Age restriction for games , is this needed ?

After reading a few posts on other topics , it seems like the gaming age certifcates are just a gimmick ?

So my question is , how do " children ( under 18 ) " purchase the games which have a 18 cert ?

Family members, friends , themselves , internet or others?

I'm just bewilded that parents would like their children play games that have such adult contents in them ?

The same can be said about drinking and smoking you know. It's there for a reason. If the person that buys it doesn't want to take any responsibility of buying something to a child and he/she isn't ready for it. That just shows how little people care. I think if you are 15 and over you can handle most games and movies. But if you are anything younger than that, you should not play adult games. You should be a child and don't grow up to early. That's just my view though.

quite obviously, YES, there should be age restrictions.

If any parents buy a 18 year+ game for their child that's below that age, then they have no reason to complain about it afterwards.

Any arguement that " They'll get it anyways" is essentially just the sentence " I'm too lazy to put some effort into something I disagree with"

I think its needed, but parents shouldn't make such a big deal about it. Most M rated games aren't even that bad. By the time a kid turns 13, they should be able to play whatever game they want. No need to get all up in the air about drugs, violence, and sex in video games, when your local high school has all these things going on, along with people you definitely don't want to get mixed up with.

A word of advice to any parents or future parents. Be more worried about who your child's friends are, than what kind of content is in their video games.Video games can't hurt you, but the wrong group of people could completely destroy a child's life.

Age ratings are generally a useful guideline for the type of content in a game, but everyone matures at a different rate, so there is some flexibility there as to what you consider acceptable or appropriate. When you consider that in the UK you can legally have sex and get married at the age of 16, it seems a bit silly trying to restrict someone playing an 18 rated game that received its rating due to sexual content. That's just one example where you have to make a judgement based on the maturity of the child, and the laws of the land.

Totally agree. Also, in the UK you can drink as young as 5 in a private area which begs the question if the PEGI systems should be re-write.

I'm 22 and every gamer I know is over 18 so, I don't really have anything to add.

I will say this though, the age restrictions are only about content the game might have, you know.... Violence, Boobs, Drugs and Horribly animated Sex. Theres never a restriction for "capability". No matter how, violent, or boobilcious a game is, even the most oblivious of 7 year olds can grasp the underlying mechanics needed to finish the game. I get that games need to be fun but do they need to be easy ?

All I'm saying is GTA maybe rated 18 but any 8 year old can finish it, its just like any other open world game but with a them/skin for "big boys". It would be nice to play a game whos gameplay is as mature as it content.

Lol Its funny, Portal 2 is Rated 12 (Pegi) but lets be honest, how many 12 year olds can finish it (assuming they even get around to playing it) ?

Its all just Context.

@Lulu_Lulu: (completely taking your argument to the absurd) So instead of age restrictions how about IQ warnings on games? (I would like some harder games though)

Lol. I thought you might get a kick out of seeing how my mind works. Its a madhouse up in there. :D

It's a guideline... it's not saying you CAN'T play the game if you're under that age. It's just that one under that age should (ideally) have the permission of a parent, who would likely have to buy the game anyway, to play. It's not different with movies, really. And let's be honest here, I'm sure most of were playing "mature" rated games well before the indicated age. I find it odd how many look down on even young teenagers playing M-rated games or the equivalent in another rating system. I think that's just supporting the notion that violent games negatively impact younger individuals, which I don't think is true. I'm not saying that letting an 8 year old play GTA is a great idea, I just find it weird how condescending some gamers are on the matter.

Haha....I am just 14 years old playing all CODs,BFs,SRs,GTAs,MEs,FCs,ACs and all other games coming out.Sexual and violent content in games doesn't have any effect in my life.My parents also allow me to play them.

It's the same as smoking and alcohol. They say no under 18 but i am sure we have all tasted alcohol before turning 18 and often see teenagers drinking at their parties.

I was only ever asked once for my ID when purchasing a game and that was God of war 1 when i was 14.

@Netret0120: If you read my comment above, in the UK 18 is the minimum buyers age. 5 is the minimum drinking age. Same goes for video games. Yet sex is the oddest one of all. You can be 16 to legally have sex yet you have to be 18 to purchase anything pornographic or go to a sex shop.

The law is a strange one.