UK Review on Games Ratings System

YeOldeTDUMan · March 27, 2008

I see this is ONCE AGAIN in the news

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7314751.stm

Personally as a 34yrd old adult and having had a machine to play my own computer games since I was 11 ( a ZX Spectrum ) there are a few comments I'd like to make.

Games have got a lot more graphic over the years in terms of their visual content ... yes you could kill people by a sword but you didn't cut them in half with blood splurting everywhere ... but then the processing/storage/graphics weren't there.

In line with this, what is 'acceptable' in terms or violence and language has changed over the years ... films that are now rated 12A (the rating created for Spiderman from what I remember) would have been a 15 when I was a kid, and tv is certainly a lot different in terms of it's contect ... and if you swore at a parent or a friends parent ... well you didn't ... I still don't swear infront of my Dad.

Watching violence doesn't make a person violent, however a susceptable person watching violence might ... and kids of a young age often don't understand the different between TV/Film violence and real life, it's up to parents to inform their children about the differences ... but then I never inflicted the violence you get in "Tom and Jerry" cartoons on my pets when I was a kid!

And now onto games ... I do agree with using exactly the same rating system as Films, far simpler for people to understand. But again I think it's a fault of the parents to a large extent. Too many times have I been looking round computer game stores trying to work out what to buy next and there has been "little johnny" asking his mum to buy him the latest game because it's brand new and all his mates have it when clearly it says "18" on the cover, and there are pictures on the front and back showing the content of the game and what it's about. It's not as if parents can't be informed if they wanted to ... there's the internet, there's the details on the box, or there's the staff in the shop that could all provide details about what the game is about and is it right for thier child. I think the industry is trying to react as much as it can and I know a lot of computer game stores are equally responsible (as they have to be legally in the UK) with selling age rated games ... surely parents (I'm not one by the way) should stand up and take some responsibility.

Yes I am aware that this would mean that a lot of you forum members wouldn't be able to play GTA IV ... but tough ... that's called life ... you can't legally smoke, drink alcohol or drive a car till certain ages ... why should you be able to watch 18 rated films or play 18 rated games? (assuming GTA IV will be an 18)

Iced_Bullet · March 27, 2008

I agree with what you say. It is mostly the parnet's fault for buying the games. In mine and Speed's local independant Games Retailer, they always talk to the parents, saying that this game is aimed for 18 year olds and the content is far too mature for your son/daughter. but the parents don't really care, hand over the cash, 2 seconds after recieving the box with the game inside, hand it over to their 10 year old. At least my mum had the "decency" to give them to me outside the shop :p

Anyway, I have not turned out violent or a druggy and Speed canback me up :D I play by the rules (most times as I just said I play 18s ;p) and don't go around stabbing people. I am shocked at the amount of 12 year olds who shout abuse and when we were in year 11 (last year at high school), the amount of year 7s who would use abuse, that they pick up from games, TV, films and peers, is disgusting. We never told year 11s to go .................. when we were in year 7. It all depends on the child themselves, if they're ... as you called it Hybrid ... a "susceptable person watching violence".

I think this new ssytem will make parents think about what they're buying for their "little jonny" but imo 80% of the time it won't make a difference until shops stopping selling their games to parents who it quite obvious that they're going to give the game to their "little jonny" when they get outside the shop. but to be honest, shops are never going to do this ... business is business after all :(

hesonly5 · March 27, 2008

To be frankly honest, all film/game ratings and legal ages to do certain things needs to be sorted out. For instance (in the UK) at 16 you can have sex (hetro and homosexual), get married with parental consent, have children, ride a motorbike, leave home with parental consent.

Yet by law, you can't watch films/play games about it, as the majority of things with sexual content is rated 18 (although some is coming down to 15).

Using the same system for games as the one for films makes a lot of sense, and will clarify things for parents who are confused about what is right/wrong for their kid. But it won't solve many problems.

Nodz86 · March 27, 2008

To start off its a good idea and should have been implemented a long time ago. I know that games have got there own rating system off sorts but tbh no one really takes any notice of it.

But saying that the 18 rated games have always carried it and a few other titles have volentaraly put PG rating on them (think most wanted did).

I will say now what I always have said its down to the parents. This move will not stop all parents buying them as some buy 18 rated films for their kids. I owned all GTA games, I got GTA with a bundle when I got my PS1 when I was about 12/13years old and hasn't made me want to do anything wrong. Its all down to the parent to make the decision and not start complaingin about the extreme content of it after buying it which alot of parents do.

What made me laugh about the report I heard about this was the 2 games they used as examples where GTA and Manhunt (which ok are probably the most extreme especially Manhunt) but they should use other examples.