According to The Consumerist, a Best Buy in Orlando Park, IL has very strict interpretations of the policy that minors can’t buy Mature rated video games.
How strict of an interpretation? They denied a twenty one year-old his purchase of Assassin’s Creed because his fifteen year-old brother was standing next to him. The whole story is an epic tale which must be read to be believed.
The highlight has to be when the cashier treated the young man purchasing the game like he was a criminal, almost enjoying the fact that she had caught him in the act, in her mind. Obviously, the manager gets involved and one has to love how he checks over the Xbox Live subscription box looking for a rating.
"I quickly responded back that I am 21 year old and that the video game and peripheral are for me. She shook her head with a menacing grim and said that she saw me take gift cards from my brother and that what I am doing is illegal. Enough of this obese 17 year olds shenanigans! I demanded a manager. Unfortunately the manager was probably about 18 years old as well.
"In front of the store again he told me that I am illegally purchasing a video game for a minor. I responded back that they are my gift cards! I want to make a purchase. That’s when he picked up Xbox Live GOLD. I then asked if I couldn’t buy that either. He then took a few minutes to scrutinize the box looking for an online peripherals rating.
"He never found it and said to me, he’s not sure, I might not be able to do that either (Xbox Live was also rated E for everyone mind you). I continued to repeat that these are my gift cards, I’m 21 and I want to make my purchase. The cashier and manager continued to condemn me in front of all that I’m illegally purchasing the game for a minor."
It is worth noting too, that Illinois does not have a law in effect that makes purchasing a game for a minor illegal. They did one time, but that law was shot down due to it being unconstitutional. So it is understandable why this sort of incident happened at a Best Buy in Illinois. The story continues on for several more paragraphs and becomes even more ridiculous as the actions of the Best Buy employees continue to get more and more off-the-wall.
My advice to those who are worried about a similar thing happening to them? Go ahead and try Best Buy, especially if you have gift cards like the young man in the story. Not all stores are like the one in this article. The worst case scenario is that they deny you from buying the game. But even if this happens, there are still plenty of Circuit Citys, GameStops, EB Games, and other outlets who all sell the games we love to play.
[Via Consumerist]
