Video game voters network(VGVN)

General Discussion
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The issue at hand is whether a state can limit access to video game based on their content. If the California succeeds at the Supreme Court, then states across America could begin limiting access to video games and stores could stop selling games because they won?t know what titles fall under a particular state?s laws and which don?t. How does that affect you? Imagine walking into your local game retailer and finding out they don?t sell games you want because they?re worried about government intervention. This isn?t hyperbole; it?s a very real scenario that could happen if California succeeds.

This month, the industry achieved a milestone in fighting for video games. The ESA filed with the U.S. Supreme Court a legal brief that strongly defends the rights of gamers, video games, and the artists who work so hard to create those games.

Others recognize the seriousness of this situation and have stepped up to defend video games, the First Amendment and promote education about parental controls and the video game industry?s rating system. No less than renowned comic book creator, Stan Lee, who brought to life such iconic figures as Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Hulk, has encouraged gamers to organize and take action. Stan highlighted the video game industry?s great work in helping parents by providing a leading rating system and parental controls?which, when taken together, help ensure that the games kids enjoy are parent-approved. His open letter encouraged everyone to join the Video Game Voters Network, which is the grassroots coalition of voting-aged gamers who want to be kept updated on legislative threats to computer and video games.

Following Stan?s lead, I?m writing today to encourage you to join the VGVN. Politicians will listen when their constituents weigh in on issues and we need gather an army to fight for games. Please consider joining the VGVN to aid in the defense of video games. And, tell three of your friends to do the same! Joining is free and easy to do. Go to Video Game Voters Network and sign up!

We?ll keep doing our part in the Supreme Court, but we need you to do your part, too.

Thanks for joining! Taken from The Playstation blog

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The issue is that I support the idea of not selling M-rated games to minors, if only to save the game industry a lot of grief. Yeah, say what you will about it not being the game industry’s job to play parent, but quite frankly, most parents are so out of touch that they don’t realize games HAVE a rating system, and the best way to teach them about it is to have the cashier point it out at every M-rated purchase and force the parent to buy it themselves with full knowledge of what they are buying. If the parent actually cares about the content, that will usually be enough to get them to keep a closer eye on what their kid plays. When I worked at Gamestop, I saw this a lot, ESPECIALLY with immigrant families where the parent didn’t understand english that well. They have NO IDEA what their children are buying, but when you tell them that they need to buy it because the kid’s not old enough, they’ll usually just put it back on the shelf. The more you force parents to pay attention to the games their children play, the less likely they’ll be willing to complain at the risk of losing face as a parent, the less grief the industry gets. The only people it hurts are the kids that aren’t able to get the game anymore because their parents don’t let them buy it, and that’s what the parent should be doing anyway. It’s a win-win situation for basically everyone, and to my knowledge, that’s all the current bill is suggesting.

Now BANNING the selling of M-Rated games from a store is a whole different story, and one I’m not cool with. But so much of the propaganda against these kinds of bills don’t make much sense to me. Why are grown men and women upset? Because they have to take a minute to show their ID to the cashier to buy the game now?

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I’m more worried about the banning of people able to sell used games, which is a real threat to gamers. As far as I know the only law up in California is not selling M rated games to minors, which I’m in favor of. Hell most retailers already enforce this even without a law. I’m not aware of anything Australia like that restricts M rated games from adults