Schwarzenegger Urged to Keep Mum On 'Unconstitutional' Game Law

[Doug]

This coming from the ultra violent movie star wow what a hypocrite.

To be honest, he's saying voilences is fine, just that kids shouldn't be allowed to buy GTA - like the 18 certificate on the box says.

EDIT:

The thing is, their not saying "Don't sell M rated games to minors", There saying "Don't sell games with violence to minors", you guys realize that's about 85% of all video games on the market, right?

Ah, I see. Limiting M rated games so under 16's couldn't get them would probably have been better. Right, now I think I see why you all have a problem with it.

 

[Simriel]

I don't agree with censorship, but selling games meant for Adults to children, is ridiculous. In the U.K some games with extreme content have a legal certificate. Most games don't but something like Manhunt, or Gears Of War does.

Indeed. I do think he has a point, although 18 is a tad extreme. Plus it depends on how much voilence/harm constitues "virtual harm". For example, would a Saturday morning childrens cartoon count or not?

As for Manhunt vs Gears o' war, I think its a matter of presentation. In manhunt your Average Joe and you get up close and personal views of how to kill someone. a) It might actually teach people how to effectively murder, and b) it lacks the distance of unbelievability that Fernix's frigging extremely over the top muscles have.

EDIT:

To an extent, isn't Arnold just saying what we've been saying? That games aren't just for kids? Granted, he's going about it in the wrong way (and the LA Times was also right in that it's the parent's responsibility), but he wasn't as wrong as some people here are painting him.

Agreed

If I was a father, I would NOT want my 10 year old kids watching the extremely graphic chainsaw bayonet scenes. Once they where 14 or 15 sure. But not at the ages that some kids seem to be playing it at.

 

[Ultrajoe]

ultra-violent actions.

Ultra-violent, you say?

I declare this bill as an infringement on my rights as an Ultra citizen of a different country. When i didn't come to that land, i did it in the hope that i would be able to maim and destroy animated creatures with my bare, pixellated hands. All i wanted was a place where my children could grow up in various gory settings, because i know that would be all they sought. I knew, deep down, that what would truly matter in their lives was that they would be able to slaughter and maim.

I am just an Ultra joe, one of little worry or care, but the day you take away my splatter, is the day you take away my soul.

And the best part of it is, half the people who read this will get it wrong.

 

[Yassen]

I actually think this is a good thing. Just like that Bill Jack thompson recently got passed about fining stores that sell R or MA rated games to kids who don't make the age requirement.

Yes I agree with Jack Thompson, but only this one thing. Let's face it, MA and R games are rated that way for a reason. Because kids aren't meant to be playing it. Just like the legal drinking age, kids shouldn't be drinking, they may not like it, but it's for the best. So stop whining and go play a game rated for your own age. Just because they're not adult games doesn't mean they can't be good. Take Ratchet and Clank or Psychonauts as an example.

 

[Angron]

tbh, im havbing a hard time seeing the problem, he wants violent video games to have a higher rating right? this will stop little kids getting their hands on them and acting like arses, well ok, it wont, but it should cut down on them walking round thinking they are cool cause they act like CJ or any of the GTA characters...

and if the kid is responsible someone can get it for them that know that they arnt gonna do something stupid.

i just fail to see how this is 'restricting our freedom' or whatever

correct me if im wrong, thats just how i saw what was being said here...

 

[Doug]

I don't agree with censorship, but selling games meant for Adults to children, is ridiculous. In the U.K some games with extreme content have a legal certificate. Most games don't but something like Manhunt, or Gears Of War does.

Indeed. I do think he has a point, although 18 is a tad extreme. Plus it depends on how much voilence/harm constitues "virtual harm". For example, would a Saturday morning childrens cartoon count or not?

As for Manhunt vs Gears o' war, I think its a matter of presentation. In manhunt your Average Joe and you get up close and personal views of how to kill someone. a) It might actually teach people how to effectively murder, and b) it lacks the distance of unbelievability that Fernix's frigging extremely over the top muscles have.

EDIT:

To an extent, isn't Arnold just saying what we've been saying? That games aren't just for kids? Granted, he's going about it in the wrong way (and the LA Times was also right in that it's the parent's responsibility), but he wasn't as wrong as some people here are painting him.

Agreed

If I was a father, I would NOT want my 10 year old kids watching the extremely graphic chainsaw bayonet scenes. Once they where 14 or 15 sure. But not at the ages that some kids seem to be playing it at.

True. Although technically, if I where a father, I'd want them playing manhunt even less, but I do see your point - however, according to wikipedia, the age rating for Gears of war is 18 by the BBFC.

 

[Simriel]

I don't agree with censorship, but selling games meant for Adults to children, is ridiculous. In the U.K some games with extreme content have a legal certificate. Most games don't but something like Manhunt, or Gears Of War does.

Indeed. I do think he has a point, although 18 is a tad extreme. Plus it depends on how much voilence/harm constitues "virtual harm". For example, would a Saturday morning childrens cartoon count or not?

As for Manhunt vs Gears o' war, I think its a matter of presentation. In manhunt your Average Joe and you get up close and personal views of how to kill someone. a) It might actually teach people how to effectively murder, and b) it lacks the distance of unbelievability that Fernix's frigging extremely over the top muscles have.

EDIT:

To an extent, isn't Arnold just saying what we've been saying? That games aren't just for kids? Granted, he's going about it in the wrong way (and the LA Times was also right in that it's the parent's responsibility), but he wasn't as wrong as some people here are painting him.

Agreed

If I was a father, I would NOT want my 10 year old kids watching the extremely graphic chainsaw bayonet scenes. Once they where 14 or 15 sure. But not at the ages that some kids seem to be playing it at.

True. Although technically, if I where a father, I'd want them playing manhunt even less, but I do see your point - however, according to wikipedia, the age rating for Gears of war is 18 by the BBFC.

Halo is a 15. Strangely the 'Rainbow 6 vegas' series is not legally rated.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

So... what's the problem? He wants to make it so that kids can't buy adult games? What's wrong with that? Here in Blighty you have to be over 18 in order to buy an 18-rated film, why should games be different? At the end of the day, it just means fewer brats throwing bile at you over Xbox Live.

I must admit, that thought crossed my mind as well, but in the US, video games are protected by the first amendment and so prohibiting their sale without a good reason is a big no-no.

It's worth mentioning that the BBFC are often more lenient with their ratings than the ESRB. For example, in the UK Halo 3 was rated 15, but in the US, it was rated M, meaning that, if it became illegal to sell mature games to minors, it would have sold far less copies than it actually did. Considering that the US is the largest video game market in the world, anything that would have a major impact on sales is not only going to severely impact the profitability of some games, but will also have repercussions for the rest of the world.

In essence, America sets the pace for the rest of the world when it comes to video games.

 

[Inverse Skies]

I must admit, that thought crossed my mind as well, but in the US, video games are protected by the first amendment and so prohibiting their sale without a good reason is a big no-no.

Whilst I agree with the principles behind the first amendment, the part about the laws governing the freedom of speech does seem to create a lot of problems. It's amazing to think that a reason such as an ERSB classification would not be strong enough to prohibit sales of mature video games to minors. It seems like it just creates unnecessary hassle and red tape for a lot of things but, again, I can see the sound logic and principles behind it.

In essence, America sets the pace for the rest of the world when it comes to video games.

When America sneezes the world catches cold... Seems like this phrase is applicable to the videogames industry and not just the stockmarket. It is interesting to think how sales would have been affected if such a wide-sweeping law were to come into effect, but in this age of political correctness it wouldn't surprise me at all if such a thing were to happen.

Here in Aus we've had plenty of games banned from sale (Yatzhee makes a point of this many times) but the restrictions on M15 (recommended for over 15s only) and MA15+ (15+ only) is so light you could happily walzt into any store and buy them, but for some reason we oppose games such as Silent Hill 5. Madness. We're obviously just as bad unfortuanetly.

 

[dochmbi]

Making M games illegal is just going to make them more popular (kids just love the forbidden stuff) and cause a big increase in piracy too.

 

[Captain Blackout]

This whole thing pisses me off to no end.

1) Arnold is doing it for political reasons. Period. There a rating system and that needs enforced but unless I just missed it because it wasn't in the article he not talking about the rating system.

2) Star wars. Arnold's stand means almost _every_ _last_ star wars game. Are you freaking kidding me? I tried to find the a case I heard about. Rule was no violence in games against law enforcement. Law was directed at GTA. Anyone play KOTOR recently? Arnie's being obtuse and stupid. No, I'm not being redundant, he's pulling both off at the same time. And then some.

3) I have a 12 year old stepson. He brought a GTA game home one day. His mom didn't want to just take it away for some good reasons. I pointed out the hot coffee cheat. Any and all argument ended. My stepson. Not my child, not my place. Guess who makes the rules about video games in the house? Not the kids. Not my wife anymore. The experience gamer, ME! The rating system NEEDS strengthened and enforced but I don't need the rating system. I can manage my family just fine without it.

Video games are an easy target for political grandstanding. Political grandstanding leads to poorly written laws that do stupid damage along the way. Businesses get hurt, taxes get wasted, civil liberties get ignored and time gets wasted on smaller problems while far bigger ones get short-shrift.

So, in short: HEY ARNIE! I'm talking to YOU! You have a $42 billion problem so quit wasting money and time until you have something intelligent to say!!!

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Maybe if it wasn't so easy to get a game rated M nowadays...Though I do disagree with this bill for another unmentioned reason. If you are 17, you are a minor. Therefore, with this bill, you can be old enough to buy it according to the content descriptor (17 and up), but not the law, which is bollocks.

 

[NiceGurl_14]

Well, it seems that everyone is on the same page here. I'm glad to see that people are actually making valid comments about this kind of issue.
Where I live it's actually harder for a kid to get a hold of an M rated game but fairly easy to obtain an R rated movie. If they pass this law I say that we swarm the area in one mass protest.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

So what, no games or movies featuring <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUEvDKHsus4 target=_blank>marshmallows allowed?

Again, there exists a voluntary rating system for a reason. If the parents are having problems understanding the system and instead want the government to take over the raising of their kids, I request that it be paid by a tax on children. We have plenty of people complaining of the cost of videogames; how did your kid afford to purchase that game in the first place? If it's with the money you gave him to go out, on his own, and purchase a video game, and you're not going to take the responsibility to find out which place sold the 'offensive' game and address the issue yourself, then you might as well give that money up in taxes. I'm tired of paying for lazy-minded legislation.

 

[nova18]

So... what's the problem? He wants to make it so that kids can't buy adult games? What's wrong with that? Here in Blighty you have to be over 18 in order to buy an 18-rated film, why should games be different? At the end of the day, it just means fewer brats throwing bile at you over Xbox Live.

True, Im in the West Midlands (UK for people who are confused) and you get asked for I.D in games shops when you buy an 18. Not a problem for me because I turned 18 last year, but it does stop a lot of kids from buying these games, which is kind of the whole point.

But obviously America is different, and whilst games are covered by the constitution, kids can and will get their hands on games that werent made for them to play.

 

[Sgt Doom]

For some odd reason, this gave me the image of a Soviet propaganda poster featuring Stalin breastfeeding a baby with the words "The State: The best parent" on it.

 

[CUnk]

So if a game contained live-action scenes of graphic sex then this would bypass the laws that prevent the sale of porn to minors? Quick! Someone get Larry Flynt on the phone! He needs to know about this.

 

[level250geek]

This is the man who made his fortune off of ultra-violent movies that had about as much regulation as video games do now: a ratings system and that's it. So he wants to black list violent video games as much as possible "for the children" yet he didn't seem to care that his ultra-violent movies might damage the wee little ones' psyche?

Shut up you stupid hypocrite.

 

[level250geek]

So... what's the problem? He wants to make it so that kids can't buy adult games? What's wrong with that? Here in Blighty you have to be over 18 in order to buy an 18-rated film, why should games be different? At the end of the day, it just means fewer brats throwing bile at you over Xbox Live.

True, Im in the West Midlands (UK for people who are confused) and you get asked for I.D in games shops when you buy an 18. Not a problem for me because I turned 18 last year, but it does stop a lot of kids from buying these games, which is kind of the whole point.

But obviously America is different, and whilst games are covered by the constitution, kids can and will get their hands on games that werent made for them to play.

The problem is that its redundant. There is already a ratings system; we don't need even more "Don't buy this bad horrible evil thing of Satanic evil evilness" labels.