75 replies to this topic

[David Batty]

The PEGI video game rating system has become law for game retailers in the UK.

http://www.guardian....-law?CMP=twt_fd

[cantavanda]

Finally, no kids playing Manhunt or Call of Duty anymore!

[Rusty]

Finally, no kids playing Manhunt or Call of Duty anymore!

Yes, because the other rating systems used to give them PGs.

Edit:
What is this nonsense? It's enforcing 12s, like there is any point in a 12 rating anyway.

Edit:
Fantastical, I now live in a country where 12 year olds have to carry ID or retailers face six months in prison. I hate how stupid my country is.

Edited by Rusty, 31 July 2012 - 12:05 PM.

[GameDevDan]

I'll be honest, I thought this was already the case...

[PixelKing]

I thought this was also the case... I don't live in the UK though.

I think Australia is like this though, because diablo 3 got less blood and stuff in it so younger people could play.

[Jobo]

Welcome to the group, UK.
Sure took its while for you to catch up with the rest of the world.

That said, it's not strictly prohibited here - a majority of retailers just abide by them.
GameStop for example.

I see no problem in the PEGI ratings though. I think it's perfectly fine.

Edited by Jobo, 31 July 2012 - 12:36 PM.

[Keypress]

Fantastical, I now live in a country where 12 year olds have to carry ID or retailers face six months in prison. I hate how stupid my country is.

You think this is bad? I live in eagle land, the single stupidest developed country out there.

[makerofthegames]

I don't see what the deal is with the new addition. That is not to say, "I don't see why there's any fussing about it," but more like "I don't see why it doesn't go further."

Why should a 12 year old, but his/herself, be shopping at a game store? If you're going to restrict the games the preteen can buy, why not restrict buying at all? Where's the parent/guardian?


(I'm not really being serious in that I think they should do this, just that why restrict it to that extent, doesn't it seem pointless?)

Edited by makerofthegames, 31 July 2012 - 01:27 PM.

[Rusty]

I don't see what the deal is with the new addition. That is not to say, "I don't see why there's any fussing about it," but more like "I don't see why it doesn't go further."

Why should a 12 year old, but his/herself, be shopping at a game store? If you're going to restrict the games the preteen can buy, why not restrict buying at all? Where's the parent/guardian?


(I'm not really being serious in that I think they should do this, just that why restrict it to that extent, doesn't it seem pointless?)

Because frankly, it's a pointless law to put decent retailers into our prisons that are overcrowded by real criminals. What you're basically saying is that all 13 year olds need to carry ID to buy games, what exactly is the point in this? What do 12 games really restrict the user from anyway? Anything with any amount of real violence, bad language or sexual content that kids should be restricted of goes straight to 18 anyway. 6 months is a longer sentence that most get for assault, which I think is a far more serious crime than letting a bored kid play "Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits".

Saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy games" is like saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy candy" or "kids shouldn't be able to pick their own conkers to play conkers with".

[makerofthegames]

Saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy games" is like saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy candy" or "kids shouldn't be able to pick their own conkers to play conkers with".

Well my real point is why do they feel the need to restrict 12 year olds buying games with 13+ rating on them without going further?
It's an odd thought, but basically my thought process is: If they're so wacky to put a restriction on 12 year olds buying games..wouldn't the first idea be instead to just restrict them to having a parent with them? Oh, they're fine with the kids walking in unsupervised, but they can't buy them 13+ games!

I don't care if a kid walks in by himself or picks up a high rated game, I'm just wondering what the thought-process is behind these law makers.

[Rusty]

Saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy games" is like saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy candy" or "kids shouldn't be able to pick their own conkers to play conkers with".

Well my real point is why do they feel the need to restrict 12 year olds buying games with 13+ rating on them without going further?
It's an odd thought, but basically my thought process is: If they're so wacky to put a restriction on 12 year olds buying games..wouldn't the first idea be instead to just restrict them to having a parent with them? Oh, they're fine with the kids walking in unsupervised, but they can't buy them 13+ games!

I don't care if a kid walks in by himself or picks up a high rated game, I'm just wondering what the thought-process is behind these law makers.

I'll admit you have a point there, but honestly, I don't think there is much thought-process behind these laws.

[masterofhisowndomain]

It's a shame that there are practically no video game retailers left on the High Street to enforce this, with the closure of so many Game and GameStation shops.

[roytheshort]

Because a policeman is really going to spend their time going into a video game store to make sure that they aren't selling 12 rated games to children under 12...

Edited by roytheshort, 31 July 2012 - 09:30 PM.

[Jobo]

Because a policeman is really going to spend their time going into a video game store to make sure that they aren't selling 12 rated games to children under 12...

Not only policemen are capable of enforcing the law, you know...

[Nocturne]

Saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy games" is like saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy candy" or "kids shouldn't be able to pick their own conkers to play conkers with".

In the UK, conkers are actually banned from a lot of schools in case pieces fly off when they are broken and hurt children (which would lead to a law suit and so MUST be avoided) and sweets are also getting more legislation in that they also cannot be sold near a school!! So, your examples are actually being enforced although maybe not in such a direct legal manner. The UK is turning into a "nanny" state...

[Rusty]

In the UK, conkers are actually banned from a lot of schools in case pieces fly off when they are broken and hurt children (which would lead to a law suit and so MUST be avoided) and sweets are also getting more legislation in that they also cannot be sold near a school!! So, your examples are actually being enforced although maybe not in such a direct legal manner. The UK is turning into a "nanny" state...

Realisation that my country is actually run by morons.

Rapidly losing the will to live.

[PhiL Blunt]

Does this include digital distribution channels? Since this was first announced in the Digital Britain report (June 2009).
http://webarchive.na...eport-jun09.pdf

[theweirdn8]

"God save our Queen"

[ugriffin]

In the UK, conkers are actually banned from a lot of schools in case pieces fly off when they are broken and hurt children (which would lead to a law suit and so MUST be avoided) and sweets are also getting more legislation in that they also cannot be sold near a school!! So, your examples are actually being enforced although maybe not in such a direct legal manner. The UK is turning into a "nanny" state...

Realisation that my country is actually run by morons.

Rapidly losing the will to live.

That's what you people get for voting for the Tories.

Then again, Australia isn't much better, one could easily argue it's worse.

[chance]

Because frankly, it's a pointless law to put decent retailers into our prisons that are overcrowded by real criminals.
<snip>
Saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy games" is like saying "kids shouldn't be able to buy candy" or "kids shouldn't be able to pick their own conkers to play conkers with".

Over-reacting... just a little?

PEGI won't put retailers in prison, or keep kids from buying games. Look, plenty of existing laws that have extreme penalties for blatant disregard of the law and/or repeat offenses -- like someone deliberately and repeatedly targeting young children with 18+ adult games. But for isolated cases where a retailer sells an inappropriate game to a child, the law has "graduated provisions", such as initial warnings, then fines, then license suspension, etc.

UK and Euro games industry leaders strongly support PEGI themselves. PEGI isn't some prudish system that treats games as "evil". It's a measured attempt to give parents some guidance about content, and to keep inappropriate content away from young children.

It's not a perfect system, and it won't stop all kids from looking at adult content. No law can do that. But it's a reasonable attempt to reduce it, without infringing on people's rights.

Seriously... people should reserve their righteous indignation for important things that affect society. PEGI isn't one of them.

Edited by chance, 05 August 2012 - 11:12 AM.