Slashdot Mirror
GTA V Proves a Lot of Parents Still Don't Know or Care About ESRB Ratings
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."
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.
"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...
No mom, this isn't one of those bad videogames. Trust me.
The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
This type of irresponsible behaviour shouldn't be tolerated.
These so-called "parents" should have their parenting licenses revoked, and their children impounded and/or destroyed.
"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.
I'd say parents know about ratings -- in fact, they know not only about their existence but also quality. And, especially, relevance.
In other words, they don't give a f...
If your children hasn't seen enough porn already, I pity both you and your offspring, as this means you keep them in a cage.
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
The fact that someone bought the game while accompanied by a child does not mean they're buying it for the child. My brother often takes his kids to the game store, and and may buy game for himself or for his kids. Or, frequently, both.
That said, yes, there probably a lot of people too clueless to realize that the one game that is probably the most famous of all games in the world for not being for kids isn't for kids. But trying to estimate the number of people in that category by counting the number of people who happen to buy it while having a child in tow is just as clueless, in quite another way.
What we need is a law forcing parents to raise their kids the way I think they should be raised.
We still have people saying that Michelangelo's David is pornography.
As people have already pointed out, the parents who complain about violent video games are not the same parents as those buying it. However, when one parent buys it for their kids and another doesn't, it brings about the issue of loaning the game or going over to the other child's house to play it. Unfortunately, it should not be the responsibility of the industry or the government to censor or ban these types of games - it is still the responsibility of the parent wanting to restrict their child from the game to raise them in a manner where they not only avoid purchasing it but instill in their child a willingness to abide by their restrictions. Alas, many parents do not want to go this extra mile and fulfill their duties as a parent. (Yes, I know it is hard - but just as life is not fair, parenting isn't easy.)
Because graphic violence only gets a game an M rating. Full nudity and sex automatically get a game an AO (Adult Only) rating. Most retailers refuse to stock AO games and getting an AO rating is effectively a death sentence for a console game since the only place you'd be able to sell them is the Internet and smaller stores. If you want big sales your game has to be sold in Walmart, Toys R Us, Gamestop etc.
1 4/\/\ 1337
And BOY do they get mad if they happen to see something like "High School of the Dead" or "Queen's Blade".
I let my 3 kids play the GTA series. I even taught them how to fire REAL guns.
Yet they have never committed a violent act against another human being. Because they know video games are entertainment and fantasy. And they know the devastating power of real firearms and their intended purpose. They also know the value of human life and that violence is a desperate last resort.
They also know that if it ever comes to violence.... you need to be able to dish it out effectively and win.
Ya see.... I don't need the ESRB or the government telling me how I should raise my own kids. I'll raise them how I see fit and society can f**k off. I really don't care about the opinion of the masses of panicky, scared, arrogant, pompous mothers with extra cash to throw at lobbyists and "ratings boards". As far as I'm concerned they'd be better off spending all that cash on booze and choking on their own vomit.
They can shelter their kids to the point of being useless, "entitled", drooling retards but the second they try to force their views upon me, we have a problem. Oh... and for the record.... my kids are straight A students with a great interest in the Sciences and History. They also happen to like mowing down prostitutes in GTA for amusement after their homework is finished.