'm afraid. And like it or not, we have to abide by them. Because if we don't, we give Jack Thompson more ammo for his argument on how easy it is for kids to get M rated games. And no on ewants that.

 

[Grayjack]

Technically you should be able to buy it. You're at least 17 or older so you should be able to buy a game rated for people age 17 or older.

He said he turned 17 in a month.

OT: They were doing their jobs correctly.

 

[mornal]

Legally they are not permitted to sell you a 17+ game whether you are 5 years old or 16 years old and your birthday is the next day.

Go back in a month or get a parent/someone to pose as one.

 

[delet]

Technically you should be able to buy it. You're at least 17 or older so you should be able to buy a game rated for people age 17 or older.

He said he turned 17 in a month.

OT: They were doing their jobs correctly.

Oh, ok then yea, they were completely in the right, I misread it.

 

[Booze Zombie]

So do you think they were right to say no to me buying the game?

Doesn't matter about the details of your life, man.
They care about that big fat number.

They're not willing to get themselves fined into oblivion over selling someone a game the rating doesn't allow and I don't blame them.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Technically you should be able to buy it. You're at least 17 or older so you should be able to buy a game rated for people age 17 or older.

Ah, but he wasn't at the time. They were technically in the right.

They're not willing to get themselves fined into oblivion over selling someone a game the rating doesn't allow and I don't blame them.

They're actually being fined now?

 

[Rathy]

They were just doing as they were supposed to. It sucks, but thats how it is.

I guess my counter example here is should you be able to buy alcohol(in the US) at 20 years and 11 months? Its the exact same thing in my eyes. Theres a restriction on the age for a reason.

 

[mcgroobber]

sorry to do what seems to be adding insult to injury, but even if it were a day before a persons birthday, they wont bend a rule, a rules a rule