Do you know that people actually think Mature Rated games can affect a child’s behavior? 54% of U.S. consumers believe this is the case, with 61% believing that the government should regulate the sale of mature content; 44% believe that the government should regulate the content specifically in Mature rated games.
Hill & Knowlton director Joe Paluska said of the results, "Next generation consoles combined with a near-Hollywood experience translates into increased scrutiny for a $7.4 billion industry that seeks to outpace movies and music as the number one choice for entertainment. We’re seeing an interesting shift in economic growth and societal influence across gaming, movies and music. While the gaming industry is forecast to grow faster than the motion picture and recording industries, gaming still under-punches its cultural influence except when it comes to mature content."
The regulation of mature content in video games has been debated for a very long time. Is a brutal killing in a video game the same as it is in a Hollywood movie? Would you agree that the government should have a say in what goes in the content of mature rated games? I believe regulation of content will only cripple the imagination of the developers, and that the government should just regulate sales. If you are under 17 and you are being sold a M rated game, the employee of the retail store should be punished. If children under 17 want an M rated game, a parent needs to buy it for him/her knowing what they will be playing. If everyone is so concerned about the content put into the games, they need to use the ESRB rating to absorb all the necessary information. If it says it features sexual themes, gore and violence, and if you do not fancy those things, the smart choice is to ignore the game. Don’t let the government control the imagination of the creators.
What do you think? Should the government step up and create something stronger than what the ESRB has provided?
[via gamasutra]
