Parents who buy their kids adult rated games.
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grrrlface
Posts: 1,204 Member
It's illegal (in UK anyway, I don't know about the law in other countries.) for a child to buy a game if they are not of the age on the game rating. (12,15,18)
I don't have a problem with parents buying the games if they find them suitable for their child the real problem I have is the media's coverage and complaining parents and the endless campaigns some magazines have "Mum's against GTA" or "MW2 should be banned" etc.
I guess my point for discussion here is should a parent buy these games for their child? The game shop I go to frequently sells games to parents, while their child is there, and give fair warning that the game they are about to buy contains bloody violence, swearing etc. yet they still buy them. (One child I saw was still in Primary School, so about 11 years old at a guess and his Mum bought him Modern Warfare 2 and was given a full warning buy the cashier about the game content.)
I think some people think that games and gaming consoles are still just for kids and any game is suitable for children but if you take a good look at the market, especially for Xbox and Playstation, it is predominantly aimed at adult males.
I'm curious as I have seen it first hand and also had to do an essay about it in my Game Design class a couple of years ago so other's opinions are very interesting to me.
Would you buy your child a game rated well above their age range? Would you allow them to play those games at a friend's house? Or would you just buy them games suitable for their age range?
I don't have a problem with parents buying the games if they find them suitable for their child the real problem I have is the media's coverage and complaining parents and the endless campaigns some magazines have "Mum's against GTA" or "MW2 should be banned" etc.
I guess my point for discussion here is should a parent buy these games for their child? The game shop I go to frequently sells games to parents, while their child is there, and give fair warning that the game they are about to buy contains bloody violence, swearing etc. yet they still buy them. (One child I saw was still in Primary School, so about 11 years old at a guess and his Mum bought him Modern Warfare 2 and was given a full warning buy the cashier about the game content.)
I think some people think that games and gaming consoles are still just for kids and any game is suitable for children but if you take a good look at the market, especially for Xbox and Playstation, it is predominantly aimed at adult males.
I'm curious as I have seen it first hand and also had to do an essay about it in my Game Design class a couple of years ago so other's opinions are very interesting to me.
Would you buy your child a game rated well above their age range? Would you allow them to play those games at a friend's house? Or would you just buy them games suitable for their age range?
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My take?
My children will not own M-rated games until they are at least 16. We do not play M-rated games when they are home and awake. Since they're very young, we don't even play certain T-rated games in front of them. I don't feel that it's appropriate for children to play those kinds of games.
I personally disagree with parents who do allow their kids to play that stuff. However, I don't judge them negatively if they pay attention and know what they're buying. I do know some parents who allow their young kids to watch horror movies and play war games, but they watch and play with them, so they're aware what's going on. So while I disagree with it, I can't be too upset since at least they're taking an active role. What really grinds my gears is the parents who have no idea what they're buying, they just get it for the kids because the kids asked for it. There is a place for parental restraint, and if you're not going to use it, you should at least know what you're allowing in your home.0 -
I think the age limits are there for a reason.
We don't let our 10 yr old play those games, let alone watch them be played. We can't really stop what they do at friends houses, but he's not good at lying so he still gets in trouble. Gotta love kids. I've let him play Halo, but only because I was there and that one isn't as real as MW3 or Battlefield or any of those war games. However, his dad will let him buy anything. So we got the fun task of taking away all the "war type" games when he brought them home.
Some parents will just buy their kids whatever they want to shut them up. I don't think games like that are necessary for kids when there are plenty of other fun games out there. But you find that all over the place with parents. I don't really think kids need to spend hours playing video games anyway. They should be outside having fun and actually interacting. But that's just me.0 -
Depends on the game and the reasons behind the M rating for me. I wouldn't let my 11 year old son play GTA or Saint's Row games, but I've played through all of the Halo games with him, and they have M ratings. I've never found anything especially offensive in a Halo game, sure, you're shooting aliens, but you're shooting in Skylanders and WoW, too.
The ratings system is there as a general guideline, and it basically comes down to a 10-30 minute gameplay video the developer or publisher sends over to the ratings board that makes the decision. I've seen some T games that crossed the line into M in my mind, and a lot of M games that I didn't think deserved a rating beyond T.
I don't completely ignore those ratings, but as a gamer parent, I tend to take some of them with a grain of salt because of the uneven standards and methods they use to come to their ratings decisions.
A lady at here at work was freaking out about some giant pirate ghost head that popped up in Lego Pirates of The Caribbean and made her 7 year old kid jump. "That game isn't appropriate." My memories of being 8 years old were watching old Doctor Who episodes and LOVING to have the crap scared out of me by some cheesy Styrofoam alien. I think some parents take it too far sometimes.0 -
I was in a Game Stop years ago and was in line when a boy of about 10 came in with his Grandmother and picked one of the Grand Theft Auto games. he got in line and at some point 1 person spoke up and said it might not be a good idea. this was followed by others chiming in as well. the Grandmother then told him no and the boy look liked we just killed his dog. too funny.0
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I was 12 when GTA III came out, and me and my then 9-year-old little sister had so much fun playing it. Her absolute favourite part? Police/ambulance missions. I just liked taking the katana to the mall. But I do, for the record, have two older brothers who influenced the game library quite a bit. My mother wasn't crazy about it, but she kept a close eye on us when we played to see how we played, paid attention to how we talked about it at later points, continuously evaluating its effect on us.
My sister went on to CS and I went on to platformers and strategy games. We both turned out okay, but I'd never play Gears of War in front of my mother. I think she'd.. Frown upon, me chainsawing enemies in half with a gun and laughing evilly at it. (My boyfriend, however, finds this trait endearing)
Here in Norway the age limits are only meant for guidance, but the store clerks are entitled to deny selling to under-aged or check ID if they're in doubt. I think it should be illegal the same way films are, if nothing because they're designed for adults and need to be taken seriously as adult entertainment, partially to remove the "only kids play games" stigma and "video games are ruining the youth" theory.0 -
I can only speak in hypothetical terms since I'm not yet a parent. My decision of whether I should or shouldn't buy a game rated well above my "child's" age range would be based on several factors: maturity level of the child; context of the game; and any possible effects on siblings or visitors. The decision would boil down to my judgement of whether I think the game is appropriate for my household or not.
When I was a boy, the original Nintendo system was in full glory. I remember playing Contra and Metal Gear and Jackal with no residual effects to my personality. In other words, classic shooter games didn't turn me into a common criminal. That being said, games have evolved into a more lifelike experience with intense story lines. Honestly, I don't think that a child who plays Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield is going to turn into a murderer. But that doesn't mean I want a 6-10 year old kid playing it, especially the online component.
At the younger ages (5-12) I think that I would limit a child's gaming experiences to simple games that could be played by multiple people or single player. Games like Little Big Planet, Mario Cart, sports games, etc. At this age range, I would not buy games outside of their age range and I would not support them playing teen or mature games at a friend's house. However by age 13 I think it comes down to a judgement call based on the factors I listed above. If the kid was mature and the game wouldn't be played by any younger siblings, then I wouldn't have a problem with games like Uncharted, CoD, Battlefield, etc. The only kinds of games that would be strictly prohibited at this point would be ones like Grand Theft Auto. Maybe by 16 if the kid is mature, but not much earlier than that.
Again, I don't think the kid is going to turn into a criminal overnight by playing a game like that. But I find the overwhelming themes of violence and sexuality to be inappropriate for younger kids. Any game where you can pick up a prostitute in your car and get laid is probably not suitable for a 13 year old.0 -
I work at GameStop, and we have a close relationship with the ESRB. We won't sell and M rated game to a minor without parent or guardian permission. I'm really up front with parents about game content, and they usually tell their kids to pick something else.
My issue is when I first started gaming at a very young age, the games were pixelated and obviously not real. Nowadays, technology had become more and more advanced, and now the suspension of disbelief is gone since games have become more realistic.
I really don't like the fact that parents let their kids play these games so young nowadays...0 -
nothing pisses me more when playing COD or something and having a little kid pretending he knows how to swear, team killing, and carrying on a general conversation with this teddy bear all through the game.
Parents use games as baby sitters and obviously aren't players themselves otherwise they would realize how annoying it is to have little kids in my games.
Once they find out I'm a chic they get even worse and start silly little boy name calling that they think is cute because they've heard their dads call their moms that... not funny.
Like I have on my gamertag, if your balls haven't dropped yet your not old enough to play this game - go ask your mom for a cookie0 -
I've got little ones, Right now I'm playing Skyrim, the only time it's on when they are awake is when I'm organizing my house and items.0
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It does wind me up that they try to ban games, when movies show far worse things, but no one tries to ban them...0
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I used to keep my kid away from violent games, but after 9/11 I realized we needed to desensitize our youth so they could defend themselves.0
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My parents never put a cap on the things I could watch or play. If I wanted a rated game, they would buy it for me. o.o I never knew why things were rated in the first place.0
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My parents bought me all sorts of adult rated games, movies, comics, etc. They never chose to censor anything for me, they let me see anything I wanted to. I played GTA, read Chobits and other fanservice-y manga (full of nudity), read JTHM, had a huge stack of art books that contained nudity, watched gory horror movies... all at age 13+. And they showed me horror movies and art movies with nudity when I was really young, too. They took me to see a live performance of Rocky Horror Picture Show when I was like 12 (if you haven't seen it, it's very raunchy :P) I didn't become a serial killer or some corrupt evil person, or even promiscuous.
I think people worry too much about the influence of these things when they're no worse than everyday life really.0 -
I remeber playing killer instinct and mortal combat and DOA as a child. My kids love watching mommy play zelda and WOW. I wont play house of the dead overkill infront of them but thats cause Im afraid it will give them nightmares (they are 8 and 5). Video games do not cause violence it is our job as parents to explain what things are real and what things arent. That being said my kids play all sorts of games at both their dads and my house. But while they are playing there is always an adult present. That is the inportana part.0
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That being said my kids play all sorts of games at both their dads and my house. But while they are playing there is always an adult present. That is the inportana part.
Right. Video games don't cause violence. I agree with you. But I do believe that if a kid is given free access to that stuff without parental guidance explaining why it's ok in a video game but not in real life, it can cause problems for some kids. Not all, but some. My nephews play violent games, and they're not violent kids. But they have a mother who talks to them about what they're playing.
I guess my whole reason for not giving that stuff to my kids is because I dont' see the point. They have all their lives to play that stuff. I don't see how it prepares them for life to beat up a hooker with a baseball bat in GTA. Yes, that stuff happens, but they're not going to be better equipped to handle it just because they played a video game when they were 5. I'd rather see them really enjoy a game that's made for them, rather than throwing them headlong into grown-up entertainment when they're still children. But that's just me. Like I said earlier, if a parent is at least involved and knows what their kid is playing/seeing, I can't take an issue with that. It's the ones who just buy them without caring and don't ever give it a second thought that really bother me.0 -
I remeber playing killer instinct and mortal combat and DOA as a child. My kids love watching mommy play zelda and WOW. I wont play house of the dead overkill infront of them but thats cause Im afraid it will give them nightmares (they are 8 and 5). Video games do not cause violence it is our job as parents to explain what things are real and what things arent. That being said my kids play all sorts of games at both their dads and my house. But while they are playing there is always an adult present. That is the inportana part.
You pretty much summed it up here for me. My oldest is 6 and even though he is young he gets the concept that games and movies aren't real (because we taught him that of coarse). Most games he loves watching Mommy and Daddy play (he gets a real kick outa playing FPS's) but we will not allow him to see the most violent and frightening of them (i.e. Zombie Island).
Some people obviously aren't going to agree that kids should see anything of an adult nature. Even with an adult present. But my thought is you cannot shelter your kids from everything. I wasn't and I am thankfull for it. If they aren't going to see it at home they are going to see it at school or a friends house and maybe it's best you should be a parent and actually teach your kids about what they are seeing. Ya know, right from wrong and all that.
To answer the OP's question: I would not buy my children any M rated game until I felt they were mature enough to handle that type of content UNSUPERVISED. God knows they get enough exposure seeing the games my husband and I play.0 -
I honestly feel it depends on the maturity of the child. My daughter is 10 and she plays Teen games, but she's actually very mature and acts appropriately in multi-player games. She doesn't talk to anyone in multi-player games, so she's never one of those annoying kids in game that we all loathe. She's played a few mature games as well, but I do keep a close watch on what content they have and she only plays them if I or my fiance have already played through them and know what to expect (such as the Elder Scrolls series, they are relatively mild in my opinion). If my daughter had the maturity level of her friends or cousins, then no, I wouldn't allow her to play some of the games that she plays.
I've always been very open with my daughter and taught her everything that I could from a young age. I've obviously done a good job as her teachers always tell me to keep doing what I'm doing.0 -
I work at GameStop, and we have a close relationship with the ESRB. We won't sell and M rated game to a minor without parent or guardian permission. I'm really up front with parents about game content, and they usually tell their kids to pick something else.
You are the only one then.
Sorry, but I worked at Gamestop for a few years, and we didn't care unless they were like 10 and wanted to buy GTA.
Video Games are no better/worse than whats on TV today. I think the correlation between being more immersive than TV is a crack pot excuse. You don't hold a controller to shoot someone in real life. You don't hold a plastic toy with a lighted ball on the end to shoot someone.
Cater to the maturity level of the child not the age. Which means parents have to become an active participant in their lives.0 -
I work at GameStop, and we have a close relationship with the ESRB. We won't sell and M rated game to a minor without parent or guardian permission. I'm really up front with parents about game content, and they usually tell their kids to pick something else.
You are the only one then.
Sorry, but I worked at Gamestop for a few years, and we didn't care unless they were like 10 and wanted to buy GTA.
Video Games are no better/worse than whats on TV today. I think the correlation between being more immersive than TV is a crack pot excuse. You don't hold a controller to shoot someone in real life. You don't hold a plastic toy with a lighted ball on the end to shoot someone.
Cater to the maturity level of the child not the age. Which means parents have to become an active participant in their lives.
Thank you.
I'm the "bad" mom that lets her son play M rated games...of course, I'm there in the room with him at all times. Not so much to supervise him, but to play along or give tips. He came out gaming. I played all throughout my pregnancy, I actually used my preggo belly to rest my PS2 controller on. Poor kid never had a chance.0 -
Depends on the game and the reasons behind the M rating for me. I wouldn't let my 11 year old son play GTA or Saint's Row games, but I've played through all of the Halo games with him, and they have M ratings. I've never found anything especially offensive in a Halo game, sure, you're shooting aliens, but you're shooting in Skylanders and WoW, too.
The ratings system is there as a general guideline, and it basically comes down to a 10-30 minute gameplay video the developer or publisher sends over to the ratings board that makes the decision. I've seen some T games that crossed the line into M in my mind, and a lot of M games that I didn't think deserved a rating beyond T.
I don't completely ignore those ratings, but as a gamer parent, I tend to take some of them with a grain of salt because of the uneven standards and methods they use to come to their ratings decisions.
A lady at here at work was freaking out about some giant pirate ghost head that popped up in Lego Pirates of The Caribbean and made her 7 year old kid jump. "That game isn't appropriate." My memories of being 8 years old were watching old Doctor Who episodes and LOVING to have the crap scared out of me by some cheesy Styrofoam alien. I think some parents take it too far sometimes.
agree...my boys and i have all played the Halo games together, but the GTA game?! c'mon, i wouldnt want them learning how to p/up a hooker then beating her with a pipe after you had your way...one reason i wont play those games.0
