As the Feast of Consumerism and Coveting draws close, it's easy to forget why we all get drunk and exchange aggressively-marketed tat purchased at aggressively-marketed superstores. And no, it's not the Pagans that bring us together in a bubble of Baileys and novelty socks as folk with dyed black hair and spiderweb earrings will have you believe. It is, of course, the birth of The Baby Jesus!
Now, The Baby Jesus did a lot of good magic tricks while he was alive, so many in fact that he convinced a lot of people that he is the actual son of God; God being an actually existing entity, you understand. But aside from his magic tricks and spawn of deity claims, The Baby Jesus did certainly promote one thing, immortalised in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. And that was to “Be excellent to each other!”
And this philosophy of being excellent to each other lives on today. Ignoring a bit of warring over the past couple of millennia, The Baby Jesus Magic Trick and Being Excellent to Each Other Fanclub (Earth Branch) has issued some rather sensible guidelines regarding the sale of videogames. And here they are:
See? Can't really argue with that, can you? Unless you're 14 and really want to play Grand Theft Auto, which to be honest, you really shouldn't.
“Retailers must proactively create and implement clearly formulated, well-monitored and effective policies to ensure the sale of age-appropriate video games to consumers. These policies can help retailers be better neighbors in the communities that they serve, gain credibility with stakeholders, diminish legislative, legal, and reputational risks, and in turn more adequately protect shareholder value," said Julie Tanner of Christian Brothers (and presumably, Sisters) Investment Services, Inc.
More on The Baby Jesus in gaming whenever we get it.
Now, The Baby Jesus did a lot of good magic tricks while he was alive, so many in fact that he convinced a lot of people that he is the actual son of God; God being an actually existing entity, you understand. But aside from his magic tricks and spawn of deity claims, The Baby Jesus did certainly promote one thing, immortalised in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. And that was to “Be excellent to each other!”
And this philosophy of being excellent to each other lives on today. Ignoring a bit of warring over the past couple of millennia, The Baby Jesus Magic Trick and Being Excellent to Each Other Fanclub (Earth Branch) has issued some rather sensible guidelines regarding the sale of videogames. And here they are:
Post video game sales policies prominently in stores and online;
Display signs and brochures to raise awareness among parents and others;
Restrict advertising of M-rated games in youth-oriented media;
Establish an online method of checking the age of buyers;
Train employees on the video games sales policy;
Program cash registers to reminder cashiers about age rules;
Conduct "mystery shopper" programs and other internal audits and separate M-Rated video games from youth-oriented video games
Display signs and brochures to raise awareness among parents and others;
Restrict advertising of M-rated games in youth-oriented media;
Establish an online method of checking the age of buyers;
Train employees on the video games sales policy;
Program cash registers to reminder cashiers about age rules;
Conduct "mystery shopper" programs and other internal audits and separate M-Rated video games from youth-oriented video games
See? Can't really argue with that, can you? Unless you're 14 and really want to play Grand Theft Auto, which to be honest, you really shouldn't.
“Retailers must proactively create and implement clearly formulated, well-monitored and effective policies to ensure the sale of age-appropriate video games to consumers. These policies can help retailers be better neighbors in the communities that they serve, gain credibility with stakeholders, diminish legislative, legal, and reputational risks, and in turn more adequately protect shareholder value," said Julie Tanner of Christian Brothers (and presumably, Sisters) Investment Services, Inc.
More on The Baby Jesus in gaming whenever we get it.
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The Baby Jesus
Comments
LUPOS 14 Dec 2005 17:39
1/3
i was actually at target the other day, purchasing an M rated game (half-life2 for xbox if you are wondering) and the nice lady jockeying the register asked me for my birthdate, just like when i buy booze at some stores and cigs at others (though i dont smoke i have seen it happen). when i asked she said the register automatically pops up the question when an M rated game is scanned, and i rellay had to wonder, why dont they all do this? i really cant see a good reasn not to and it woudl go miles to help i think.
Greg2k 14 Dec 2005 22:20
2/3
I remember I was in the Virgin Megastore in Kingston about 7 years ago. I was 14 and not entitled to buy an expansion for Duke Nukem 3D. The cashier refused to sell it to me, despite all my efforts in making him believe it was for my 20-year-old cousin =P
In the end, my dad bought it since he'd seen me play the original and found nothing too harmful about it. So, 7 years ago, I was refused a copy of a game rated 18+
Why we're argueing about this today baffles me.
In the end, my dad bought it since he'd seen me play the original and found nothing too harmful about it. So, 7 years ago, I was refused a copy of a game rated 18+
Why we're argueing about this today baffles me.
DoctorDee 15 Dec 2005 07:47
3/3
Greg2k wrote:
Why we're argueing about this today baffles me.
I think it's because your experience in Woolworth/Comet/wherever is not the same as that experienced by everyone, or in some parts, it is.
Often 18+ games are sold to minors.
Or they just get their dads/uncles/tramp off the corner to buy the game for them.
Either way, they are getting their hands on unsuitable content. Now if thet's just Duke Nuke's poor double entrendres, maybe that's fine. But if it's games that glorify violence and murder, maybe it's not.