I agree, parent better.

Obama is right.

He's alluding to the fact that video games can be used as babysitters for kids. Just plop them down in front of the tv and let them play.

I'm an avid gamer, but I agree whole-heartedly.

Games aren't bad, and obama isn't saying they are, he's saying that its time we take a look at the way we're raising our kids and change it.

I sense heavy words incoming here. Words that I will need to lookup because I'm too much of a simpleton to understand them.

But at any rate; anti-gaming is the trend nearly everywhere, so what gives. I mean, it's almost "cool" to be like that in Germany. That's how widespread it is amongst politicians.

Glad no matter where I go to buy uncut games in the UK, they don't even care to ID me. This might sound threatening and careless of the shops, but hell, that's what I call freedom :D

I definantly agree,
I mean...I'm not one to talk,
during my school years, everytime I got
a chance my ass was sittin' infront of
a TV, controller in hand going nuts...(it kept my off the streets!)

But, parents need to not only limit how
much they're kids are gaming (unless it's keeping them from activities that could harm them), and also
read the damn ESRB labels.

I get so sick of 7 yr olds going "I GOT GTA!!!!!!!!".

His brief rhetorical jabs are NOTHING compared to the Tipper Gore/Hillary Clinton/Joe Lieberman school of actually drafting anti-game legislation. Obama's actual policies on media are very good (all education based, no regulation whatsoever.)

Also when its put in the "turn off the tv, put down controller" kind of phrase its a far cry from "games cause all evil" one normally hears. TV can also be educational and a legitimate artform but people don't really interpret that kind of sentence as a denigration. Its more of a critique of parents who aren't following through with their children's homework, etc.

Oh geez please, can you cut "video games make you smarter and successful in life" bullshit please? Videogames is waste of time like any other entertainment.

@Guild_Navigator:
plain and simple!

@balls187++:

whew, i didn't expect to see a post like yours right out the gate. and thank god too...it said everything i wanted to express. i hope all of the hardcore gamers don't get blinded by obama's choice of words, and i surely hope they're open minded enough to agree with this sentiment.

Sorry Mark, but you're a little late on this. Kotaku already had an article a month or more ago about the exact same comment. Same out of context quote even.

If you want to get an idea for how people are going to respond go ahead and take a look: [kotaku.com]

If your a parent that is concerned about the games your children are playing that they, yourself or someone else bought for them, being too graphic or violent even pornographic ... you shouldn't be a parent.

I also agree, parent better.

Why am I the only gamer that ever actually agrees with this shit rather than instantly being offended? Games, like sex, drugs and Corey Hart are all spectacular in moderation. There's an enormous amount of children, teenagers and adults in this world who do not game in moderation and let their lives, brains and social lives atrophy on account of it. That's not a good thing.

If you think it is, spend longer than 10 minutes in Gamestop and take a look at the vast majority of the clientele. If that doesn't work? Go make an account on Gamefaqs. If you don't see anything wrong by then, then you may be part of the problem.

Is it really such a bad idea to encourage kids to spend less time sitting on their butts? Don't get me wrong, I spend as much time as the average Kotakuite sat on my fat ass, but make no mistake, my kids gaming time will be rationed. Why? Because I want gaming to be one of *many* passions that they have, and one of *many* forms of play that I actively particpate in with them.

There is a very strong argument for not using a TV and/or a console as a surrogate babysitter, to keep the kids quiet and out of the way. That's just lazy parenting, and it strikes me that that's what Obama is driving at, not games themselves.

So are we going back in time?

I don't see anything wrong with Obama's statement. All he is saying is that parents have become too dependent on media to pacify thier children rather than actually parenting and that they should be held responsible.

It is not like Obama condemned videogames, or sought to pass censorship legislation. I don't see why Kotaku keeps on making this an issue, when Obama is just complaining about bad parenting and not videogames in themselves.

Barack Obama's lumping games together in the same way he's lumping television shows together, so it's not like he's discriminating against a certain media here.

Television could also have similar educational values, albeit without interactivity. However, for the most part, it's used for entertainment purposes, similar to games. I believe it's true that a lot of our entertainment time can be used for more productive ventures, and I think that's what Obama was really trying to denounce, not games in itself.

he's not saying dont play he's saying take the time to spend time with your family and all that shit. I'd rather have the option to put down the game for a bit then have it taken away and banned like what that dumb bitch running for president wants. Its a Good idea to come in on values and morals instead of legilation and laws choice is better then demand

Well. Here's the deal.

If he gets US Troops out of IRAQ, he can badmouth video games all he wants.

Cheers.

@Nande: Put bluntly, but I agree.

As much as I love videogames, they don't really often have any beneficial affect on people. I know for a fact that if I didn't have tv/videogames, I would be doing a LOT better in school right now. Videogames are fucking awesome, and I love videogames, but lets not kid ourselves, they are simply a form of entertainment, and aren't much beyond that.

If you look up the candidates' actual stances, he's the most pro-video game candidate out there.

@TRT-X: WORD. Thank god somebody else caught this.

Tsk tsk tsk.

Once again a misinterpretation of his words. This is more in the vein of "things in moderation, be a damn parent for a change" as opposed to the usual "games are the spawn of satan" tirades that are all too common these days.

@balls187++: Agreed.

It's not about the inherent value of games, or lack thereof, in and of themselves. It's about videogames, TV, the Internet, or any number of other substitutes that parents use as a crutch or replacement for proper parenting.

And he's right: parent better.

@TRT-X: Err...ummm...you mean the article I backlinked in this article?

If he said that video games, and only video games, were the root of all evil, then I'd be a little annoyed. But I don't think any gamer would argue that people should be spending several hours everyday playing these things, even if we do it ourselves.

He is right. Americans are fat and lazy and that trend needs to stop. I'm not saying kids' shouldn't play video games but if their parents paid more attention to what there kids were doing maybe they wouldn't be so quick to place the blame on vids whenever a kid does something stupid.

@TRT-X: Nevermind, I see you linked to it already. Then I'm even more disappointed this got posted again. Especially when the entirety of his speech was shrunk down to one sound bite with absolutely NO context.

Kotaku...you're essentially posting a news summary of a speech summary. And not even a good one.

Seriously, someone is taking issue with Obama saying that parents shouldn't use video games or television to raise their kid? Really? Isn't that the same thing sites like Kotaku say every time there's a story about a video-game "related" killing?

Come on Kotaku, please dont run with this "attack on games" angle!

As many have said he is not against games at all.

He is saying don't let games, TV, the internet etc raise your child, which is 100% true.

@Nande: I played games all my life...which led me to my current career. I love working in this industry, it's freakin' awesome. Games are just as much of a "waste of time" as anything else you can do in life.

Not this again...

video games and tv arent the problem either its parents its their fucking job to raise the kids and they do a shit job so we have kids blowing heads off over video games because deep down theres actually something wrong with those violent kids who kill and hurt others over such simple things as video games. Parents don't watch over their kids then wonder years later when their failures wut happened? More parent action less electronics action

It dosn't really matter what politicians say.
I like Obama - i'm pritty sure he'd play on the Wii with his daughters and his oppinion on social play would reflect common sence, that is his thing.

Games Vs Parents he's right though. Children shouldn't be able to play games when learning or work needs to be done.

We just have to be patient untill someone in America asks him a direct question about videogames, until then "obama hates videogames" is our own version of media spin.

I don't view this as an attack on video games per se, but rather that he is emphasizing that children should be involved in activities that better prepare them for their eventual role as an adult. He recognizes that many children spend too much time in front of the television set, either by watching programs or by playing video games, rather than playing outside, reading, getting involved in educational hobbies, etc. He is trying to get adults more involved in their childrens' lives, and probably is not familiar with a system like the Wii, which actually encourages family participation. Children should have parental guidance in how long they are allowed to sit comatose in front of a TV set. JMHO

I am proud of the comments here and am shamed by the offended nature of the original article. Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamed

ok, if anyone thinks he's "bad mouthing" video games, you're twisting his words around.

He's saying "stop being couch potatoes"
In other words, get some exercise or do something instead of only sitting in front of the TV all day, which is in no argument an unhealthy and lazy habit to practice.

This doesn't put games in the most positive light, but among politicians certainly the least negative. I think he usues it more as a figure of speech to get this god parenting idea across more than he's trying to say games will turn your kids into pre-teen pregnant heroin addicts.

Obama for President.

I'm relieved to see the amount of level headed readers out there. I was expecting a bunch of obama bashing. But fortunately you are all smart enough to understand what he was trying to say with that statement.

wow...

Let Obama speak and everyone is all of sudden a convert...

I'm just not into gov't telling me how I should be spending my time.

If I can't even control the time I spend my time on entertainment, I am to blame. And I will have to deal with the consequences.

Obama, butt out.

saying to put video games down and pursue excellence isn't an anti-video games stance, it's a pro-excellence stance.

What ever he says about games I am still voting for him. he is not McCain, end of story. No more was in Iraq and McCain wants the war to go on forever. :(

I think kotaku is blowing this out of proportion. Doesn't even warrant it's own article really.

Obama is right on Games Vs Parents.

However Barack's thing is common sense, so until someone asks him a direct question about games we must be careful not to overhype his comments.

I'm pritty sure he'd play on a Wii with his daughters though. :)

turn off the tv, put down controller = games are all evil amirite?

Wait that's just stupid. Never mind.

oh the meh-ness, i'd still vote for the guy.

Once again Kotaku pulls some sensational bs. Obama is referencing video games in the conventional sense of adults using them to parent their children and/or babysit them. With causal gaming on the rise, is now a social activity that can be played as you would play a board game or any other group activity. He is not talking about Wii Bowling with Grandpa. If you need an article about political smearing of video games show us more clips of Fox News or the Clintons. Obama is the last place you should go.

@Torokun:

I don't know if you have kids, but I'm sure you'll care how they spend their time.

He's not addressing videogames as a medium so much as he is addressing the fact that too many people are glued to their TVs. By the same logic you could conclude that Obama thinks movies are worthless because he said to turn off the TV.

@Mark Wilson: I apologize. I shouldn't have rushed my response and thus miss valuable context to the rest of the story.

@Torokun: I'm just not into gov't telling me how I should be spending my time.

Except he's not doing that. He's telling parents to stop being lousy and actually pay attention to what kids do in their free time. Don't plop them down in front of a TV or video game and expect them to turn out the way you want them.

Yeesh. Do we really need to go through this entire cycle again? Can Kotaku be bothered to find the rest of the speech to get the context around that quote?

I know I'm risking the Banhammer right now...but this is really just poor reporting.