Kids Buying Games to Get Carded?

[Brevity]

Source

IEMA has teamed up with the nation's leading games retailers to prevent the sale of "M" games to children under 17...

The nation's leading computer and video game retailers, in conjunction with the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA), announced today a new initiative designed to prevent the sale of Mature- rated games to children under 17 years old and increase awareness of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) video game rating system. All merchants belonging to the association will now institute a national carding program and will implement an identification check process at the point of sale for games rated Mature by the ESRB.

Read the whole thing and see what you think.

[ShaDovV RyDer]

well that suks...my parents wouldnt let me neways without checking the game out...i cant get Counter Strike without my dad goin to a friends to look at it...which really suks...i guess me and my friends can go around gloomily envying older ppl...but wait a sec does that mean the WE cant buy these games but our parents can go in and get it for us???

[Peepers]

I had to buy GR:IT for my brother. The Wal-Mart clerk made me show ID and everything. Whoopage was with us too, and even though he's a year older than I, he had to show ID to get his copy. I think it's a little rediculous.

I think a Must be this tall to buy sign is a much better idea.

Seriously, just don't sell M-rated games to a kid who looks like he's in 2nd grade; I'm confident that most teenagers can handle the content of an M-rated game.


On a side note, I actually think that there should be another rating category between Teen and Mature because a lot of M-rated like Halo (which was originally rated T) don't even compare to the content in other M-rated games like GTA3.

[ShaDovV RyDer]

l they are not doing this because they think that us kids cant handle it...they r doin it cause they think that the kids of today r goin to grow up to be like big mafia dudes who walk into stores and shoot ppl cause they think they are playin a game or somthin...i mean as most of us no this war between parents and games has gone on for quite some time...it was bound to happen somtime just i was hopin not this soon...pce

[Peepers]

Originally posted by ShaDovV RyDer
l they are not doing this because they think that us kids cant handle it...

No, really?!? I thought they were doing it because the voices told them to!

[Voodoo_Vince]

This is the BEST thing that can happen to video games, because now Devolopers can push the envolope further , if kids HAVE to be carded then the blame for kids getting a Disturbning over the top violent game is on the Clerks who sell the games, So now we can have games with Full Frontal Nudity, over the top Violence , and Cussing like we have never seen in a video game on a Console, and if the Morality-Nazi's have a problem they go after the Game store Clerks ,,MUAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!

Of course you can always buy games underage like you buy Beer shoulder tap some Adult , and hide it from your parents , or have your cool cousin , yeah the guy with the Mullet and Camaro buy it for you ,

[Brevity]

I tell you its good to see some "kids" getting in on this thread. Gives ppl a better over all view of this. Thanks now its time for your naps. ^_^

Peepers I agree there should be another rating b/w T and M. It just makes since, b/c M is now such a blanket rating that it covers some games that it really shouldnt IMO.

[Kraft]

I am all for this carding business. If carding becomes manditory then the games the kids play will be totally dependant on them. No longer will the excuse 'my kid was playing a violent game and I didn't know' work for people that commit atrocious crimes and what not. Now if your kid shoots someone and blames it on GTA, its your own fault.

[JDHack0822]

I think that this could have both good and bad results. I like the idea that the preteen gamers are limited from getting certain games. Not because I think games cause violence or anything, but I don't think young kids need to be exposed to games like GTA. However, I think that there are too many games in the M category. Games like Halo and others shouldn't be unavailable to teenagers.

I can't wait until somebody trys to "Hey Mister" me to buy them a game. That will be the day

[ghost 009]

I dont mind it cause I always go to the store to buy them with my dad anyways.

[Addsy]

ummm i never knew this was happening, i get served all the time without getting asked for ID, are you sure they are coming down on underage people who buy games?

[Variation-XBA]

ESRB is a suggestion, not a law.

I work at EB, and I dont card people, unless its you know, a 7 year old buying manhunt or something...

[Addsy]

lol yeah i get ya point.

isnt your EB taken over by Game yet, all the ones where we are have been made Game Stores

[Cryogenic Pyro]

The only way I support this is if there is a rating in between mature and teen, because some games, like halo(already been mentioned, I know) shouldn't be mature.

What they really should do is you have to take a specialized IQ test with questions like "If you see people killing in a game, do you go do it to other people because those people are doing it?" and whatever rating you get is the card you get, and the highest rated game you are allowed to purchase.

This wouldn't solve all problems, because I know people who are 17+ who shouldn't even be playing teen games, and people who are 11-13 who should be able to play mature games with no question.

[xboxman_1]

For a school "muckraking" project, we went around to local department stores video-taping ourselves, buying M-Rated games w/o being carded. The video is hilarious though. Wish I could upload it...

EDIT: We got a 100% on the project

[Addsy]

wow yeah that would b cool if you could upload it lol

i bet i am on there

*hides behind desk*

[Xorg]

Well this would suck for me, I usually like to go to the mall with my friends and buy my games there since my parents wont be there to stop me, but then it doesnt really matter that much eb games never said anything against it, I bought vice city there for pc and the guy just told me to not get him in trouble.
the only time I got told something was when I went to gamestop to buy hitman 2 and the guy told my dad what it was rated M for.

[Addsy]

lol what did he do, did he not let u buy it?

i have no trouble buying games, i am 15 coming up 16 and i can get served for 18's no problem, they just say the same thing to me as they do you if they question me at all, they just say dont tell anyone

[mitch2025]

i dont buy M rated games anyway, i have my sister buy them for me

[Addsy]

hehe good job. if i have trouble buying games i just set my 5ft"2 mum onto them and she soon sweet talks them into givn me it.

im so happy to have such a cool mum