The Supreme Court will begin hearing a case this fall that could decide the fate of the entire video game world. Schwarzenegger vs. EMA (Entertainment Merchants Association) will go before US Supreme Court on November 2.
The case stems from a law passed in California that penalizes retailers for selling violent games to minors. So far, the courts have ruled the law unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court will ultimately decide, and if the Court decides in favor of the state of California, it essentially means that games are not protected speech under the Constitution. This is a bad, bad thing.
Does anyone else think it's ironic that Schwarzenegger, who made an entire career out of very violent movies would have his name attached to a bill that rules that another form of violent art isn't constitutionally protected?
Either way, the Court should issue it's ruling soon after arguments are complete.
Source: Joystiq
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ubergooberguy
if violent games like fallout get banned to minors whos gonna teach kids how to prepare for the post apocolypse
awi5951
What if i dont have kids? What if i dont want any?Why im a still raising your kids when your kids rights walk all over mine. What if i go get myself fixed? What if i dont like the little stinky,grubby suckers? Why are your kids screwing with my games changing the content that can be in them. Raise your own kids i dont like the little suckers keep them off my lawn and my games lol.
Parents think the whole world revolve around there kids well it doesnt. If you bring your kids to a bar and try to get a law passed to stop me from drinking thats just stupid.Thats how much since these game laws make. Watch your kids keep them out of the adult world and be a parent.
7djs7
my entire life the ive been able to buy video games no matter what the rating from the time i was 8 to til now wwhen im 19. and every game i have ever bought has had, clearly printed n the case, what the game contains as far as violence, drug and/or alcohol, suggestiv themes or whatever it may be. now this being said, the kids buying these games should be fully aware of what they are going to see in the game. and as for the gmes being sold to minors, go ahead and let them be sold if the problm is that parents are getting angered at what there kids are seeing then parents, step up and take some control over your kids, if the problem is that kids get ideas and want to reenact what they see in real life then monitor kids a little better, i dont think it should be too hard for someone to notice a 12 yr old building an arsenal to go shoot up his school. another thingis when the game starts up, then do what cod mw2 did and put notifications that the game does have violence and blood in some of the scenes and gives you the option of skipping those scenes of the game. i say scwarzzenneger is just trying to get attention like why even bring up the topic its just pointless hes being stupid and getting millions and millions of americans turned against him, not a very smart move.
wislo
wow...just wow
RelicCastle
This does not make sense...how is it that if retailers should be fined for selling M rated games to minors (under 17),that is somehow going against free speech??????? The last time I looked, M rated means 17 or older...so by defination selling games to a minor if it is a law to not sell to minors is law how is that against free speech??,what does a law of not selling to minors have to do with free speech...Would you say it is against free speech to sell alchole or cigeretts to minors against free speech????
Nemesisx666x
it's funny how many people comment on problems like this and have NO idea what they are talking about lol Come November 2nd will determine the future of gaming POEPLE! nothing else matters!
Green With Evil
hopefully when our current generation becomes our next group of politicians then maybe they will understand and respect electronic media unlike our current politicians who prey on voters fears for votes.
kapassikey
if there is anything i can do to help, please someone let me know.
also i believe we should have Adam sessler talk to John Steward about this, might help ^_^
typhoon_2099
Why doesn't the rules that govern violent movies cover games as well, Job done.
ImprobabilityZero
Firstly I feel that resources are being wasted in going through all this. I mean with economic recovery being an issue still, this is a waste. Even more when the bill does get passed, as I feel that there is severe underestimation on how many people care for all this. Essentially it becomes a censorship problem, and when that gets out, a lot of other things can get called into question, leading to a potential civil unrest. More resources wasted here, when it could've all been avoided.
Its a shame. I feel that essentially this mess was essentially started with parents not being responsible enough to keep the kids in check. Also from the general fear and uninformed opinions about the gaming medium.
icecool5705
There is no sure way to stop minors playing violent games if the parents don't also 1)stop buying them for their kids 2)stop them from playing them.
I'm from the UK and we have a age rating on all movies and games, so this stops minore from buying a 18 rated game.
Any minor who is caught playing a adult game online should have their account banned,investigated then deleted if found to be used by minors playing Adult themed games
Nerdi_Master
"People shouldn t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
This kind of stuff has gone on quite often lately, the constitution gives us clear rights to stop things like this, the country needs to take a stand and prevent our freedoms from being taken. This might seem small now by comparison, but soon it could lead to us being accused of treason for even verbally criticizing the government. Call me paranoid if you want, but it's entirely possible.
Nerdi_Master
"People shouldn t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
This kind of stuff has gone on quite often lately, the constitution gives us clear rights to stop things like this, the country needs to take a stand and prevent our freedoms from being taken. This might seem small now by comparison, but soon it could lead to us being accused of treason for even verbally criticizing the government. Call me paranoid if you want, but it's entirely possible.
erosennin987
sooo if this goes thru, can minors DO buy these games they go to jail or juvy or just a big ticket?? well since theyre minors do they get tickets??? either way, altho im passed the age ranks i hope this never happens. what kinda free country would we live in?? not a very free one thats for sure...
B-minus
video games are probably the purest form of art think about it. artist draw and create the world of a video game. Writers make the script and write a story for the game. musicians make the music for a game. and the have directors and producers that make sure everything fits together perfectly. they have actors who play the voice and even some actors are the direct models for the charracter they play. Not to mention that that when playing a game many of them are desighed to have an emotional conection to the playre and draws you into the world that was created soully for the enjoyment of anyone that plays it. so you see a video game is a combination of all art forms Movies, music, books, and art are all mixed into the games we currently playand it also contains a new art form that doesn't exist in the others we are seeing more and more games that allow you to make coices to affect the world of the game. mass efect for example every coice you make has a consiquince whether its good or bad and completely affects the game you play and even goes on to the sequal in which coices you made in the first affects what happens in the next. so to get to my point in no way should video games not count as an art form and not be protected by our first ammendment. to even think that a video game isnt art is blaspheme and just shows how out of touch polatitions are with technoligy and the youth.
Infinius
Remember. Remember the Second of November.
chillgentleman
Once movies, music, paintings, and sculptures incur the same penalties that is being proposed for video games then I say its unfair. Is it wrong to sell R rated movie tickets to underaged teens/kids? Yes. Is it illegal? I don't think so (admittedly I have not researched this).
chillgentleman
Once movies, music, paintings, and sculptures incur the same penalties that is being proposed for video games then I say its unfair. Is it wrong to sell R rated movie tickets to underaged teens/kids? Yes. Is it illegal? I don't think so (admittedly I have not researched this).
gaddydaddy
There is nothing wrong with setting limits. 10 year old kids shouldn't be playing mature games, period. If a rule is in place (ESRB ratings) and not enforced it is useless. It must be understood that everything is not appropriate for everybody. Even "free speech" has its limits (fire in a crowded room anyone?). So I'm sorry for all of you 16 year old kids out there that have to get your parents or older friends to buy your mature games for you but I'd rather that than have a 12 year old watching heads explode and checking out bxxbies (and basically annoying everyone else on xbox live and PSN).
Tman88
If only parents did THEIR jobs.
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