Gamers Have Rights, Too
Do you know your gaming rights? A law has been proposed several times in different areas, but is now being taken as a serious threat amongst the gaming world. The state of California has proposed a law in it’s legislature that would require a 2 inch label for games deemed ‘too violent’ for youths. Any game publisher would treat this label as a death penalty to their game. This new legislation would promote skewed ratings, push meaningful games into the dark, and tread on the first amendment rights of software publishers.
First of all, the basis on which games would be given this label would be skewed. The legislation states a game that would receive the rating “includes killing, maiming, dismembering, or sexually assaulting an image of a human being”. This means that in order for a game to avoid the label, the characters in it cannot do anything to mortally wound or assault a human. One reason that would make this new rating skewed is that not only M-rated games involve killing humans, but some T-rated games would also receive the label. There might even be an E-rated game such as Lego Star Wars that would receive the label, since you can dismember characters that resemble their human counterparts. Because of this ‘human factor’, a game such as Dead Rising would not receive the rating, even though it is possible for upwards of thousands of zombies to be killed. However, a game such as Heavy Rain would receive the label, because at most, five to ten humans are killed in the game.
To follow up on the shoddiness of the rating system, games that feature more than just killing will be pushed out of game stores. While some games feature just killing, others embed many potent social topics in games. The videogame series Metal Gear Solid features topics such as genetic engineering and the psychology of warfare. However, these philosophical topics would not come to light because of the label. Another game, Heavy Rain, features a heart-wrenching story of a man who must save his son before the Origami Killer drowns him in a well. Your choices in the game affect the outcome. This story features elements similar to the movie Se7en, which won an Academy Award. However, games like these would not receive the commendation they deserve, as an art form.
Finally, this legislation would step all over the first amendment rights of game publishers. According to the bill, if a game with this label is sold to a minor, the game store will be charged a $1,000 fine. Imagine a crowded game store on the day of release for a game. Since most game stores only have two to three sales clerks, things could get hectic. Mistakenly, a clerk might not ask a 15 year old for an ID when selling him a game with the label. Later, when the manager of the store finds out about this transaction, he will be furious. He would have to pay a $1,000 fine for one clerk’s mistake. It would be easier for the game store to not carry the game. This would result in many major software releases not being carried in stores. This game-banning concept is already true for Adults Only games, which currently no stores carry. This makes game publishers unable to sell their game, which can be declared unconstitutional. This would be a tragic down falling to the rights so many people worked for so long ago.
Some people may think that this rating is a good idea. Some people blame killings and shootings on videogames. Some may think that violent games are a bad influence on impressionable minds. Also, some people may not want their children to buy a violent video game. However, introducing this new legislation would make children unable to buy these games when they are adults.
In conclusion, this new bill would be a terrible idea. Video games are an important part of society, and deserve to be commended rather than condemned. If this label is used on games, it will act like a death penalty to games. Ratings would be skewed, excellent games will not receive the attention they deserve, and the first amendment will be violated. Gamers everywhere must protest this in anyway they can; whether it be a petition or a picket sign. Gamers need to represent their rights.
Works Cited:
Game Informer (October 2010)
Ebscohost
