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Edited by The Manliest Man:
1/21/2013 1:57:26 AM
34
New House Bill would make sale/rental of Video Games w/o ESRB ratings illegal.
[url=http://thehill.com/images/stories/blogs/flooraction/jan2013/hr287.pdf]The Bill itself[/url]
[quote]A House bill introduced earlier this week seeks to apply stiffer penalties to retailers who sell or rent adult-rated video games to minors.
The Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act submitted by House Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, would require ratings labels on all video games and ban the sale of video games rated Mature or Adults Only to minors.
Any violators would be subject to a $5,000 fine.
According to the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the video game ratings system is voluntary, but nearly all video games sold in stores carry a rating. "Many U.S. retailers, including most major chains, have policies to only stock or sell games that carry an ESRB rating, and console manufacturers require games that are published on their systems in the U.S. and Canada to be rated by ESRB," reads an FAQ on the board's website.
And the video game industry seems most aggressive in enforcing its ratings. According to a 2011 survey by the Federal Trade Commission, the video game business was best at enforcing ratings on entertainment purchases.
The FTC survey found only 13% of minors were allowed to buy a game rated M for Mature or higher at a retailer. By comparison, 38% of minors were able to purchase an R-rated DVD, 33% could buy a ticket to a R-rated movie and 64% bought a CD with a "Parental Advisory Label."
The ratings bill is one of several pieces of legislation considered as the debate over violent video games following the shooting in Newtown, Conn., presses forward. A state bill introduced in Missouri urges a sales tax on all video games the board rates Teen or higher, while other federal lawmakers such as Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W. Va., are pushing legislation to explore the affects of violent video games.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama urged Congress to fund research exploring the impact violent video games have on children. "We don't benefit from ignorance," Obama said in a speech unveiling a broader gun control plan. We don't benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence."[/quote]
So, what do you think of this? I personally hope the people of the internet and gaming communities can pull through and pull of something along the lines of what was done for SOPA and PIPA.
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Stores in my area already refuse to sell games rated M+ to minors... Anyways, I'm not surprised the dude is from Utah, home to the dude who shops with an assault rifle strapped to his back.
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Edited by westpointusma15: 1/23/2013 3:43:29 AMI don't see how anyone can see this as a bad idea. It's a rule that needs to be better enforced. It's a bad sign for our generation when kids know that holding your breath can help stabilize a weapon when aiming and that burst firing is more accurate than full auto. Games are so realistic looking and graphic these days that most of them can be considered violence emulators rather than video games, especially to younger people (under 18)
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It's a good job I don't live in 'Murica then.
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Well, they are enforcing the sole purpose of ESRB rating. This is NOTHING like SOPA/PIPA.
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I don't get it. So they're just wanting to make it illegal to sell adult rated video games to minors? That's cool with me. It's not like most major retailers don't already do that.
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If something like this passes expect to see a decrease of M rated games over the time. Vendors will be less inclined to carry them due to the fine associated with selling them to minors, over time devs will dial down making them because they don't sell as well.
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1 ReplyEdited by BADMAGIK: 1/21/2013 7:26:40 PMFunny how all of sudden people don't want government intrusion. You can only blame yourselves. You idiots were sitting on this forum preaching about how all guns need to be banned because you think in your imbecile minds that guns are the problem. Well now look what you've done with all your government support. You have now opened the flood gates so now the government feels the need to go in and try to ban anything remotely close to being violent or what they feel is a violent contributor. Good job internet. Always using common sense...................................oh wait, the internet is filled with a bunch of brainwashed liberal media morons.
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Edited by HurtfulTurkey: 1/21/2013 6:43:27 PMAin't even mad; haven't had to have a parent with me for several years.
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I love it. It's not enough but it's a step in the right direction.
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[quote]On Wednesday, President Barack Obama urged Congress to fund research exploring the impact violent video games have on children. "We don't benefit from ignorance," Obama said in a speech unveiling a broader gun control plan. We don't benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence."[/quote] Sometimes I feel he's the only person in the media who uses some common sense for this issue.
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[quote]A state bill introduced in Missouri urges a sales tax on all video games the board rates Teen or higher,[/quote]Also, this is a piece of shit, and they should -blam!- themselves.
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Supreme court has already struck a bill like that down because it violated the first amendment. this will be no different.
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1 ReplyDoes this include the minors that whine at their parents to buy it for them? If not, then this bill does absolutely nothing. If it does, not only will I be able to play on Xbox Live again in peace, I won't have to deal with high pitched screaming in my ear. That, and this bill doesn't affect me in any way, so I'm okay with it.
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There is already a similar system in place in Britain, really, it changes nothing.
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Doesn't affect me, it affects only the 13 and 14 year-olds who probably shouldn't be playing those games anyways.
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[quote]I personally hope the people of the internet and gaming communities can pull through and pull of something along the lines of what was done for SOPA and PIPA.[/quote] Why? All this bill would do is punish the few people who aren't following the guidelines that everyone else is following. At worst it's a waste of taxpayer money, not a shutdown of freedom of expression.
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Before I turned 17 my mom bought all the M rated games I wanted for me :V problem solved.
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How does this bill address sales to parents who give it to minors. Since if worked in a vidya games store before, i know, unless you have an ID to show your age, age restricted materials is not sold to minors. This is yet again another example of our government failing to do its job, and instead of addressing the problem, finding the scapegoat, and fixing something that will not have an impact on the issue.
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Edited by MyNameIsCharlie: 1/21/2013 6:09:37 PMI agree with the bill, though I am totally unaffected by it. I mainly see an army of 12 year-olds looking to defend their right to 360-noscope on CoD...
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1 ReplyEdited by Mystical: 1/21/2013 3:07:00 AMomg video games were never, have never, and will never be the reason for real like gun violence. I have no idea how they came to the absurd conclusion that games are leading to all the madness. This is why I find the people in charge of the USA just so silly. They'd rather chase ghosts like vidgia gamez instead of helping those with metal illnesses who cause these terrible acts.
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Most games that people would want to rent have ESRB ratings anyway.
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Bottom line, I have no issue with this bill. However, we need to be realistic about this. Parents will buy the games for their kids, and nothing will change.
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5 RepliesHow are you coming to the conclusion that this would harm independent game devs? They aren't mentioned in the bill OR the article.
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1 Reply[quote]According to the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the video game ratings system is voluntary, but nearly all video games sold in stores carry a rating. "Many U.S. retailers, including most major chains, have policies to only stock or sell games that carry an ESRB rating, and console manufacturers require games that are published on their systems in the U.S. and Canada to be rated by ESRB."[/quote] With all those factors applying to video games and ratings, I think it would be easier to just ban minors from buying M-rated games without parental consent. It is simple and doesn't infringe any rights to my knowledge.
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This doesn't change anything. This only makes it harder for indie developers who don't have the money to get the ESRB to rate their games. Waste of time.
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That is definitely going to hinder indie developers and people who make mobile games.
