Oh, what will those wacky politicians come up with next!

Wow, they're still yelling "virtual rape?" Idiots. This will get shot down like all the stupid bills in the past.

'Virtual Rape Fantasy', you say?

Sounds like a promising new genre that children and adults alike can enjoy around the dinner table.

Where does Terry get his games, Guantanamo Bay Gift Shop?

I'm all for stores confirming identity, but calm down with trashing this particular form of media. There's worse stuff out there. Just read People.

@Asper: I guess we'll just have to see. Oh, I can't wait!

PROTIP: If it's ruled unconstitutional once, it'll be ruled unconstitutional again.

Please tell me Pony Friends is not a "virtual rape fantasy" game.
For the love of gaming, please tell me it's not.

But... but I like using grenades to take out swarms of enemies! Pony and friends was the best title for the DS in YEARS...that involved ponies...and grenades. Together.

Eh, again, I think most of the politicians stick to the media hyperbole, but I think as long as the legislation is exactly as listed above, I'm all for it. Kids really shouldn't be playing M or AO games. They certainly don't make kids into raging psychopaths, but they certainly don't help developing kids either, so it's probably best to keep them away from them until they've developed good discretion.

Or they turn 17, I guess, according to this legislation.

Thats how its always been in my city

@Jeff Paine: While it's true that Courts often look at earlier rulings for precedence, the purpose behind state supreme courts lies in the ability for different states to pass different legislation based upon their own interpretation of the constitution which is why this legislation still poses a threat.

Yup, They've been scanning my license for the last two years or so. Its great. They just scan my license, scan the game, and I am out. Yes, there may be a few that goes through the system, but if it will allow the critics to think twice; I am all for it.

I just wish they would use the same system in places that actually matter and stop wasting my time for a simple drink in the city.

Umm...movies do have actual rape and such so why the hell are movies on dvd not getting the same treatment???

Classic example of politicians pretending to do something. Yes introduce a bill that would enforce what every retailer already enforces themselves.

Whatever. It won't get anywhere.

What is the fine for selling an R rated movie to someone under 17? Itichi the killer? Showgirls? God forbid they watch Wild Things....

The question is: if the bill passes and becomes law, then will politicians and fame-whore lawyers lose their talking points when the next GTA-alike comes along?

If it will shut Jack Thompson up, let the bill pass! I'm 28, and my 3 and 6 year old girls play nothing but Mario games, so it doesn't really effect me either way.

So... they want to enforce regulations that are ALREADY being enforced? Put up signs for the ratings when they are already put up in stores? Enforce verification of Mature rated games when they are already checking for IDs? What a waste of time. They should be focused on real violence instead of virtual violence, since people actually lose their lives in the real world...

Where is this virtual rape game and how can I play i?

virtual rape?

are they playing games from Japan instead from US?

why reach across party lines to be dumb? there are real matters of life and death they won't try and work out but this.

@VitFer2007: That's company policy. While it's true that the major companies do that, smaller mom-and-pop stores don't necessarily check for ID.

There's a difference between company policy and law. If it becomes a law, then companies will be required to card whether they want to or not.

Why hasn't anyone in the industry come out and defended and shot down this "rape in games" non-sense? No wonder companies are leaving the ESA. Grow a set of balls and stand up to these morons who make these false claims

@Jeff Paine: True,I agree with you there. But they should be focused on something more important than this, you know?

@VitFer2007:
Actually, none of the rating systems currently in place (ESRB for games, MPAA for movies, whatever) are legally enforced. A retailer can CHOOSE to enforce them, but they are not required to by law.

So, why not pass a law to ensure kids don't get their hands on Saw IV, while we're at it? There are movies out there with FAR WORSE content that any video game on the market, and yet there's no huge controversy there.

I'm not against enforcing ratings. I think it's a good idea (since we can't expect parents to monitor their children, heavens no!), but once again it feels like the game industry is being villified while the other forms of entertainment are not.
It's annoying enough we have huge ESRB icons on the front of game boxes, even though there aren't MPAA ratings on the front of movie boxes...

@Phoenicks:

It doesn't matter if it affects you. The reason it won't pass this time, and hopefully never will, is because it almost violates our rights as citizens and it's an example of the government trying to control our lives and what we do with them.

Sure this isn't too bad right? It'll just stop kids from buying M games and were all over 17 so who cares? Fact is, if this were to pass I'm sure we would see similar completely illegal laws like the one in New zealand. Talk about fucked up. It's illegal to buy GTA IV for your kid. Yeah kids probably shouldn't play it, but guess what? That's not the governments decision. Nothing like that should EVER be the government's decision.

500 politicians don't have that right.

What i want to know, is where is this virtual rape game, and how much does it cost? That sounds like one great idea for a game. But seriously, what kids are they worried about playing any game that involves sex? Sure its funny to younger kids to see the car rock or hear the groaning, but when it comes to the act. Kids that young will just think its gross.

I can see forcing it to become company policy, at the very least to shut up "concerned parents", but requiring it by law? That's pushing it a little. Oh well, I guess the only way to really get the former done is to do the latter.

Just an idea:

Instead of trying to enforce policies most game stores already enforce VOLUNTARILY, how about doing something about the FOUR-DOLLAR-A-FUCKING-GALLON GAS PRICES?!?

I agree with this, to a point. Game ratings should be something which should be ID'd, however making it compulsory is dumb, should someone who is clearly over 40 be forced to produce ID for buying GTA? No, should someone who is 17 or who looks young? Yes, same as with movies, cigs or alcohol. For age ratings to mean anything they must be enforced. The industry would be much better off with this law passed as the JTs of the world would have a harder time arguing kids are playing these, as it would be the parent's, rather than the developer or retailers, fault for adult games getting into children's hands.

@josh51:

No. You're missing the point. The government shouldn't be able to enforce this. This is up to the parents and the retailers. The government shouldn't get to say what they can and can't sell. It doesn't matter if they already do what the bill is asking. It's the principal of the matter.

@RedRaptor:

Nooo dont ask them to try and fix that again!! Remember that corn ethanol crap? yeah it was supposed to lower gas prices, but in reality all it did was fuck up the food prices and gas is still really expensive.

hey, look at all the time we have for video games... who cares that we're at war, in a mortgage crisis, the dollar is in the toilet, and nobody can afford gasoline anymore.

@CCCombobreaker: What is wrong with making the ratings on games legally enforceable rather than advisory. What is the principle at stake here?

raaaaandyyyyy waaaaaatson

This is really the last thing I wanted to see right now. :(

Sexual Chocolate!!!!!!!!

@RedRaptor:

Please, ethanol fucked up the food prices, knowing the government, they would fuck up the rest of the fucking world just to lower gas prices by 5 cents. I do not want to be paying $50 just to take a bath because 30% of the Earth's fresh water supply is being used to reduce the gas prices by 50 cents, and in 3 months have it rise up to where it was originally. NO
Let them piss their time away with this, then we can all yell TOLD YOU SO when it backfires on them

I'm half expecting Geoff Keighley to go and testify against the existence of this "Virtual Rape" game.

@CCCombobreaker: Your "principles" involve the legal ability of 12 year olds to play GTAIV? That's some twisted moral code you live by. Either that or a pretty extreme libertarian stance. Are you perchance worried about the UN coming to take you guns as well?

Not sure if I'd ever use the phrase "final solution" out in the open like that...

Too bad that the act is unconstitutional. Oh well.

@CCCombobreaker:

It's obvious that parents and retailers aren't doing a good enough job if stores only voluntarily enforce game restrictions and parents are oblivious or aloof or gullible enough to let their child play an inappropriate game, yet still complain about the content. All we have now is an endless cycle of "next big-name ultra-violent game hits/fame-whore "critics" come out and make exaggerated claims about the game".

Let the bill pass, I say. It will shut up the politicians and put the pressure on retailers breaking laws or ineffective parents - where you want to put the onus - rather than game developers who make "rape simulators". The sooner we can shift blame from game developers to lazy, uninformed, and ineffective Gamestop employees and parents, the better. Restaurants card young-looking people before they buy a beer; 7-Eleven cards young people if they buy cigarettes; you are often carded before you can enter a club (and often frisked as well); what's one more spot for young people to have to pull out a Driver's License? Is it really an inconvenience to have to spend the extra 30 seconds at the checkout counter to buy Grand Theft Auto V down the line and not hear about "rape simulators"?

@icelight:
FYI: Guns are used to kill people.

Besides...
He's saying the parents are the ones responsible for the care of their children.
If you think the government has the right to choose how you raise your kids then please, go ahead and live somewhere else.
In the United States we are supposed to take responsibility for our actions, not blame them on the government or inanimate objects.

Games don't kill people. Stupid people do.

can we ever just give up and change the game rating system to the movie rating system?????..

it will get rid of the whole M/AO thing.

the whole problem is that when people see "M" they don't think "this game is for adults" i have no clue why(well that and parents are too stupid to understand the system)

i agree the game system should be the same as the movie except for the adult's only moniker, which is basically what it's at now. Having to show your age at purchase really isn't that be a deal and something i would think could help at least with the parents anyway.

"In some games high scores are often earned by players who commit 'virtual' murder, assault and rape."

Disregarding the murder, assault, and rape part, what's all of this "high score" hoopla? Most games have eschewed "high scores" many, many moons ago. That just shows that he's talking out of his ass.

The only "virtual rape" I've experienced with a videogame has been when I've read the sticker price.

@Phishedone: Movie rating system works. They just need to change the term AO to something else. R for restricted to anyone under 18 is fine. Branding a game as "Adults Only" associates the game with porn. I don't think retailers like Wal-Mart would have any problems stocking R rated games, definately sounds a lot tamer than AO.