Utter BS
Read me rant about some dumb reporter talking about
things he doesn’t know about.
I was browsing around the Slashdot Games section and I
came across this little
article. Let me start out by saying that I consider myself an avid gamer, some
might even consider me a “hardcore” gamer and every time I read stuff like this
it really gets me in a bad mood. Basically this article talks about Take Two
Interactive’ Grand Theft Auto Series, more specifically the newest version, Vice
City. Now don’t get me wrong, the game is insanely violent although not as
realistic as the writer says it is, and it is not that different from watching
something like Scarface or something around those lines. I would NOT let a minor
play this game, BUT THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE RATING SYSTEM!.
Videogames have been around for more then 20 years. This means that the medium has seriously matured and the demographic covers everything from kids to adult. This alone makes it suitable for studios such as Take Two to release adult oriented games. It’s just the same as kids going to R or NC-17 movies, they shouldn’t. The video game industry has been under constant attack because of people who still see gaming as something only children do, and not the evolving medium it is. In order to defend themselves, the industry created a rating system , similar to that of movies but, with different labels. The labeling is as follows:
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Titles rated EC - Early Childhood have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.
EVERYONE
Titles rated E - Everyone have content that may be suitable for persons ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief and/or mild language.
TEEN
Titles rated T - Teen have content that may be suitable for persons ages 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
MATURE
Titles rated M - Mature have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.
ADULTS ONLY
Titles rated AO - Adults Only have content suitable only for adults. Titles in this category may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for persons under the age of 18.
Personally, I think the ratings are more than adequate and reflect the content of the games. So the real problem relies in the enforcement of these games and the parents ability to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for the media their kids consume. I have seen stores enforce these ratings, the perfect example is when I went to purchase the “OH SO EVIL” Vice City. I saw as the store clerk did not sell the game to a teenager unless his parent buys it for him. This has happened on other occasions also.
Then what is the problem? Why do people such as this “reporter” can get away with statements such as “People, this is insane. This is 10,000 times worse than the worst thing anybody thinks Michael Jackson ever did to a little boy - or than any lie the feds think Martha Stewart ever told them, or any line in any song that Bruce Springsteen ever sang that rankled a cop in the Meadowlands.” The real problem is the fact that parents expect TV and videogames to raise their kids. Instead of actively taking a part in controlling the media their kids consume, they just buy them anything they want without looking at the rating system and not showing them what is right from wrong.
I have been playing videogames ever since I was around 8 years old. I am happy to say that I have never killed anyone. The author mentions events such as teenagers deciding to shoot cars after playing grand theft auto. I have on question, WHERE DID THEY GET THE GUN FROM?, HOW ABOUT THE BULLETS? These things just don’t pop out of mid-air, and where were the parents when all of this happened? I consider this type of negligence MUCH worst than any material available in ANY game. The reporter goes on to say how such video games glorify mass murder. I don’t think this is anymore true than saying movies such as Scarface, The terminator or similar movies promote murder and violence.
This reporter is eager to point out what he thinks is bad, but he does not try to balance his arguments with events such as this. An event where a huge gaming community got together and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in toys and cash for a childrens hospital in Seattle. The saddest part is that this article can easily affect Take Two interactive, which although their games are catered for a Mature audience, they do an excellent job in releasing high quality, cinematic experiences. He does go on to mention that the company may have been commiting fraud, if that is true, then they will get what is deserved, but not because of the games they put out.
I really think people like this reporter should try and educate themselves more about the media, and try to accept that the demographic has expanded and Mature video games are and will continue to be quite common. Parents should start taking more responsibility for the actions of their kids and make sure they play an important role in the media their kids have access to. They should also educate their children about what is generally right and wrong and make sure they don’t have access to any firearms, if any are available in the household. It is really easy to find a scapegoat instead of accepting the fact that you weren’t capable of raising your child in a correct manner.
As I said, I’m a gamer, and these things really hit home.
Videogames have been around for more then 20 years. This means that the medium has seriously matured and the demographic covers everything from kids to adult. This alone makes it suitable for studios such as Take Two to release adult oriented games. It’s just the same as kids going to R or NC-17 movies, they shouldn’t. The video game industry has been under constant attack because of people who still see gaming as something only children do, and not the evolving medium it is. In order to defend themselves, the industry created a rating system , similar to that of movies but, with different labels. The labeling is as follows:
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Titles rated EC - Early Childhood have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.
EVERYONE
Titles rated E - Everyone have content that may be suitable for persons ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief and/or mild language.
TEEN
Titles rated T - Teen have content that may be suitable for persons ages 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
MATURE
Titles rated M - Mature have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.
ADULTS ONLY
Titles rated AO - Adults Only have content suitable only for adults. Titles in this category may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for persons under the age of 18.
Personally, I think the ratings are more than adequate and reflect the content of the games. So the real problem relies in the enforcement of these games and the parents ability to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for the media their kids consume. I have seen stores enforce these ratings, the perfect example is when I went to purchase the “OH SO EVIL” Vice City. I saw as the store clerk did not sell the game to a teenager unless his parent buys it for him. This has happened on other occasions also.
Then what is the problem? Why do people such as this “reporter” can get away with statements such as “People, this is insane. This is 10,000 times worse than the worst thing anybody thinks Michael Jackson ever did to a little boy - or than any lie the feds think Martha Stewart ever told them, or any line in any song that Bruce Springsteen ever sang that rankled a cop in the Meadowlands.” The real problem is the fact that parents expect TV and videogames to raise their kids. Instead of actively taking a part in controlling the media their kids consume, they just buy them anything they want without looking at the rating system and not showing them what is right from wrong.
I have been playing videogames ever since I was around 8 years old. I am happy to say that I have never killed anyone. The author mentions events such as teenagers deciding to shoot cars after playing grand theft auto. I have on question, WHERE DID THEY GET THE GUN FROM?, HOW ABOUT THE BULLETS? These things just don’t pop out of mid-air, and where were the parents when all of this happened? I consider this type of negligence MUCH worst than any material available in ANY game. The reporter goes on to say how such video games glorify mass murder. I don’t think this is anymore true than saying movies such as Scarface, The terminator or similar movies promote murder and violence.
This reporter is eager to point out what he thinks is bad, but he does not try to balance his arguments with events such as this. An event where a huge gaming community got together and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in toys and cash for a childrens hospital in Seattle. The saddest part is that this article can easily affect Take Two interactive, which although their games are catered for a Mature audience, they do an excellent job in releasing high quality, cinematic experiences. He does go on to mention that the company may have been commiting fraud, if that is true, then they will get what is deserved, but not because of the games they put out.
I really think people like this reporter should try and educate themselves more about the media, and try to accept that the demographic has expanded and Mature video games are and will continue to be quite common. Parents should start taking more responsibility for the actions of their kids and make sure they play an important role in the media their kids have access to. They should also educate their children about what is generally right and wrong and make sure they don’t have access to any firearms, if any are available in the household. It is really easy to find a scapegoat instead of accepting the fact that you weren’t capable of raising your child in a correct manner.
As I said, I’m a gamer, and these things really hit home.