Daily Mail's new low.

[Bazzlad]

Anne Diamond gives her chilling verdict on the violent video games that are to carry age ratings | the Daily Mail

Unbelievable.
The article goes on and on about how violent games are and then (the best bit) has this image:


With the quote:
Harmful: A Government-commissioned report says that video games can desensitise children to violence


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I don't know about you lot, but after playing Mario Kart 64, I've found myself throwing turtles and banana peels at other cars whilst driving.

It's madness.

[mycarsavw]

After seeing them Anne said: "Just reviewing these games, made my hair stand on end. I have never got into computer games.but my sons all love them.

Get....a....grip

[dangel]

Mario Kart ruined my life.

Still, nice to see Anne Diamond making a bit of extra cash anyway.

[Agent]

And at the same time she as turned a blind eye to all the educational games out there, and ones that have shaped peoples lives for the better!

Computer games will carry cinema-style age ratings to protect children from violent and sexual images, ministers said yesterday.

They already do. Its called a BBFC rating!

[muddyfox470]

Love what they say about Resident Evil 4 "This game shouldn't be allowed to be sold, even to adults"

I can't believe some people can get paid to have these extremely biased opinions.

Fair enough there are a lot of games available that aren't suitable for children and their parents don't help by supervising their purchases but how can this woman have a view on what should happen in the video games market?

[dangel]

I can't believe some people can get paid to have these extremely biased opinions.

..and who aren't qualified in any sense to give said opinion.

Mind you, without people like our Anne the Daily Rant would be a very thin paper indeed.

[Mike Fishcake]

I don't know about you lot, but after playing Mario Kart 64, I've found myself throwing turtles and banana peels at other cars whilst driving.

Actually, Bowser is on the sex offenders register for waving his scaly appendage at Princess Peach, and Wario is a convincted Heroin trafficker.

WON'T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CH*explodes*

[Ferral]

I would say that proper BBFC certificates will enlighten parents that care about what their children are playing. If a game has a specific rating there on the front it will make life much easier for the non computer savvy, knowing that if they pick up something with a PG slapped on the front it is going to be suitable for everyone.

Only 2 of the games in the list there don't actually have ratings on them (COD4 and DoA). The rest have self explanatory ratings slapped there on the front so you know exactly what you are getting from the offset.

[format]

I read that Counterstrike:Source has been banned in Brazil recently...

[Agent]

Problem is, parents don't give a flying crap.
I worked in GAME for 4 years, and the number of parents which would happily buy little Jimmy GTA is shocking. They just do not care.

For some reason there is a misconception that an 18 game is not as bad as an 18 film.

[dangel]

Problem is, parents don't give a flying crap.

Absolutely. You could (probably) call a game "Rabid Baby Punching Peadophillia Racers" and parents wouldn't blink an eye to it.

That's copyright DAngel Productions btw in case you're thinking of nicking it.

[Ferral]

Yeah I know and understand your point with that one. Me as a parent of 3 myself though sits on the opposite end of that scale and would not allow any of my kids to view / play stuff they are under age for.

A few nights back me and my wife had a discussion about the newer 12A certificates you are seeing on a lot of movies lately. They are slapping this cert on movies that kids would really want to see (Pirates of the Carribbean for example) so adults can let the kids see it with them. Thing is though if there wasn't a 12A cert then would these movies be put into the older 15 cert?

Only things that our kids get to see (12A cert) is after we have watched them and decided yes or no. We both decided no to Dead Mans Chest and At Worlds End even though they would love so see them due to the midly horrific nature of Davey Jones etc. Main 12A certs that we have no probs with is the Harry Potter series except Prisoner Of Azkaban with the teach that turns into the werewolf, our oldest is allowed to watch it but the 2 younger (6 and 8) arn't as it frightens them something rotten.

Going back to the games side of things though and like I said it will open the eyes of the more caring parents out there. I worked as a manager for Global Video a few years back and used to advise customers about the recommended ratings and made points of pointing out games like GTA3 with the cert on the front. A lot of my customers that were renting games for youngsters didn't actually realise that is was a game with proper certification. In cases like I have just given it is a good thing, but like you said there are parents that don't care what their kids are watching / playing just for a quiet life.

All media should really have some sort of certification on it whether it is via computer, console or through the usual channels like TV and film. Kids can and will watch anything and everything if their parents will let them so something has to be done to try and point people in the right direction.

[Zadock]

Absolutely. You could (probably) call a game "Rabid Baby Punching Peadophillia Racers" and parents wouldn't blink an eye to it.

That's copyright DAngel Productions btw in case you're thinking of nicking it.

Genius...

So thats what happened to old 80s morning TV has been Anne Diamond... writing for the daily mail, such informative articles to who would believe it?

[Mike Fishcake]

Absolutely. You could (probably) call a game "Rabid Baby Punching Peadophillia Racers" and parents wouldn't blink an eye to it.

That's copyright DAngel Productions btw in case you're thinking of nicking it.

That's the best game title EVER.

[usxhe190]

If they banned the games so a kid have nothing to do at home, I hope the kid doesn't linger on the streets, join a gang, etc...lol..

[Ferral]

Point is not to ban games as they do entertain kids and adults alike. Just to get them certified like other media as games and kids are all part of todays lifestyle!