All the World's Wrongs: Games At Fault!

[randombs]

The GTA games get around a lot of the controversy by being bloody good in their own right. If a game is good, people will defend it. The problem with Hatred is that it doesn't seem to have much going for it other than the shock factor. Also, it'll be easy to rally against because the imagery conjures up memories of <mass killing-spree event here>.

It'll be interesting to see how this 'develops', especially if they manage to turn it into a half-decent game. Either way, when it's released I bet I'll want to play it just to see what it's like.

[Neon Ignition]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-03-30-headteachers-threaten-to-report-parents-who-let-their-children-play-18-rated-games

Your kid played a round of CoD? Take cover. Some headteachers have threatened to report parents of kids who play popular games such as CoD, GTA etc to the police and/or social services

[Brad]

Report them for what I wonder? it's not like they've broken any law!

[CMcK]

The retailer has and the parent is complicit in supplying to someone underage. The PEGI ratings on games are legally enforceable.

[Neon Ignition]

If I was the parent I'd probably report them back for wasting police time I remember being shown a video at school about how kids should be wary of dodgy adults coming on to them, presented by Rolf Harris. I should report the headmaster on that too whilst I'm at it

I miss common sense.

[Dogg Thang]

My daughter (7 at the time) was playing at a house with a friend and it turned out after what they were doing was watching the older brother play Watch Dogs. The older brother, eldest kid in the house) was 10. I wasn't happy.

[CMcK]

It amazes me how many people pay no attention age ratings and let their bairns watch and play anything. Considering how easy it is to block access to content on consoles and mobile devices it should be commonplace these days.

[Asura]

Report them for what I wonder? it's not like they've broken any law!

It's a form of complaint over the new laws, mark my words. They'll come up with loads of spurious stuff in the next year or so ("teachers will report parents for taking kids fo Burger King because of obesity", "teachers will report parents for letting their kids stay up late", blah blah blah) in the hope the government will drop the proposal, because they don't want to be legally responsible if kids are abused by their parents.

I sympathise, because whilst teachers should report cases of abuse, this stuff is too easy to see in hindsight and not so easy at the time.

[Brad]

The retailer has and the parent is complicit in supplying to someone underage. The PEGI ratings on games are legally enforceable.

Really? Is this the same for movies? Like if I let my daughter (nearly 14) watch a 15 movie I'm breaking the law? Or is it only if I let her play a 16 or 18 game?

[Dogg Thang]

I thought it was just retailers rather than parents - http://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/7...me-ratings-law

[Decider-VT]

Really? Is this the same for movies? Like if I let my daughter (nearly 14) watch a 15 movie I'm breaking the law? Or is it only if I let her play a 16 or 18 game?

We couldn't refuse a sale to an adult if we knew a DVD or game was being supplied to a child by the parent or guardian. Didn't stop us from doing it occasionally if the parent was an obvious berk though. Seeing the smile disappear from a kid's face and a fuming parent storming out of the shop was good sport on a GTA launch day.



(I finally get to post the horrible video that we all had to watch every few months... and for 12 years, in my case. 01:55 for the relevant part and god, I can still recite it almost verbatim. "... bad games, full of killin' and muggin!")

[Dogg Thang]

I didn't watch the whole thing. Is there a plot point that explains why all their shops are invisible?

[The Moleman]

Really? Is this the same for movies? Like if I let my daughter (nearly 14) watch a 15 movie I'm breaking the law? Or is it only if I let her play a 16 or 18 game?

I don't have kids so my opinion on the matter is without any real insight but I consider exposing children to certain 18 related material to be a form of abuse. Yep, I've said it.

Of course it will vary depending on the child and their parents will have a good idea of what they're ready to be exposed to, but I've seen 1st hand how COD used as a babysitting device will turn young children into swearing, abusive, racist, aggressive rage kids... Just join any online shooter and listen to the pre-game lobby chatter and you'll see.

[Decider-VT]

I didn't watch the whole thing. Is there a plot point that explains why all their shops are invisible?

Budget, presumably- obviously they spared no expense on the acting talent. The truly horrifying thing is that it's filmed on the road where I live.

[nakamura]

I don't have kids so my opinion on the matter is without any real insight but I consider exposing children to certain 18 related material to be a form of abuse. Yep, I've said it.

Of course it will vary depending on the child and their parents will have a good idea of what they're ready to be exposed to, but I've seen 1st hand how COD used as a babysitting device will turn young children into swearing, abusive, racist, aggressive rage kids... Just join any online shooter and listen to the pre-game lobby chatter and you'll see.

Is that down to the game though?