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GTA V Proves a Lot of Parents Still Don't Know or Care About ESRB Ratings

Posted by Soulskill on from the rated-L-for-learn-how-to-be-a-parent dept.

Deathspawner writes "Grand Theft Auto V has shown itself to be potential GOTY material, and has even managed to break a sales record already. But aside from that, the game has also become one of the most adult-oriented games ever released, with torture, drug use and sex prevalent not long after beginning the game. You'd expect this gameplay to deter most parents from picking the game up for their young children — but not so. An anonymous editorial at Kotaku written by a video game store employee says that out of the ~1,000 copies sold in the first week, at least 10% of them went to parents accompanied by a child. Clearly, this could be interpreted as a problem. Techgage adds that this is one of the biggest problems facing gaming today. With one breath, many parents criticize video games for being so violent, and with the next, they're saying 'thanks' at the counter after picking up these very games for their kids. While ESRB ratings and other warnings about violent games for kids have good reason to exist, many parents still ignore them, aren't aware to them, or simply don't care about their warnings."

14 of 621 comments (clear)

  1. Some people... by SpaceWiz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Some people still think that video games are only for kids, regardless of the content of the game. Getting past this idea would help a lot.

    1. Re:Some people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Some people also have the silly idea that violent video games can somehow harm children.

      Can we finally put this concept to bed, please? Your ten-year-old isn't going to be irreparably mentally harmed from playing GTA5. Or from watching a violent movie or sneaking a look at some porn on the Internet.

    2. Re:Some people... by TWiTfan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No, your kid is probably not going to be "irreparably mentally harmed" from being exposed to violent video games too early. But there is such a thing as exposing a kid to shit that they're too young to handle (or understand). And that's not a good thing.

      A kid's innocence is a precious thing, and it's a shame to squander it too early. That doesn't mean I want to have my 12-year-old still believing in Santa Claus, but I also don't want him introduced to the ugly world of violent crime, drugs, and prostitution while he's still in kindergarten either.

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    3. Re:Some people... by Nadaka · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Part of the problem is that that the majority of adults can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality either. How many people are religious after all? And even if you buy into the silly notion that one religion may be correct, then the billions of people who follow the other religions are still fully believing in fantasy.

      But then, simple violence and sex in media does not represent a fundamental attack on human rationality that religion in media does, even though it is somehow seen as more acceptable.

    4. Re:Some people... by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Ma'am, I must take 15 seconds before you purchase this game to inform you that it includes content such as fucking prostitutes in the back seat of a stolen vehicle and then murdering them to get your money back, as well as torturing and murdering ... basically anyone. Oh and fucking whores is a good way to make yourself healthy. Is this purchase for a child?"

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    5. Re:Some people... by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Funny thing about a lot of parents, at least in the US, is they believe that seeing a woman's nipple does more damage to a child's innocence than any amount of gory body shrapnel.

    6. Re:Some people... by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's worth remembering here that the objection is not that children do not possess the ability to recognise the difference between fantasy and reality, rather it's that they're "impressionable". Their behavioural patterns are still being established, via a system of negative and positive rewards for their behaviour.

      Normally, when a child commits a needlessly aggressive act, they are negatively rewarded by their parents telling them off, or possibly by the parents hitting them in (hopefully) extreme circumstances. When a child plays a violent video game, the game purposefully rewards violent behaviour with things like progress, a sense of achievement, unlockables/collectables, etc.

      Being children, they unconsciously associate the endorphin rush with aggressive acts, or at least, the aggressive acts they commit to video game characters. The obvious question, of course, is whether that positive association with simulated violence corresponds to a positive association with actual violence, or even just aggression. That's something for the behavioural psychologists to decide. Until they do, I think it would be wise to exercise caution.

      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
    7. Re:Some people... by VortexCortex · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Some people also have the silly idea that violent video games can somehow harm children.

      Can we finally put this concept to bed, please? Your ten-year-old isn't going to be irreparably mentally harmed from playing GTA5. Or from watching a violent movie or sneaking a look at some porn on the Internet.

      ... or from hunting deer, or slaughtering their own food, or gutting a chicken, or seeing everyone running around nude in Africa.

      It's interesting isn't it? A 3rd world child knows more about reality from merely existing than a child in the USA. You laugh when the 6 year old child thinks women have penises too, or that men don't have them... You fumble for words to describe the cycle of life and death as if such simple things aren't known to any who helps cook meals... Then you wonder why as they grow older they have severe relationship issues, teen pregnancy, and haven't a care in the world about politics, or their nation's killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in blame shifted retaliation for a terrorist attack that killed a few thousand.

      If you ask me, we should be showing the kids even more "violent" video games. Let's have 3rd grade curriculum require playing a Hiroshima survivor simulator... Or at least watch the cartoon. That's how your war budget could get redirected to NASA instead: Stop raising vapid ignoramuses.

    8. Re: Some people... by SCPRedMage · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think the harder part for you is realizing the fact that evidence the people held these beliefs in the past is not the same as evidence of truth of these beliefs.

      --
      My sig can beat up your sig.
    9. Re:Some people... by Kjella · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Most religions really have the same message. Be good to each other. The details and names are different. But that's really what it boils down to. I'm sure there will be replays talking about all of the bad things that religion has caused over the years. But most of those have to do with power mad people twisting the main message to meet their own perverse goals

      In summary, you've never actually read the texts but imagined what it is you would like them to say. Religions aren't egalitarian and universally generous, they're highly exclusive and competitive. My religion is right, everyone else's is wrong. Good things will happen to you if you follow my religion, bad things will happen to you if you don't. Spread my truths and stop the unbelievers from spreading their lies. It's all different versions of carrot and stick, not just carrots and not for everyone. They all sell you on a similar story whether it's Heaven, Jannah (Islamic Heaven), Nirvana (Buddhism) or Vaikuntha (Hinduism) but while you don't care which religion, the religions do. If you don't accept Jesus Christ as your savior you're still going to hell and that's not really open for interpretation. We just like to quietly ignore those parts that aren't palatable in a multicultural world.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  2. Different Parents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "With one breath, many parents criticize video games for being so violent, and with the next, they're saying 'thanks' at the counter after picking up these very games for their kids."

    Maybe these are two different groups of parents...

    1. Re:Different Parents by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well.. this and the U.S. still has this puritan crap going on in the background that makes general violence and minimal amount of gore FINE but that showing too much of a boob (or anything slightly sexual) will TOTALLY CORRUPT MY BABY!

      Seriously... killing people is fine but something that makes you feel good and is a gift to mankind.. NO WAY. OMG!!

  3. I can't believe I have to mention this by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "With one breath, many parents criticize video games for being so violent, and with the next, they're saying 'thanks' at the counter after picking up these very games for their kids."

    Are the same people saying both of these things? Or is it possible that "parents" includes millions of different people who feel differently about many things.

    1. Re:I can't believe I have to mention this by SeaFox · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Also, it can't be possible these "parents buying the game with kids on tow" are buying the game for themselves never intending to let their child play it, too.

      Just like when a family is at the store and buys beer as part of their weekly grocery shopping -- they must be letting their children drink.