California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

[RPGD]

California Assembly Bill 405, which aimed to ban the sale of violent games to children, failed to pass the other day. Assemblyman Leland Yee, author of the bill, stated: “Today, the financial influence of the $10 billion video game industry was able to squash the efforts of the Girl Scouts, PTAs, and our health professionals.”

What say you this?

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

Weren't violent games already not allowed to be sold to children?

[IRC]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

In the same way that people under 17 years old can't get into R rated movies.

I think somebody needs to come up with the perfect plan for videogame sales that will outline the various age limits and the corresponding level of content in the game, come up with penalties for stores that do not follow the age limits, and then make it a law.

I think that lawmakers want to rally against the videogame industry and make an issue out of violence in videogames, so that the soccer moms and bible thumpers will vote for them, but not actually accomplish anything so that the industry lobbiests won't get mad at them. They just want to make a show and get their TV time. It's politics, thus it's not going to actually do anything.

But if you could one reasonable piece of legislation inacted then hopefully other states would just follow that standard and the issue would be put to rest once and for all.

[Kire]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

A parent should be allowed to buy a mature rated game for his kid. It should basically be treated like the movies.

[Nixon]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

The problem is that too many parents are idiots and don't check into the games their little kids want before buying them. Then they are SHOCKED at what they see, have a hissy fit and want to blame anyone but themselves for their ignorance.

It's the parents responsibility to monitor what their children do/see/watch/play/etc. The game industy already has a ratings system in place for this sort of thing. It's not the industry's fault that parents are stupid.

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

Was this the bill that had the idea of placing M-rated games together on the higher shelves? That might've helped a little.

[Vonwert]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

Yeah, Nixon is right. While I was waiting in line to buy GTA: SA, there were parents with small children buying the game for them....

[Liquid Snake Simulation]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

I know 6-year-olds whose parents bought them violent video games like San Andreas. Some parents aren't even bothered how violent the game is. Some just get them the game because either they know it's the game everyone's playing, or they just want to shut their kids up.

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

I know that I pestered my mom until she bought me Mortal Kombat when I was less than 10 years of age, but she had the idea to sit me down and make sure that I understood that what I was playing was not okay to do to people in real life, and that it was make-believe.

GO COOL PARENTS.

[Magus]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

DITTO.

We were allowed all the gore we want.

[archerarmored]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

[the video game industry was] able to squash the efforts of the Girl Scouts [and PTA]

MEN > WOMEN

[Valkysas]

Re: California Anti-Game Bill Didn't Make It

stores SHOULD be held responsible if they sell T or M rated games to people who arent old enough for them. then the lawsuits of game companies would stop.