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Rating Game Content Here and Abroad
Gamespy has a piece on the game content rating systems across the globe. The article discusses both the actual systems used and the history of the choices made to shape them. From the article: "But the question now is: are these ratings effective? Most gamers would certainly agree that the ratings are accurate, and the majority of retailers do have rules against the sale of mature-rated games to children ... but it's always disheartening to see a mother buying GTA for her 10-year-old saying 'he'll just play it at his friend's house anyway.'"
The same soccer moms that eat every word Jack Thompson's ass spews out are the same ones saying "He'll just play it at a friend's house anyways."
Seriously, I once saw a 9 year old girl trying to get her mother to buy her GTA when I was buying a game, and I was disgusted.
The ratings are there for a reason. If the parents ignore the ratings, they should have no right to complain about their child.
However, if the child finds another way to obtain the game, the seller should be the one under fire, not the producer.
And this is coming from someone who hates most M rated games. I don't like them, but I'll be damned if someone else who is mature enough to play them is forbidden because some 5 year old shot someone after their mother bought GTA for them.
but it's always disheartening to see a mother buying GTA for her 10-year-old saying 'he'll just play it at his friend's house anyway.
You know what? That's not the game industry's problem. The ESRB does an excellent job of telling consumers what to expect from a game. If kids are still playing these games, it's the parents' fault. And TFA agrees:
It seems like no matter how many warnings you slap on the box, there will always be some parents willing to ignore them in order to appease their pleading youngsters. From that point on, the responsibility should lie solely with the parents who purchased the product -- and no amount of legislation upon the game industry can solve the social problem of poor parenting.
You're fired.
While I appreciate the humor, it actually works out in the retailers favor to be up front with them. It makes them more likely to come back to me for their kid's next purchase, since they know they can trust me to be honest with them.
And to any customer that asks me why I'd not want to make a $50 sale, I just tell 'em I don't want Jack Thompson suing me. They may not know who he is, but they understand lawsuits.
I think, though, that there's a big difference between that and parents feeling their kids are mature enough to handle a game. "He knows better" and "he can handle it" are, in my eyes, very different from "he'll just play it anyway." The first two show the parent at least pretends to understand what they're buying and understands they're kid, whereas the latter conveys a total lack of caring.
While I know there are parents out there that don't care, I think that phrase gets brought up in media far too often. It's a lot easier to villify the ratings and the industry by assuming all parents think they have no control.
"'he'll just play it at his friend's house anyway.'"
How hard is it so tell the kid he is forbidden to play it, and to call and talk to that other mother? Freaking make a 5 minute phone call. Tell other parents about the game, tell them "it's your choice if your kid plays it but I don't want mind playing it".