What if ESRB ratings were ABSOLUTELY enforced?

What I mean by this is that some kind of tech comes out that can sense if a person under the age of 17 is playing a rated m game, or if a 10 year old is playing a T game, and locks them out from the game. Now I know very well something like this would NEVER happen, but I'm just wondering how you guys think it would effect the industry. Which console would be the most affected, ect. Im going with the easy shot, and saying that Call of Duty sales would go WAY down:P!

It would be a dream come true.

It would suck for the devs, but would be awesome for the older gamers.

It would be a dream come true.

xXCombatWombat

call of duty would lose about 85% of its sales one can dream though "sigh"

Sales would hurt but I would fully support it anyway. I may even buy 2 copies of every game just to compensate them

It would be idiotic and moreover it would be tyrannical.

People should be able to sell games to whoever they want.

It is stores that should make the choices. But yes, it would hurt sales.

bennie12

No people should absolutely NOT be allowed to sell games to whoever they want. No matter how many people dislike the ratings system it is there for a reason. Kids should not be playing mature games, especially during their developmental stages. The stores making the decision makes no sense whatsoever

It would be idiotic and moreover it would be tyrannical.

People should be able to sell games to whoever they want.

It is stores that should make the choices. But yes, it would hurt sales.

bennie12

The xbox will be hit the hardest I think... alot of the most played games are rated M.

I'd absolutely love that.

The xbox will be hit the hardest I think... alot of the most played games are rated M.

Espada12

Yeah I agree. Plus to me the PS3 community seems to be a bit older than the XBOX community, so it wouldnt be as affected, and the Wii would probably barely suffer, since rated M games are much rarer than on the other two

It would be idiotic and moreover it would be tyrannical.

People should be able to sell games to whoever they want.

It is stores that should make the choices. But yes, it would hurt sales.

bennie12

Consoles would lose a ton of popularity.

Xbox live would become more tolerable.

Kids should not be allowed to play mature games? You guys are mostly over 18 so you don't really care but this would really let many of us down. Just because I'm a 14 year old, I shouldn't have the right to play Battlefield games? I love Battlefield and play it all the time with my friends, we're always using tactics to win. Assassin's Creed, Killzone, etc. so many Mature games that are fantastic. I love gaming, but ESRB ratings shouldn't be inforced, it's up to the parent if they trust their child to be mature enough to play the games or not. You'll always have these "immature CoD kids" when you have an online service like PSN or XBL. It's inevitable (believe me I hate it too when people say the f word every 5 seconds and scream). If it's that bad just mute them, but kids should still have the right to play M rated games. Taking it away wouldn't be fair, so I guess it's one of those situations where you gotta look at both sides.

EDIT: Oh and yeah, Call of Duty sales would drop massively, Halo sales would also drop, basically most highly advertised games will drop in sales (especially FPS')

Xbox live would become more tolerable.

DJ-Lafleur

Seriously why allow anyone under 17 on xbox live to begin with. :D

(Only half joking)

It would be terrible for the gaming industry. A lot of games would probably just stop using the rating system.

I would fully support this.

Just because I'm a 14 year old, I shouldn't have the right to play Battlefield games?XVision84

Bad for developers but there would be less brogamers and online would become a better place.

It would be terrible for the gaming industry. A lot of games would probably just stop using the rating system.

cain006

I would say that the a-holes would disappear when I'm playing online,but gamers in general are a-holes.

I would say that the a-holes would disappear when I'm playing online,but gamers in general are a-holes.

Lto_thaG

yeah i kinda agree

[QUOTE="cain006"]

It would be terrible for the gaming industry. A lot of games would probably just stop using the rating system.

ShadowDeathX

I think sony/microsoft would just make their own rating system. Of course this is all hypothetical, so we really have no idea what would happen.

[QUOTE="Lto_thaG"]

I would say that the a-holes would disappear when I'm playing online,but gamers in general are a-holes.

Deadbeatcobra

yeah i kinda agree

[QUOTE="XVision84"]Just because I'm a 14 year old, I shouldn't have the right to play Battlefield games?110million

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

[QUOTE="110million"][QUOTE="XVision84"]Just because I'm a 14 year old, I shouldn't have the right to play Battlefield games?XVision84

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

[QUOTE="bennie12"]

It would be idiotic and moreover it would be tyrannical.

People should be able to sell games to whoever they want.

It is stores that should make the choices. But yes, it would hurt sales.

Deadbeatcobra

Well no, its like selling porn to someone legal, then finding it got into the hands of a minor, then forcibly taking it away. So its not even close.

Especially since stores already can't sell games to whoever they want.

[QUOTE="110million"][QUOTE="XVision84"]Just because I'm a 14 year old, I shouldn't have the right to play Battlefield games?XVision84

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

Yeah and who exactly says you are mature enough to play it? You? Yeah thats not biased at all. You cant judge how mature you are yourself, of course a persons going to think they are grown up enough for a game. For all we know you could be on of those idiots screaming and cursing every second on xbox live, and like you a majority of those kids are underage. Hell you may be the miraculous exception, but that doesn't mean all kids your age will act the same way. People think online play is bad right now, if 14 year old kids were just able to walk into a store and buy a M rated game it would be SO much worse

[QUOTE="Deadbeatcobra"]

[QUOTE="bennie12"]

It would be idiotic and moreover it would be tyrannical.

People should be able to sell games to whoever they want.

It is stores that should make the choices. But yes, it would hurt sales.

RandomWinner

Well no, its like selling porn to someone legal, then finding it got into the hands of a minor, then forcibly taking it away. So its not even close.

Especially since stores already can't sell games to whoever they want.

[QUOTE="XVision84"]

[QUOTE="110million"] If a game is rated M, you shouldn't be playing it, pure and simple. Noj_Leakim

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

Yeah and who exactly says you are mature enough to play it? You? Yeah thats not biased at all. You cant judge how mature you are yourself, of course a persons going to think they are grown up enough for a game. For all we know you could be on of those idiots screaming and cursing every second on xbox live, and like you a majority of those kids are underage. Hell you may be the miraculous exception, but that doesn't mean all kids your age will act the same way. People think online play is bad right now, if 14 year old kids were just able to walk into a store and buy a M rated game it would be SO much worse

Of course not, that's why the parents buy it for them. That's how the rules are inforced at my local Gamestop, and I don't decide if I'm mature enough. The kids never do, it's the parents who decide. That's why they buy the child their games, who knows their own child better than them themselves?

[QUOTE="Noj_Leakim"]

[QUOTE="XVision84"]

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

XVision84

Yeah and who exactly says you are mature enough to play it? You? Yeah thats not biased at all. You cant judge how mature you are yourself, of course a persons going to think they are grown up enough for a game. For all we know you could be on of those idiots screaming and cursing every second on xbox live, and like you a majority of those kids are underage. Hell you may be the miraculous exception, but that doesn't mean all kids your age will act the same way. People think online play is bad right now, if 14 year old kids were just able to walk into a store and buy a M rated game it would be SO much worse

Of course not, that's why the parents buy it for them. That's how the rules are inforced at my local Gamestop, and I don't decide if I'm mature enough. The kids never do, it's the parents who decide. That's why they buy the child their games, who knows their own child better than them themselves?

Oh please, parents generally dont know atoo much about gaming, and rarely care. I was at gamestop a couple of weeks back and I saw this mother buying games for her kid. They were Call of Duty Black Ops, and I think like Darksiders or something. The kid couldnt have been older than 10 or 12. The gamestop employee said their usual schtick about the games being rated Mature and all that, and the Mother just waved it off like it was nothing. Now I can tell you no matter what you say NO 12 year old that can be called "Mature". She may have just been an irresponsible mother, but if she was in fact a responsible mother then there is NO WAY she knew exactly what kind of Mature content is in those games. No 14 year old is "mature" if you look back at yourself in five years you will probably laugh at yourself for thinking you were mature

[QUOTE="XVision84"]

[QUOTE="Noj_Leakim"]

Yeah and who exactly says you are mature enough to play it? You? Yeah thats not biased at all. You cant judge how mature you are yourself, of course a persons going to think they are grown up enough for a game. For all we know you could be on of those idiots screaming and cursing every second on xbox live, and like you a majority of those kids are underage. Hell you may be the miraculous exception, but that doesn't mean all kids your age will act the same way. People think online play is bad right now, if 14 year old kids were just able to walk into a store and buy a M rated game it would be SO much worse

Noj_Leakim

Of course not, that's why the parents buy it for them. That's how the rules are inforced at my local Gamestop, and I don't decide if I'm mature enough. The kids never do, it's the parents who decide. That's why they buy the child their games, who knows their own child better than them themselves?

Oh please, parents generally dont know atoo much about gaming, and rarely care. I was at gamestop a couple of weeks back and I saw this mother buying games for her kid. They were Call of Duty Black Ops, and I think like Darksiders or something. The kid couldnt have been older than 10 or 12. The gamestop employee said their usual schtick about the games being rated Mature and all that, and the Mother just waved it off like it was nothing. Now I can tell you no matter what you say NO 12 year old that can be called "Mature". She may have just been an irresponsible mother, but if she was in fact a responsible mother then there is NO WAY she knew exactly what kind of Mature content is in those games. No 14 year old is "mature" if you look back at yourself in five years you will probably laugh at yourself for thinking you were mature

Well no matter what you say, there are mature kids, do you really think all of us are "whiny CoD addicts"? If a parent knows their child (obviously there will be irresponsible parents) then they simply will be fine with them buying it. That doesn't make them irresponsible (but there are some parents that are irresponsible). Oh and what you call "Mature" content is blood and violence. I find it absolutely crazy to say that you have to be at least 17 years of age to see blood and violence, heck we start studying biology next year. It isn't right to punish kids who don't have mics or just have fun with their friends in games just because of the CoD kids who whine about everything, and scream across the room for their mom to get the phone when it's right beside them.

[QUOTE="XVision84"]

[QUOTE="110million"] If a game is rated M, you shouldn't be playing it, pure and simple. Lto_thaG

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

Ratings are stupid. Why should the government decide what parents can show to their children?

[QUOTE="110million"][QUOTE="XVision84"]Just because I'm a 14 year old, I shouldn't have the right to play Battlefield games?XVision84

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

You shouldn't be allowed, plain and simple. Your brain isn't fully developed and graphic violence DO have an effect on the human brain. Being "mature" won't shield you from the "influence", if you can't see the issue here then that's problaby one of arguments for why you shouldn't be allowed. I'm 28 right now and working as a teacher, watching what violent media has done to our youth is very disturbing. I don't care if you think your "mature" enough, you can't make the decision what is best for you or your friends at the age of 14.

[QUOTE="Lto_thaG"]

[QUOTE="XVision84"]

Mature games are mature because they have blood, and violence. So basically people have to wait until they're 17 just to be exposed to a higher variety of games that are usually of a higher quality? I don't like that rule, if you're mature enough to play it, you'll be allowed to play it.

110million

Ratings are stupid. Why should the government decide what parents can show to their children?

EddieTheHead84

Ratings are stupid. Why should the government decide what parents can show to their children?

EddieTheHead84

Yes, because I don't want to deal with more video game related violence in my class. I'm had hour long discussions with parents that they shouldn't allow their kids to play Manhunt 2 because it affects their mood.

[QUOTE="EddieTheHead84"]

Ratings are stupid. Why should the government decide what parents can show to their children?

mrmusicman247

[QUOTE="mrmusicman247"][QUOTE="EddieTheHead84"]

Ratings are stupid. Why should the government decide what parents can show to their children?

EddieTheHead84

That's insane reasoning, sex in its pure form without abuse doesn't affect us negatively in anyway. Violence on the other hand sure do.