Washington State Aims To Curb Violent Game Sales

[Fran Fan]

Washington State Aims to Curb Violent Game Sales

Thu April 17, 2003 10:46 PM ET

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Retail employees in Washington state who sell violent video games to minors would face a $500 fine under a bill passed by the state Senate on Thursday.

The measure, approved 47-7, would target games that depict violence against women and the killing of police officers. It was passed by the state House last month and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Gary Locke.

One of the games likely to be hit by the measure is "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," which has become one of the hottest-selling titles for Sony Corp.'s 6758.T PlayStation 2 console.

Gail Markels, general counsel to the Interactive Digital Software Association, denounced the measure as a misguided attempt at video game censorship.

[Truth]

Wow

[brownsocks]

those bastards. violent games are the best because they don't make high quality rpg;s anymore i would go nuts if they were banned thank god i live in canada where we don't care about our youth

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally posted by brownsocks
those bastards. violent games are the best because they don't make high quality rpg;s anymore i would go nuts if they were banned thank god i live in canada where we don't care about our youth

Gee, that's a comforting thought. :rolleyes:

I live in Auburn, WA. I was at a Sam Goody at Southcenter few months back where I was discussing the "Vice City" game with the clerk, and she told me that she was not allowed to sell ultra-violent games to underage youth, and some kid was complaining to his mom that she wouldn't sell GTA: Vice City to him, and the mom was ragging on her about it, gee, she wasn't making a sale if she didn't sell it to her kid, etc....:rolleyes: Some dumb parents.

[Hollow]

what a bunch of weenies

[Mossopp]

I'm sick of groups trying to regulate what games we can play, what movies we can watch and what music we can listen to! I am an adult and if I wanna play a video game depicting police officers getting their heads blown off then I have every right to! It doesn't mean I wanna blow their heads off in reality! Video games, movies and music are all about escapism - NOT REAL LIFE! I grew up on a diet of horror movies and heavy metal and I didn't turn out to be a homicidal maniac.
If a game is considered overly violent then slap a "not for sale to anyone under the age of 18" sticker on it - problem solved. Kids can't buy the game but if adults want to they still can.
I'm sick of being told what I can and can't do by a bunch of stuck-up, out of touch old people who don't even bother to do their research before they start screaming "this is evil - BAN IT!!" at every aspect of youth culture that they don't understand! :mad:

[Rickenbacker]

I *kinda* have mixed feelings about this, but for the most part, I say Halleluliah to the move.

I'd like to think the vast majority of graphic video game players are stable people who realize it's all just fantasy & a game, but what about that small, quiet percentage who're UNstable?

I can't speak for other countries, but in America, we're living in a post-Columbine society. Of course video games aren't The Reason why we have more violence among our youth, but I do think the violent games only add fuel to the fire. They certainly don't help what's going on. Desensitizing, etc etc.
Hell, I work w/ kids, a bunch of 5th graders & I know several who play these games. That's just wrong.

Sorry, but I don't think those ultra-violent ones should be played by minors.

[webuster]

I have mixed feelings about this too. There are some young kids, and some even a bit old, that are impressionable. I mean... when they see a cop's head blown off then their mom buys them a toy gun they go round hitting police officers pulling the trigger, and would do the same with a real gun. I think it's kinda disturbing that all these 18+ games are the most popular, with under 18's getting hold of these games containing prostitutes etc. I'm against this ruling however. The people will eventually be exposed to the violence anyway, when they hit their 18th Birthday. Most kids know about it anyway. Besides, if you're a parent with a child that's disturbed and impressionable, then maybe you shouldn't have a kid if you buy him these games. Captain Ablairica, that woman in your article you posted must've been stupid. Just imagine her walking over - "Hey you, why won't you sell my son this game, If he wants to see cops get their heads blown off and if he wants to steal cars, you better let him!" those parents sound kinda stupid. I hate the fact that some sims games are 15+, and the fact about film classifications, I think the whole movie system could work like a library with a membership card, your parent signs a guidance slip, it's put on your card, and whatever classification they let you see, then you get in (it should have photo ID as well) However, if the film's real hardcore violence, I mean dismembering body parts in close up, graphic shots, graphic sex, real bad, then on in those excptional circumstance should a rating be used.