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In a decision that chills me to the bone, Kmart has decided to obtain identification to make sure no one underage is purchasing any video games with an "M" or "Mature" rating. These ratings were established by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which was created by the software industry to allow *parents* to make this decision. For details, check out the CNN.com story.
We've asked for feedback on this issue from our users. I should point out that some people missed my editorial point. The game rating system was intented, by the software industry-founded ESRB, to inform parents of the type of content contained within the game, not mandate what a 15 year-old kid is allowed to purchase. This wasn't intended to be something like the movie industry ratings.
The following is a sampling of what we received, both pro and con:
I absolutely agree that it is completely wrong for K-mart to require age ID to purchase mature rated software. The rating system was instituted for informational purposes only and to keep congress from censoring software with what some people consider mature content. Many years ago, a particular title that I was looking forward to purchasing was banned completely from retail stores because it was a cd tactical/horror based game that featured a nude woman covered with a towel during a single action scene. It was a Sega CD game that I can't for the life of me remember the title of, but because of parental pressure, this title was removed from store shelves completely, preventing even consenting adults from purchasing it. Censorship of any form is wrong and K-mart is engaging in only another different form of it. It is up to PARENTS to take an active part in their children's lives and to not rely on media to raise their kids and then they could make the choices parents should be making in the first place.
Darkwolven
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It seems slightly idiotic to me that K-Mart , along with other major
retail chains, will require identification to purchase video games with
an M rating , which do not have full frontal nudity or expletives but
will continue to sell R rated movies without checking the purchasers age
which do contain full frontal nudity and/or the use of expletives. While
looking at the posative side of the situation, at least the US federal
government did not pass a law mandating this, K-mart chose to do this on
its own.
Jonathan "creed" Hendricks
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I don't really see the big deal. It seems to me that the software industry is going the way of other entertainment industries, namely movie theatres. Noone faults the movie industry for placing ratings on motion pictures. K-Mart is not stating that you can't buy a mature game, their saying that if you want to buy a mature game then you have to be a certain age, like theatres not allowing a child into an NC-17 movie. If you really want this mature rated game, then K-Mart will not sell it to you unless you are either a certain age or are accompanied by another person who is the required age( namely a parent.) So in fact K-Mart's decision has in fact placed more control on the parents, where it should be. If your parents don't mind you playing violent games, that's fine, but let them buy it for you. I think K-Mart is trying to protect itself from possible legal action against it for selling mature content to minors. If there hasn't been any legal actions like this already. The U.S. is known for it's lawsuit happy lawyers. Just my opinion.
-|tK|-R@ge
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Hi,
In your post you mention that K-mart is making the decision over the parents
as to what is appropriate for their children when in fact all they are doing
is enforcing the law. It is NO different than checking I.D. when making a
purchase at a liquor store. Parents can still choose to buy any games for
their children they wish, All this inforcement does is make sure that if the
child wants a "M" rated game he or she will have to ask for his parents
permission. Thats what children should be doing anyway. Thanks!
Steve Voltmer
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Chilling? no. KMart is not at all empowering themselves over parents- they
are confirming parental consent of buying M rated games. If a 10 year old
is in KMart, chances are s/he's there with his/her parents... 10 year olds
can't drive. It's not improbable that the parent would have an ID- you need
a *driver's license* to *drive* to KMart. It is then no harder for a 10
year old to buy a game if his/her parents don't mind. It only gets harder
to sneak games behind parent's backs, which is bad anyway. Good decision
KMart!
BTW, all the people complaining are overprotected underage kids.
-Jonathan Beilin
News Poster: Unrealtournament.org
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I too find Kmart's decision sickening. One of the things that makes America great is the freedom for a person to make his/her own decisions. When this freedom is removed and decisions about what is decent for a person are made by large corporations and committees our liberties are at risk.
If a parent feels that their child shouldn't play games with an "M" rating, then that is their right. It is also their right to allow their child to play the games with an "M" rating. Why Kmart feels it is intelligent or responsible enough to make that decision for parents is beyond me. (this coming from a store that sells guns and hunting equipment).
It sounds to me like Kmart is just trying to kiss up to all of those regulatory fanatics out there that feel that no one in the US is smart enough to make decisions for themselves anymore and need everything regulated by an organization or corporation.
I'm sure that Kmart will take the stance of "If the parents don't mind their kids playing the game then they can buy it for them." This however puts an additional burden upon the parents (needing to go to the store to get the game as well as knowing what the game is like).
It just doesn't feel good to me. And it sets a bad precedence for other companies to follow.
Ronin-Avatar
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I completely disagree. I'm a software engineer at a well known game company, and an avid game player. The whole point of software ratings is so that parents have some basis for preventing their kids from playing certain titles. The example cited in the editorial that we may have to show ID to purchase certain books already occurs. Minors can't purchase adult magazines or (technically) books. It's up to parents to control what their kids read, watch, play, etc. But the parents have to have the control at the purchase point. If a parent wants to let his child play UT, Quake, Soldier of Fortune or Riana Rogue that's their prerogative. They can go to the store and purchase it.
What troubles me is when there's an instant reaction from people citing the first amendment and shouting "Big Brother." What's wrong with a store not selling a game to a minor? How does this in any way affect what we as adults do?
Alex Zvenigorodsky
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Well, I wouldnt say that this is the first retailer to card for age for games. The military base exchange, or more commonly BX/PX has been carding youths for at least a year now. I know that you might think the military should be a little more strict about this, but not necessarily. Just thought I'd let you know that Kmart ain't the first losers to card youths.
Badditude
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I don't believe any group, company, person, etc. has the right to say what a child can and can't do except for that child's parents. For the most part children are disceplined by their parents and know the difference between right and wrong and KMart of all god forsaken places should not put on a act of "caring" about their customers because in the long run all this is really about is making money off of the uninformed by making themselves look more PC (pollitically correct). Censorship of any kind is wrong in my opinion so my question is; what's next? Who else is going to but in to the public's lives thinking that they know what is best for us? We as a whole need to speak out against these sort of things before we all become brain-washed zombies.
~DarkCalm
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Yes, worrisome it is. But not so chilling as this tale of how the United Nations, one this very day, is deciding how it will become a World Government. The main problem is they're planning on solving everything via Socialist/Communist government. Worldwide I.R.S., disarmament of citizens(don't want anybody stopping them, now), and loads of other nice stuff. Not one single thing about freedom, liberty, the responsibilities of citizens. No mention of laws to preserve freedom, only laws that will take it away. On top of that, Good Ol' U.S.A. is part of the bargain. We may need TWO Independence Days in the future, not just the 4th of July.
What'll happen to our video games then? Yikes, I say.
McCausland Family
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It's infuriating! Every time I see something like that I more and more discouraged. I love to play violent games, and I think it's disgusting how the masses have locked on to violent video games as the source of all the teenage crime in America. There are lots of people who like me purchased Unreal for the architecture possibilities and built in editor. For American culture to look upon people who play these games as sociopathic lunatics as such, and for them to treat the games in the same way as tobacco, is disturbingly misguided. I'm especially troubled that a corporate giant would enforce their own irrational opinion so absolutely.
But what's even more disturbing to me is the poll results at the CNN.Net article. As it stands now, only half voted against the policy. This means that the other half actually believes that violent games harm the minds of teenagers. And even worse, if they don't believe that, then they believe that it is of little concern that a corporation can enforce their decisions over the judgment of their customers. Thats my two cents.
Tyler Boyd
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I e-mailed the K-mart blrup to my sis-in-law, and this is what she said (she's 37 (4 kids), I'm 34 (no kids)):
Jim,
Are these your views or did you send this from somewhere that someone else
wrote? Personally I agree that stores shouldn't sell videos that are rated
"mature" to kids, libraries shouldn't let kids have access to pornography,
stores shouldn't sell cigarettes and beer to minors. Parents are the ones to
give those things to their kids if they choose to.
Sue
This is what I wrote back:
Sue
It is a news arcticle at one of the game sites I visit. This has nothing to do with videos. This has to do with games. Games like Unreal Tournament, which I play all the time. I don't think games should have ratings or restrictions like that. If I had kids, I'd let them play any of the games I have. It is just like watching cartoons. The game has "mature" talk, like "Die bitch", "Sucker", etc. Kids nowadays hear a lot worse. Also when you blow up the other person, body parts go flying. To me, it is just a game and it is fun to watch.
Cigarettes should be totally wiped out from the face of the earth. Personnaly I think all alchohol should be available to everyone, and PARENTS should teach their children when or when not to have it. Porn is porn and some videos (not porn) should be for 18+.
I just thought it was interesting. I did notice alot of 14-16 yr olds playing this game (Unreal Tourn), making maps, running web sites. etc. I think it stimulates thinking, creativity and self-expression in a positive manner.
Jim
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First, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Second, it's not all bad. Now there's no excuse or scapegoat. The spotlight
will shift to the real problems: neglectful parenting and/or kids that are
just plain nuts.
Of course, no one seems to ask "Where are kids getting 50 bucks to buy games
anyways?"
CliffyB
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Perhaps unfortunately for the game industry and your feedback site, I agree
100% with this approach to video game purchases and rentals. I think that
all retail stores should consider such a move--same thing for movie theaters
and video stores, etc.
If a parent feels strongly otherwise, /they/ have a choice and can purchase
the game for their son or daughter. It's a right and tool the parents
deserve to have, don't you agree?
Most teenagers feel they can take on the world, hardly having a sense of the
danger they put themselves in every day (I know I didn't). When you were a
teenager, did you consider the consequences of every action you took upon?
Parents today have so much to contend with and are not as attentive as they
should be to their kids. Are they bad parents? Maybe, but consider what
they (you) are up against.
Pete, I am a 34-year old parent of an 8 year old boy and two year old girl,
and I recall you having a young son as well. We know all too well the
difficulties parents face in raising their children, trying to protect them
from harm and instill a sense of decency and respect towards others. I was
no angel, and grew up in a tough environment--dysfunctional family, drinking
& drugs, out most of the night, low grades (even without videogames...well,
okay, StarCastle and Defender!), but consider myself lucky I made it out in
one piece. There are so many pitfalls and easy-way-outs for teenagers to
get caught up in.
I also know you are a decent parent--not leaving your son to do "whatever he
wants" and I'm sure have rules for him to follow. You spend time & play
with him on these games. I think that's great, and appropriate. But are you
the exception to the rule? Can all parents be there for their kids all the
time? No. Should they be? No again.
Although it has not (yet) been proven that video game violence is
desensitizing our youth, I believe that there are issues behind the violence
in video games that put this medium in a spot to step cautiously. And why
not - who stands to lose here and who stands to gain?
Perhaps those under 18 should not be playing these games or perhaps it poses
no harm. I have no idea either way, however, I'd rather err on the side of
caution. Wouldn't any normal parent?
Similiarly, while I believe in the inalienable rights to free speech and
expression, I believe these gray boundaries are being exploited in all the
media.
Exploitation, money & greed--Hey, I'd love a Ferrari too. But I think the
game industry and sites that support them, if they provide violent content
in their games--and I'm not talking Bugs Bunny falling off a cliff, I'm
talking harming a fictional foe without consequence (or for that matter,
derogatory dialogue)--should not present themselves as "heroes" to an
underage and impressionable youth, nor lend credence to this hipocracy that
it's under their artistic license. Who are they kidding?
And guess what...I am not religious nor Republican. But I have eyes and
ears and without a doubt our youth today are overly materialistic and more
impressionable than ever. Maybe K-Mart and/or their Board of Directors
sense that too.
Steve Keene
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rofl,
As long as the buggers keep out of England, I don't really mind =)
If they come near England, they'll find a small explosive in their
offices...
muahahaha!!
Ben "SheepCow" O'Neill
GameSpy Arcade Admin
Thanks to everyone for their comments!
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