Game Ratings Legislation

[Slaiv]

I'll just cite the articles:

 

Calif. Violent Game Bill Passes

The state approves a ban on selling violent games to minors.

by David Adams

 

September 9, 2005 - A long-contested California bill which would ban the sale of violent videogames to minors passed State Assembly late on Thursday, though the legislation awaits the signature of Gov. Schwarzenegger in order to become law. The legislation passed Assembly by a bipartisan 65-7 vote.

 

 

Assembly Bill 1179 makes game retailers liable for up to $1000 in fines for selling mature-themed games to minors, and requires that violent games be clearly labeled as such. The bill was authored by California Assemblyman Leland Yee, who has championed similar legislation for years now.

 

"Unlike movies where you passively watch violence, in a video game, you are the active participant and making decisions on who to stab, maim, burn or kill," said Yee in an official statement. "As a result, these games serve as learning tools that have a dramatic impact on our children."

 

Opposing the bill are representatives of the game industry, who believe that existing measures, such as the ESRB rating system, are already sufficient in keeping mature-themed games from young players.

 

Gov. Schwarzenegger now has 30 days to either sign or veto the bill.

 

And now on with the ESRB:

ESRB Lays Down the Law

Publishers must re-inspect all games released in the past year.

by Tom McNamara

 

September 13, 2005 - In the wake of GTA San Andreas being re-rated to AO following the exposure of content not intended to be accessible, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has sent out an email to all major publishers that they must perform internal audits of their products to determine if their titles contain similar elements, dating back to September 1, 2004. Disclosure of hidden content is regular practice, if it is deemed to be eventually accessible by the user through conventional means (the controversial content in GTA:SA was exposed through an unauthorized, third-party hack). A complicating factor is that many games have content cut out but not removed from the programming code, for one reason or another. Additionally, the ESRB mandates that this industry-wide, internal audit must be finished by January 6th, 2006.

 

 

According to industry publication Gamasutra, the email further states: ""If you fail to notify us of previously undisclosed, non-playable, pertinent content by January 9, and such content becomes playable through a subsequent authorized or unauthorized release of code to unlock it, rendering the original rating assignment inaccurate, punitive in addition to corrective actions may result."

 

Lastly, the ESRB also addresses third-party modifications (of which Counter-Strike, BF1942: Desert Combat, and GTA: Multi-Theft Auto are a few examples), with specific attention to violent and/or sexual content. The email continues, "ESRB remains concerned about third party modifications that undermine the accuracy of the original rating, and we are exploring ways to maintain the credibility of the rating system with consumers in light of modifications of this nature."

 

We'll have more as the story develops.

 

This keeps getting worse and worse. Pretty soon, we'll have government-subsidized games that are not entertaining at all. Seriously - this may seem a bit childish, but I wouldn't shed a tear of remorse if someone were to blow up the ESRB. They just won't stop.

 

I mean, honestly. They don't rate books, do they? Aren't videogames entitled to freedeom of expression? AND WHY SHOULD GAMES BE RATED BASED ON ILLEGAL CHANGES TO THE SOURCE CODE?!?!

[Marxist ßastard]

The ESRB is one of the very few things protecting us from legislators such as Leland Yee, who would very gladly put in place a very blue-nosed government agency to replace the ESRB -- which, in case you didn't know, is a very much private affair -- should it not take action such as this.

 

Lesser of two evils, lad.

 

I mean, honestly. They don't rate books, do they?

 

Indeed, they ban them.

[Switch]

Haha they're seriously considering adapting ratings to modifications? Anyone can make a violence enhancing, nudey and/or sexual mod for a game! They'd have to rate every game AO! Unless I'm misunderstanding them there.

 

Thankfully Europe seems to be using an entirely different system than the ESRB now. Although it's a bit of a pain. It's called PEGI, and it's got more ratings than an American TV channel. Stuff like 3+, 9+, 11+, 12+, 13+, 16+, 17+, all sorts of bizarre and confusing ratings that aren't particularly accurate from what I've seen... sigh.

[Dark0ne]

Indeed, if they were to rate games on the potential for nudity or violence being added to a game then it could have very serious implications. Just look at Morrowind and Oblivion for example. Morrowind was rated "Teen" by the ESRB, but if they started rating it based on the mods for the game it would have to be AO. The choice Bethesda would no doubt take, if this were the case, would be to not release modding tools with the game.

 

Very serious implications.

[Stampede]

Too bad kids. Now, if you will excuse me I'm going to go hire a dirty movie.

[Slaiv]

My point exactly - you cannot rate games based on user-made content. I mean, I could go out and film some naked chick running around, edit it into Bambi, and BAM! It would have to be rated "R." That doesn't make sense.

 

And since when does the ESRB have control over gaming companies? Answer: It never has. Companies choose to participate. There is no law stating they have to. Which is why online games aren't rated. I think something needs to happen here.

[nzdbox]

As far as I remember, the ESRB was a council approved by most of the big-name game publishers.

I'm relying entirely on memory from an article I read, so excuse me if something that I'm saying is total BS.

 

The ESRB came into existance because game companies needed a rating system. Either they would create one such organization that would rate their games, or the goverment would do it for them. 1st point in favour of the ESRB. If the ESRB weren't here, we would have some redneck videogame-hating dude that would rate every game with a single drop of blood "21+". I can alredy see that as an alternative. Not a good one, though, as you would probably agree on.

 

Then there's what's his name still... Jack Thompson?

I have heard many stories of politicians doing nothing but flak the games industries every chance they have. If we didn't have ESRB and the IDSA, say goodbye to free choice of games. Those b*****ds would probably ban games altogether.

 

ESRB is the last organization you need to flame. EVER. ;)

[Chaosmaker]

I say we nuke the ERSB and replace it with a system run by gamingsource :D

 

Just kidding. I love Video games but to tell you the truth I hate GTA. Period. And if you had to rate games by mods. Then Morrowind would probally be AO already.

 

I think this is just another tactic to get more control over the videogame

companies by the Govt. in my eyes.

 

By the way I think we should make a mod in morrowind where we have to hunt Leland Yee. It would be good for stress relief.

[Slaiv]

Another article:

Michigan Violent Game Bill Passes, ESA Sues

The state takes action against selling violent games to minors.

by David Adams

 

September 14, 2005 - This week Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed into law a bill which levies stiff fines, and even jail time, for selling violent video games to minors.

 

Michigan Senate Bill 416 provides for fines of up to $40,000 or imprisonment for up to 93 days for the sale of sexually explicit or "ultra-violent" video games.

 

Today, the Entertainment Software Association announced its intention to file suit against the Michigan law, claiming that, like similar legislation in Washington and Indianapolis, the new bill violates free speech protections and provides no clear definition as to what constitutes "violent content."

 

"If this law is implemented, it will not only limit First Amendment rights for Michigan's residents, but, by virtue of its vagueness, it will also create a huge amount of confusion for Michigan's retailers, parents, and video game developers," said ESA president Douglas Lowenstein in a statement. "I'm confident the court will affirm our position given the rulings on similar statutes in other jurisdictions; indeed, the facts, the science, the law, and the U.S. Constitution have not changed since those decisions were handed down."

 

A bill similar to Michigan's passed California's Assembly last week, and awaits Governor Schwarzenegger's approval.

[Marxist ßastard]

Michigan Senate Bill 416 provides for fines of up to $40,000 or imprisonment for up to 93 days for the sale of... "ultra-violent" video games.

 

...And I was very much looking forward to Sunspot Commander 4.