Topic: Canada + ESRB = Power?

[ruby_onix]

I was just in my local EB earlier today, and they had a really long lineup at the cash register. Apparently some "Grand Theft something-or-the-other" just came out.

But that's not what was really causing the lineup. Everyone buying the game was getting carded (and they apparently only had one working cash register, for some reason). That's right, the EB clerks were checking to see your photo-ID before they could sell you the game.

At least one person who was in the line to buy the "M" rated title tried to show his school-provided transit-discount card which indicated that he was 15, and he was roughly told to leave the store, with something muttered about "facing thousand dollar fines".

"M" rated videogame titles have apparently become like tobacco products in Canada now. Personally, I think we needed it.

And at EB, they were carding everybody, regardless of how old they looked. That should really help with parents who aren't paying attention to what their kids are putting on their Christmas lists. Mommy goes into store. "Can I have Bonestorm 12?" "Sure, lemme see your ID." "Why would you want my ID?" "Because children aren't allowed to buy Bonestorm games." Should be a good wake up call.

Do you think this might actually cause some developers to put some minor effort into getting a lower rating on their games? Unlike companies like Tecmo, which put out "Teen" rated products, and only apply for the "M" rating, because it's "cooler" that way.

Edit: Here's a news link from the CBC

[S-U-P-E-R]

Quote
TORONTO - The video game industry and governments across the country want to get violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto or Manhunt out of children's XBoxes and Playstations.

what. More like, the video game industry wants to get GTA and Manhunt sold to everyone. I'd be surprised if they weren't dragging their feet as hard as possible. Does the ESA deal with Canada at all beyond ESRB ratings? Lowenstein can get pretty vocal when issues come up in the U.S., it seems.

So wait, you Canadians have these laws that are serious business? What is the dilly with Ontario?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

More like, "hey kid, this game's gonna cost ya $25,000 and we donate $100,000 to the government."

[KDR_11k]

I wish they did this in the US, would teach those gore-kiddies.

[joshnickerson]

I know that at Wal-Mart, when a cashier scans an M-rated game, a promt comes up where the cashier has to ask for ID (same as with an R rated movie). I've also been carded at Toys R Us. I think it's a good thing, if parents are too lazy to keep track of what they're kids are playing and watching.

[KDR_11k]

Only works when it's enfgorced, the kids will just run to another retailer that doesn't ask any questions.

[Guitar Smasher]

So carding's been happening here?  I haven't bought a new game in ages.  But I'm fully behind it (even though I'm 17 and this doesn't affect me).  I mean, there has to be limits.  In all honesty, I find San Andreas to be a disgusting game.  A fun game, but with a disgusting premise.  The game actually makes you out to be a 'good guy', and I'm sure many yougnsters won't recognize this.  A lot of young white teens already believe they're 'gangstas', and this will only cement that.  No, I'm not being racist, these are my own observations.  I completely believe that it would be beneficial if all retailers were forced to implement a verification system.  There are lots of responsible parents, but not so many vendors, yet the parents can't stop there children from buying the game.

[S-U-P-E-R]

A video game cements the idea that one is a gangsta? The hell?

[DrZoidberg]

Oh, I got carded when I bought Kill Bill (R18+, lol australia) here. The guy at the counter was telling me they card anyone even if they know they're over the age of 18, just incase some dastardly news crews try and pull a fast one and get them plastered all over the television.

I don't blame them

[Guitar Smasher]

"A video game cements the idea that one is a gangsta? The hell?"
These kids already 'believe' they are.  After playing the game they're going to be completely convinced.  

[UncleBob]

Personally, I'm a-okay with stores and businesses that card anyone of any age for any reason (games, movies, etc...) - heck, I'd even encourage it.

However - and this is a big however - I am 100% against any government enforced regulation of any kind on retailers or individuals who wish to purchase/sell these items.

Confused?

Anyway, none of this changes that you can go to a store like Wal-Mart, put $50 on a gift card, then go home and log on to WalMart.com and order R rated movies or M rated games...  I don't know if EB or other stores/sites let you do this....

[couchmonkey]

Ha ha, way to beat the system, UncleBob!  

Personally, I support this.  Will it make developers put an effort into lowering the ratings on their games?  I think it might in a few cases (like Dead or Alive), but overall, I don't see most M franchises changing, because violence is really the main attraction for a lot of these games: GTA, Mortal Kombat, and Doom would probably sell a lot worse if they tried to clean them up.  Most teens will find a way to get them anyway, and I think there's a large adult audience for the games too.

I think it will make the biggest difference for borderline games.  Titles like Timesplitters 3 might aim for a T rating instead of M since it's managed a T rating in the past and the series isn't known for gore and violence.  Actually, one more thing, it probably won't make a big difference unless U.S. retailers choose/are forced to ID people regularly.

[S-U-P-E-R]

Quote
Originally posted by: Guitar Smasher
"A video game cements the idea that one is a gangsta? The hell?"
These kids already 'believe' they are.  After playing the game they're going to be completely convinced.

No sane person is going to be convinced of anything by a video game, except that maybe Acclaim really did suck.

Quote
Originally posted by: couchmonkey
I think it will make the biggest difference for borderline games.  Titles like Timesplitters 3 might aim for a T rating instead of M since it's managed a T rating in the past and the series isn't known for gore and violence.  Actually, one more thing, it probably won't make a big difference unless U.S. retailers choose/are forced to ID people regularly.

Good point here, and I think there's been plenty of this happening over the last ten years or so, since I guess T games sell better than M games. I mean, remember how they took the exploding cows and partially covered up the bikini girls in Cruis'n USA? (and Bill Clinton's hot tub lol)   I think it's a marginal amount of artistic stifling, but, y'know, it's pretty annoying. I'm sure someone can be bothered to find some more recent examples.

Also, the ESRB sucks at giving games the right rating, and I'm pretty sure the big game companies can get whatever rating they want, anyway. Sure, GTA's content is pretty cut and dry, but enforcing sale/no-sale of the certain other games with questionable ratings at the counter is, ah, stupid.