British MP Keith Vaz launched in to a tirade about the evil of videogames, this time complaining about Modern Warfare 2’s rather controversial airport scene, saying he was “absolutely shocked by the level of violence in this game,” and that he was going to take the matter to parliament.
Shockingly, fellow Labour MP Tom Watson has attacked the guy, saying that politicians should, instead of attacking, support and encourage the videogame industry. Wait…what? A politician who makes sense?
Quickly becoming my favourite politician ever, Watson employed common sense, saying “It carries a content warning, it is an 18 plus game. It would be better for members of this house to support the many thousands of games designers and coders and the many millions of games users, rather than collaborating with the Daily Mail to create moral panic over the use of video games.”
Also throwing support for Activision latest was Junior culture minister Siôn Simon who agrees that adult-rated games, released and marketed to adults should be available to adults. “The game you refer to is a certificate 18 game. It should not be sold to children and the government’s job is to make sure that adults … can get what adults should be able to and children are not in danger of being subjected to adult content.”
Tom Watson has gone so far as to set up a Facebook Page, called Gamer’s Voice for British gamers who have tired of anti-videogame news, pledging support for their cause.
This all stems from the double standard that’s employed between videogames and other forms of media – like books, TV and film – and the stigma attached by the general populace that “All videogames are for kidsâ€
Hello world. We’re adults and we like videogames – and we want videogames that that cater to us. Is that really that hard to grasp?
Source : Destructoid
Last Updated: November 10, 2009
Reaver
November 10, 2009 at 15:19
Oink oink, flap flap
Q121
November 10, 2009 at 16:39
Moooooo!!!!
Maxiviper
November 10, 2009 at 16:27
But where does it leaves us younger gamers who are 15, 16 or 17 who want to play this awesome game, if they did make retialers sell 18 rated games to only 18 and above then we underaged consumers would get spat in the face and have to wait 2-3 years just to buy that game.
And also the sale rate would drop as well as most under 18’s buy these kinds of games.
SlippyMadFrog
November 10, 2009 at 16:59
I’m afraid it’s just one of those things young gamers have to bear. You may be mature enough but some teens are very impresionable. Parents don’t want their children exposed to this type of violence.
But I’m sure you will get the game anyway 😉
Maxiviper
November 10, 2009 at 18:09
your right, im aloud to get 18 rated games but im just saying that they should leave it up to the parents to decide if their child can get the 18 rated games or not.
easy
November 10, 2009 at 18:37
lol… obviously you haven’t met many british parents, they usually dumber than their kids and twice as irresponsible.
GoldenSilver
November 10, 2009 at 20:28
Kids are growing up to fast these days, I’m busy playing Borderlands co-op with my 12 year old cuzzy and he seems to know a bit more than he lets on. then again all the violence in the media makes kids very removed from it, they have seen it a thousand times before, its nothing new to them and there fore see no reason to mimic the action in the game in real life.
Super_Bonk
November 11, 2009 at 09:33
@Maxviper
I would think most teens are lucky to be watching some of the stuff that they are wacthing. I remember being put to bed when Dallas came on. So no complaining. ^_^
Maxiviper
November 11, 2009 at 15:09
Well it’s seems perants have the last say ….sometimes. 😎
easy
November 11, 2009 at 15:22
dallas rocked! but not as much as falcons crest or knots landing…
sigh, i’m getting old
Super_Bonk
November 11, 2009 at 15:34
Of course it did, and you forgetting Young and the Restless erm I mean “Rustelose Jare”.
sigh, I too am getting old