Would you let YOUR kids play?

[Mr. In-between]

I'd also like to point out that the whole "Kids need to learn that the world is a rough place and playing M rated games will help them learn that" is not only an extremely valid argument with sound premises, but is also incredibly mature.

/sarcasm

 

[omega_peaches]

I would let them play games like Halo, but I would have them wait till high school for online and games like GoW or GTA

 

[N1ceDreamz]

Anything within reason, I'm not gonna let them play manhunt or anything like that but random violent games like Call of Duty and all are fine by me.

 

[Kevlar Eater]

I'd let my kids play almost anything, as long as they:

1. Are able to differentiate fantasy and reality
2. Agree to me play-testing M-rated titles (for approval purposes)
3. Not talk much in stuff like Xbox Live (or listen to most people on it)
4. Stayed out of trouble in reality

I recall in my childhood... my mom didn't give a crap what I played, as long I stayed out of trouble, and I turned out okay. (cries alone in bed)

 

[CowboyfromHell666]

I'll let my kid play Gears and GTA when he is old enough, as in, when he's 7
He needs to learn at a young age right?

In all seriousness though, I might check what the game he/she would want to play is like if it is M. Hell, my mom lets me get rated M games no matter what. She even surprised me with one haha.

 

[Mechsoap]

if i had a son i would suport him, if i had a daugter, i would try make her play games, else i would also allow them watch porn when they get 13 since i started watching it, i would even play video games with them since i did it when i could move my hands

 

[AtticusSP]

Depends on the kid.
Not all kids react the same way, you know?

 

[RN7]

I'd probably let them play a T game if they were like 9-12. Maybe an M game depending on the content. I mean I played GTA3 when I was 10 and San Andreas when I was 13. There was nothing "scarring or negatively influencing my behavior", so I don't really see what the problem is. Unless the child is easily influenced. Then of course not. I might not even let them play spore because of the whole egg thing.

 

[Kiefer13]

I'd let my kids play pretty much anything, as long as they fully understood the difference between games and reality and I'd had a chance to play the game in question first (or at least had an idea of what kind of content it contained). I despise censorship, and believe that pulling the wool over children's eyes to "shield" them from violence and adult content instead of properly educating them about it from an earlier age can only stunt their development.

My parents (mostly my dad) allowed me to play games like the Grand Theft Auto series from when I was around eight, and it hasn't influenced me negatively at all, since they made sure that I knew the differences between games and real life, and my dad used to sit and play GTA and the like with me to begin with. That's basically exactly how I'd treat my kids.

Personally, I think that this next generation of younger games is going to have an advantage over the previous one in that since gaming is far more widespread nowadays, they are going to be far more likely to have parents that are gamers themselves or are at least a lot more knowledgeable in games-related matters than the parents of the previous generation.

 

[Rombor]

My parents let me play any game I want. I would probably let my future kids do that too. I would trust their being able to distinguish between fiction and reality. Just because you go around killing people in games, does not mean you will do that in real life.

 

[Slash Dementia]

I won't let my child (when I have one) play any M or T rated game without me there with (game has to be one I've played) them until they reach the age where they can understand stuff better, and I'd still want to be with them if they play anything else, so that I can spend time and help them if they get stuck.

I played Mortal Kombat on Sega Genesis when I was really young, and I feel that my dad did good by being there with me while playing. He explained stuff whenever I'd play a violent game.

Playing online is another thing... I think I wouldn't let them until they were mature enough.

 

[Ixcius]

They can go online when they're my age but other than that they can play whatever as long as they don't get nightmares.

 

[TheTim]

Whatever they want. And i would encourage them to talk shit online because its funny and builds character =)

 

[Danzaivar]

I'd make them play Dead Space when they was about 7 or so and sorta go from there.

 

[Abedeus]

I'd let them play only stuff from before 2005, then suddenly show them Crysis V: The Ultimate Cryoblastation of Hell to melt their faces with advanced, hyper-realistic and reality-enhancing graphics.

I won't let my child (when I have one) play any M or T rated game without me there with (game has to be one I've played) them until they reach the age where they can understand stuff better, and I'd still want to be with them if they play anything else, so that I can spend time and help them if they get stuck.

You would deny your children playing Diablo 2, or Persona games on PS2 (rated T) or... hell, anything 13+? Monster...

Naah I'm just making fun of your exaggeration. Seems to me like your dad didn't trust your judgment/intelligence. My parents never forbade me from playing a game I wanted, they only didn't want me to talk to my teachers about playing Diablo the day before my first communion. They got a little angry, because... well, it's not really a Christian game, not in the public's ignorant opinion that Diablo = player's character.

 

[omega 616]

Lets just say I would let my kids play manhunt, if they can't get very far then will either lose interest or be determined and get past it.

As for exposing them to graphic content, I have been playing 18+ games since they first came out and it hasn't had any negative effects on me. I might be desensitized to death and violence but is that a bad thing?

Never had any nightmares or become some social deviant. Most kids probably wouldn't like to play resident evil (you know, the older scary ones) after the novelty of playing an 18 wore off.

As for sex, I know when I was a kid, I just wanted action so I skipped all the cut scenes. If you take a game like dragon age, it took me about 60 hours to sleep with one of the NPC's (I didn't know you could), I doubt a kid is going to be giving gifts and dragging out the story just to sleep with a NPC or give them gifts (they would probably sell them for cash. I doubt they would realize what they were seeing anyway.

On to swearing, they are going to learn it somewhere and at some point no matter what you do (bar keeping them locked up under the stairs). Just have to follow it up with teaching the were and when to use it, don't want little Timmy telling his teacher to "fuck off".

So to top it off, nothing is too far. I think we put too much cotton wool round our kids these days, toughen them up a little.