She looked at me shocked and said “WOW! That sounds awfully violent. Why do they make such violent games?” My response was because people like me like to play them. She continues: “Well, my son really wants this game, but I don’t think it’s the kind of game a 7 year old should be playing. Is there an address, or a phone number I can call to complain about the games they make?” I grabbed the gut for the game, flipped through the instruction manual and found the information for the developer and the publisher. I wrote them down on a company card so she could call back with any additional question about the retail end.

After all of this, I figure she’s going to take the card and leave, but to my surprise, she wants to buy the game. I asked her if she was sure and she responded “Yeah, my son really wants the game.” So, like any good employee, I sold her the game and she was on her way. I stood there for a minute completely perplexed. This woman had such a problem with violent games that she was going to call up the companies responsible and ask them to stop making them, but then bought such a horrific game for her 7 year old kid.

I’ve never understood the anti-video game stance. It’s a media just like TV or the movies. It has a rating system in place to assure that people know what they’re buying. It’s a simple concept that works for many things yet people still insist on trying to ban companies from making games that they find too violent. Why? It’s a fucking game. These same assholes will go out and pay to see the crap Michael Bay and jerry Bruckheimer make and call it Oscar worthy, without mention of how many people were shot for no reason, or how many buildings were engulfed by fireballs. It’s absurd and hypocritical, and an Illinois judge just made it official in that state (I had a point after all).

From the Video Game Voters Network:

“Message to States: Stop Targeting Video Games!"

A United States District Judge, Northern District of Illinois ruled on Wednesday that the state of Illinois must pay the video game industry over half a million dollars in attorney's fees for its unconstitutional effort to enact a law banning the sale of violent video games.

Said ESA President Douglas Lowenstein, "Judge Kennelly's rulings send two irrefutable messages - not only are efforts to ban the sale of violent video games clearly unconstitutional, they are a waste of taxpayer dollars.”

In an earlier decision declaring the law unconstitutional, United States District Judge Matthew S. Kennelly forcefully wrote, "If controlling access to allegedly 'dangerous' speech is important in promoting the positive psychological development of children, in our society that role is properly accorded to parents and families, not the State."

Lowenstein said that he hopes this ruling sends a message to policymakers that, instead of squandering taxpayer money on frivolous lawsuits and clearly unconstitutional laws, they should focus their resources on working with the industry to help educate parents about the rating system already in place and in all next generation consoles to help parents make sound choices about the games their kids play.

If you would like to be made aware of things of this nature, head on over to http://www.videogamevoters.org and sign up. Help them keep the crazies in check.

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