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Manitoba To Rate Video Games

Posted by timothy on from the good-one-eh dept.

Cowards Anonymous writes "The government of Manitoba has introduced legislation requiring video games to have ratings system similar to that of movies, according to this story in The Winnipeg Sun. There is no word on how much this will cost, or what criteria the Manitoba Film Classification Board will use to determine whether a game should be available to those under 18 or not."

16 comments

  1. I don't get it. by Txiasaeia · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The blurb says that Manitoba wants to bring in video game ratings, and the story confirms that most video games *already* have ratings. What's going on here? Do they really want to waste more taxpayer's money on coming up with a new classification scheme? Why don't they just pass a law that says "Don't let kids under 13/18 play Teen/Mature" games and save us all a whack of cash?

    --
    Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
    1. Re:I don't get it. by Drakin · · Score: 4, Informative

      Make the gaming companies provide a -proper- rating.

      There's a lot of games that aren't rated quite as they should be (I beleive that was the subject of a previous story)

      But either way, the Manitoba film board goes and re-rates movies to thier own standards.

    2. Re:I don't get it. by Curtman · · Score: 5, Informative

      I'm a Manitoban. Yes they absolutely want to waste taxpayer's money. Our current provincial government is what you would call extremely populist. They've been doing all kinds of whacky things like "reforming" labour laws. You'd really have to live here to understand just how nuts these guys are. Check out the fantastic back-patting on their web page.

      They even have the intestinal fortitude to put on there "Balanced Budgets and Lower Taxes". The reality of the situation is that the Conservative party that they took over from, balanced the budget for many years in a row after cleaning up the mess left over from these yahoo's. Then passed legislation saying that if the government did run a deficit there would be all kinds of salary implications for the mucky mucks.

      They just released their latest budget, raising many taxes. The NDP had now run a defecit 3 years in a row. You'd be VERY hard pressed to find anyone outside of NDP caucus who can call this a surplus budget. In fact there are many examples of news stories condemning their accounting.

      Manitoba auditor: Budget contains deficit
      Manitoba set to bring down 'realistic' provincial budget
      Manitoba increases taxes

      I could go on, but I think I'm about to explode with rage.

    3. Re:I don't get it. by Curtman · · Score: 1

      This is pretty off topic I admit, but it's another local story that is definitely YRO. I just thought I'd share it.

      The seeds of hate Racists' move into Manitoba alarms activists

  2. But what about books? by lightspawn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How should I know which books are appropriate for my kids?

    Take the bible for instance. Is this really appropriate for under-18s?

    Are we going to see this every time a new artistic medium is created?

    1. Re:But what about books? by nifboy · · Score: 3, Funny
      Are we going to see this every time a new artistic medium is created?

      Yes, yes we are.

    2. Re:But what about books? by black+mariah · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Go into a bookstore. Books are separated and clearly labeled as to target audience and genre. Most book stores have separate sections for children and young adult books. Stores that carry videogames don't have anything like this.

      Improved ratings on videogames is something that EVERY gamer should promote and welcome. If it keeps morons from jumping up the ass of videogames every time some dipshit kid shoots his friend, it's something that should be supported. So you're 13 and can't buy GTA 3 on your own. Guess what? You shouldn't be able to, any more than you can get into an R rated movie.

      Personally, I'd let my 13 year old play GTA, but whiny jackasses need all the deterrance from bitching we can throw at them.

      --
      'Standards' in computing only impress those who are impressed by things like 'standards'.
    3. Re:But what about books? by Txiasaeia · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Asking about whether the Bible is appropriate for kids under 18 is like asking whether a short-story anthology with 30-40+ contributing authors is appropriate for kids under 18.

      "How should I know which books are appropriate for my kids?"

      Same way as you *should* know for video games - try them out. Letting the government decide for you is, IMHO, bad parenting. Caveat: this is coming from a guy whose oldest son is 5 weeks old.

      --
      Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
    4. Re:But what about books? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Take the bible for instance. Is this really appropriate for under-18s?

      The difference is the bible does not, unlike games today, contain wonton violence, rape, widespread destruction, abuse of minorities and killing of our fellow humans without also carrying A POSITIVE MESSAGE.

      Context, people.

    5. Re:But what about books? by cammoblammo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I guess it's ultimately the parents who have the job of parenting. I'm as guilty as anyone (that's right! A /.er with children!) of expecting the almighty PlayStation to do my babysitting for me. But all of the games my children play have been played by me, and the TVs in a place where I can see what's going on.

      In a few years the kids are going to want a bit more leeway in the games they play. I sort of hope that if I've been doing a good enough job of parenting they're going to make good choices when they choose their games.

      Now this also goes for books, and any other media they want to use.

      But the job of raising those kids belongs to me. If I expect the government to tell me what my kids can and can't watch, I'm not doing my job properly. And if I expect the checkout operator at K-Mart to tell my kids what games they can and can't play I'm certainly not doing well.

      It's my job as a parent to keep up with what my kids are doing. I'm not Superman, so I can't do the job perfectly, but I can make an effort. I can at least know what games are around, and read the covers to see what's in them. I can talk to the kids about it, and they can use the skills I've taught them to convince me one way or the other if I should let them play. Those skills will enable them to start to make their own decisions about these things. I won't be here forever!

      I also have to learn that there may be redeeming features in otherwise unsuitable media. For example, something like Counter-Strike mightn't be suitable for my 6 year old, but it can still teach things like the importance of teamwork and compromise.

      The Bible, now that you mention it, shows life in all of its many shaded colour. It has it's low points--gang rape, genocide and so on. Some of it was written in the depths of depression, other parts written in the ecstatic highs of life. Other parts have some pretty damn good teaching about how to live the good life, and other parts spell out how to develop strong communities.

      In other words, all those things I see on the 5 o'clock news. That's life, and I'm happy for my children to read it--with the appropriate guidance.

      --

      Cogito, ergo sig.

    6. Re:But what about books? by lightspawn · · Score: 1

      The difference is the bible does not, unlike games today, contain wonton violence, rape, widespread destruction, abuse of minorities and killing of our fellow humans without also carrying A POSITIVE MESSAGE.

      Context, people.

      Could you please provide a positive context for these?

      "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (I Samuel 15:2-3)

      "Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." (Numbers 31:16-18)

      "And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain." (Deuteronomy 2:34)

      "And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them." (Ezekiel 4:12-13)

      "Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up." (Hosea 13:16)

      "A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord: and there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed. A shamefaced and faithful woman is a double grace, and her continent mind cannot be valued." (Eccles. 26:14-15)

      "For from garments cometh a moth, and from women wickedness. Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which bringeth shame and reproach." (Eccles. 42:13-14)

    7. Re:But what about books? by phorm · · Score: 1

      That's because games are sorted by console, and then alphabetically, which - as faras finding the game you want - is a smart thing.

      Sorting games by console/rating/letter might get a bit confusing, and stores wouldn't want games to be unsold because they couldn't be found.

  3. bad news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    this is bad news for the 17 inhabitants of the Canadian province Manitoba.

  4. Their site sucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Check out their site:
    Where is Manitoba?
    http://www.gov.mb.ca////////assets/imag es/airacces s_sm.gif

    Overview:
    http://www.gov.mb.ca/itm/trade/invest /strategic/qf 1.html

    Thanks for the info.