Which should children in the UK resort to buying mature games online when they can simply pop down the shops and pick one up? UK magazine Which? Computing tested the resolve of High Street retail store clerks by having a 15 year-old girl attempt to purchase 18-rated games from various shops, with three of the stores actually going through with the transaction. At Woolworths, Game, and Maplin the young lady purchased GTA Vice City Stories, Condemned 2, and Hitman respectively. The three stores are currently investigating the transactions.
Not so much a big deal here in the states, selling 18 rated games to underage children in the UK is an offense under the Video Recordings Act, punishable by fines of up to £5,000 and/or six months' jail.
If you ask me, I blame their use of a 15 year-old girl against the poor, unsuspecting video game store clerks. Looking back on my own underage years, some of the stupidest things I've ever done were for the sake of 15 year-old girls, the kryptonite of 13-17 year-old boys everywhere.
Kids buy 18-rated games on high street [TechRadar UK]