What if the government had started regulating video games?

[Anarchist420]

I was thinking that they would've been driven underground and probably would've become more violent.

What do you think (relate it specifically to this topic please)?

 

[Broheim]

I was thinking

I call shens.

 

[Oyeve]

Is it not like that now? In San Andreas I can literally blow off a cops head, that was the last game that allowed that (I think). Also, there are no kids in any of these games. If we can kill men and woman in games why not kids?

 

[guyver01]

What if the government had started regulating video games?

they dont need to.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

They were established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (formerly Interactive Digital Software Association), due to violent content found in video games such as Night Trap, Mortal Kombat, Lethal Enforcers, and Doom, and other controversial video games portraying overly violent or intense sexual situations and assigns ratings to games based on their content, similar to the motion picture rating systems used in many countries. Their aim is to aid consumers in determining a game's content and suitability. A game's rating is displayed on its box, the media, in advertisements and on the game's website(s).

By late 2009, it had assigned nearly 19,130 ratings to titles submitted by more than 350 publishers.

Although the rating system is technically voluntary, nearly all video games are submitted for rating. Many retail stores prohibit the sale of unrated video games and the major console manufacturers will not license games for their systems unless they carry ESRB ratings.

 

[Anarchist420]

they dont need to.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

They were established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (formerly Interactive Digital Software Association), due to violent content found in video games such as Night Trap, Mortal Kombat, Lethal Enforcers, and Doom, and other controversial video games portraying overly violent or intense sexual situations and assigns ratings to games based on their content, similar to the motion picture rating systems used in many countries. Their aim is to aid consumers in determining a game's content and suitability. A game's rating is displayed on its box, the media, in advertisements and on the game's website(s).

By late 2009, it had assigned nearly 19,130 ratings to titles submitted by more than 350 publishers.

Although the rating system is technically voluntary, nearly all video games are submitted for rating. Many retail stores prohibit the sale of unrated video games and the major console manufacturers will not license games for their systems unless they carry ESRB ratings.

Of course they don't need to. But Lieberman wanted to in 1993 and he was going to write legislation that probably would've been passed if the game industry hadn't agreed to regulate itself.

So basically, what I'm asking is "what if the game industry refused to regulate itself?"

would the game industry have been cartelized? Would games be more violent or would they be less violent? Would they be more profitable? would they be more expensive or they be cheaper? How do you think the government would've started out? If they started in 94, then do you think the original legislation would been strengthened a few times? Do you think it would've ended up like the Federal War on Drugs?
Would video games have become as popular of a hobby as they became if the government cracked down on them?

Think critically (and logically if possible) in your answers.

 

[IronWing]

Think critically (and logically if possible) in your answers.

D&D nerds help me out here. There must be a spell of reflection.


Here we go:

 

[Zebo]

Who cares, games are open and legal - we got enough problems with drumming up alternate histories and worrying about them too.

 

[Oyeve]

Of course they don't need to. But Lieberman wanted to in 1993 and he was going to write legislation that probably would've been passed if the game industry hadn't agreed to regulate itself.

So basically, what I'm asking is "what if the game industry refused to regulate itself?"

would the game industry have been cartelized? Would games be more violent or would they be less violent? Would they be more profitable? would they be more expensive or they be cheaper? How do you think the government would've started out? If they started in 94, then do you think the original legislation would been strengthened a few times? Do you think it would've ended up like the Federal War on Drugs?
Would video games have become as popular of a hobby as they became if the government cracked down on them?

Think critically (and logically if possible) in your answers.

We would all be playing on our Atari 2600 systems still.

 

[guyver01]

what I'm asking is "what if the game industry refused to regulate itself?"

So.. basically you're asking us to live in your fantasy world where reality doesn't exist.

nope. sorry. can't do that. i live in the real world.

 

[Lanyap]

Reminds me of when I buy an M rated game on clearance at Target and they card me. I'm an old guy. LOL.

 

[piasabird]

Who cares?

Even the Army like video games.

 

[Attic]

Government regulation for video games would have hurt the industry. Here's a chart from 1995 through 2007. By 2015 analysts project the VG industry will reach 91 billion.

I like Joe Lieberman, but you have to ask yourself if Joe Lieberman knows anything at all about how the video game industry works, especially given that he is a politician and not a video game designer. Regulations pushed by Joe Lieberman would have done nothing but stifle innovation, creativity and the profits of the video game industry because he is not as well qualified as the men and women in the industry.

 

[MovingTarget]

The government will start regulating video games only if there is a reason too. Most people nowadays are satisfied with the self-regulation that the ESRB does. That is why, aside from Sen. Lieberman, you don't see any major pushes for regulation of the video gaming industry.