Industry news : Games and Society

Wook

[Jan 15 - Industry News]
UK Culture Minister Kim Howells recently attacked the game industry, proclaiming that games do not convey the finer virtues of society. Rather, focusing on lowest common denominators of violence and sex. At least he held back on cause-effect claims, stating "I don't think a child is going to turn out to be a killer or more violent as a consequence of playing these games". The UK-based Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association responded with a refusal to be the scapegoat for society's ills and a suggestion that the Minister check the ratings of the games his kids are playing...


Agree ? Disagree ?
how would you put the virtues of society into a 'pleasant' game ?
(example : the Sims?) Is this possible at all ? Could it sell ?
Instead of Frogger , we can help grandma's across the street ?

Shinji

I would have said that rather a lot of games address the finer points of humanity. ICO? Final Fantasy <insert number here>? Any number of great adventure games or RPGs with downright inspiring stories to tell?

Howells sees selectively and then makes deliberately "controversial" statements based on his biased vewing.

Clinical Waste

No.

The games industry made abso****inglutely obscene profits last year (that music and record companies can only now dream of)

Howells has seen this and is fishing for angle to get a cut in on these profits.

Wait for the new measures designed to protect the children and (line his pockets)

Doodee

Rather, focusing on lowest common denominators of violence and sex

Thats the Sims alright, hehe.

ahh, they also go on about Movies,games and music.
but the fact is that the games they are talking about normally come with an 18+ age cert on them (GTA?) so i dont really understand how their children are getting them, unless parents are buying them.

Anyways, theres not too much of a difference between the Soprano's and Mafia/GTA3, its all about the fantasy of it. who wouldnt want to be a mob boss.



[Edit] HEHEHE, i luv when ppl talk like this.

The games industry made abso****inglutely obscene profits last year (that music and record companies can only now dream of)

Cause it reminds me of how lucky i am in getting into the industry (Hopefully) which nows looks likely i could have a Cert,Degree and diploma in it. hehehehehe.

UP TEH LUDO

Cake Fiend

I'm not sure it's even based on his own selected viewing, I'd imagine it's based on what he's been told/shown. I can't see the UK Culture Minister taking time out to fire up the PS2 tbh. Good response by ELSPA.
I wonder if he made any comment on the state of modern cinema while he was at it?

Thorbar

I can never understand why parents buy 18+ games for their young kids. I know of several families where the parents will refuse their kids access to certain movies and music but consider 18+ games to be acceptable. I never let my cousins play GTA when their at our house and the first thing they always say is "But Mammy lets us play it". I think a violent game can have more of an influence on kids then a movie of the same content because you're actively taking part in the roles and experience it in a more personal way.

Epitaph

Last week I assisted in teaching a community education class. It was basically showing young kids from north Dublin how to use the internet.

What was the main topic they wanted to look up?

CHEATS FOR DEH GRAN TEF AUUUTOH VOICE CI-HEE ON DEH PLAYSTAYSHIN!
:rolleyes:

The average age for the class (all lads, btw) was

...wait for it...

9.

In all honesty, I blame the parents. Who else is buying them these games? The kids certainly aren't.

Shop assistants will not challenge a parent buying a game like that. Maybe if a kid went up with it, they would, but not with a parent there. The parent would probably (9 outta 10 times) rear up and complain that "My Jacinteh wants *this* game!" and as Parent is purchasing, Assistant doesn't have any ground for refusing purchase.

This is all based on my presumption that the ELSPHA (sp) ratings are for the purchasing of games, and not for the intended use (civil rights violation, no less?)

Epitaph
I might be wrong, but I'm not disentirely miscorrect.

monument

Originally posted by Epitaph
Shop assistants will not challenge a parent buying a game like that. Maybe if a kid went up with it, they would, but not with a parent there. The parent would probably (9 outta 10 times) rear up and complain that "My Jacinteh wants *this* game!" and as Parent is purchasing, Assistant doesn't have any ground for refusing purchase.

This is all based on my presumption that the ELSPHA (sp) ratings are for the purchasing of games, and not for the intended use (civil rights violation, no less?)

Epitaph
I might be wrong, but I'm not disentirely miscorrect.

I was told that some shop assistants have told parents what you do in the game with games like GTAVC the Getaway.

here is a bit about the age ratings...

About Age Ratings
Age ratings are by the Entertainment Leisure Software Publishers Association(ELSPA) and are administered by the UK Video Standards Council as an independent third party.
ELSPA's age ratings are the Computer Games equivalent of the Video age ratings, they are for content suitability not playability of difficulty.From 1994 to 2001, only 0.45% of games summated were rated 18+, with 68. 32% of games being rated 3+.

ELSPA's ratings are to be replaced by a new pan-European age rating system early in 2003. The new ratings will be known as PEGI (Pan-European Game Information).


18+ If a computer or video game is classified with 18+ in may include (but not limited to) sexual activity, sexual violence, mutilation or torture of humans or animals, acts of gross violence towards humans or animals, humangenital organs, criminal activity, nudity, use of drugs or domestic violence or abuse.

Note:
If a game is classified with 18+, the game is not rated by the voluntary system, but is submitted to the Irish Censors Office (for The Republic of Ireland) or the British Board of Film Classification (for the North of Ireland and the rest of the UK).


15+
If a computer or video game is classified with 15+ in may include (but not limited to) Sexual innuendo or suggestions, Tasteless or excessive nudity, Sustained violence towards human-like or animal-like characters, Graphic depictions of death or injury to human-like or animal-like characters, The use of sexual expletives, profanity or blasphemy or the encouragement of the use of tobacco and/or alcohol.


11+
If a computer or video game is classified with 15+ in may include (but not limited to) Sexual images or references, Nudity, Some violence towards human-like or animal-like characters, Humiliation, Blood or gore, Depictions of death or injury to human-like or animal-like characters, Derogatory, ethnic, racial, religious or nationalistic stereotypes or symbols, Bad language, The use of tobacco and/or alcohol, or Offensive gestures.


3+
When a computer or video game is rated 3+ the games content is suitable for everyone. This does not mean the game is easy enough for all ages to play or complete.

http://www.elspa.com/
http://www.videostandards.org.uk/
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

(please dont copy this

Pugsley

Perants buy these games for their kids because the kids pester them for months on end for them, it would be impossable to tell your kid no without getting pestered for 6months more when the talk in primary school has died down about it......... then another game of 18 ratings comes out. I blame the perants for this, and the lack of warning on the games, the people who sell them should be much stricter with who they sell these games to, if its a parent they should at least warn them of the content.

Placebo

Ah god ! we only play games cause things in games are not available in real life .

FINAL FANTASY !

spooky donkey

Parents let their kids play these games to give them selfs some peace! If people turn out to be dagrous to socity they will be any. If they cant get voilent films , they get voilent games, or even violent music or what ever. People will just be what they are!

DeVore

UK Culture Minister Kim Howells recently attacked the game industry, proclaiming that games do not convey the finer virtues of society. Rather, focusing on lowest common denominators of violence and sex.

And the taboid press do what??

DeV.

Absolam

I gotta agree that this is a parents responsiblilty, and generally, their failing as well. What REALLY gets me is, we tell a parent in the shop a game is 18s, adn if they bother at all, they say, what's in it then? We answer ' you can beat up grannies with a baseball bat, take money from prostititutes, and engage in drive by shootings'. The reply....'That's not so bad, I'll get it'. But if you add 'There are a couple of scenes with a girl in her underwear', then the immediate response is ' Oh no, he's not having that!' It seems Irish parents don't mind plenty of gore, murder and theft, but if it's sex yu're talking about..well, not in this country!!