God of War - I get in trouble for people not reading

[Joelius]

So, i'm working my shift today, and this angry mother comes into the store. She looked infuriated. I asked her like a good person if I could help her with anything. I then recieved a copy of God of War thrusted in my face. She started screaming at me that there was nudity in the game, and that it was my fault her son bought it. Now, he bought this the other day, WITH HER, since he was under 17. It's not my fault she doesnt' read what the ESRB puts on the box. It explicitely says, Nudity on there. Why can't parents take responsiblity for what their children play and buy, and not blame the video game store employees?

[Half Japanese]

People suck, and that's my contention, I can prove it on scratch paper and a pen, give me a fucking etch-a-sketch I'll do it in 3 minutes, the proof, the fact, the factorum, I'll show my work, case closed. I'm tired of this backslapping 'aren't humanity neat' bullshit, we're a virus with shoes, OK? That's all we are.

[Snapple]

Mothers think they rule the world. I used to work at a video game store, and believe me, I know the type. I feel your pain.

Rest assured, I'll be sure to check the ESRB labels when I have kids.

[DigitalSpace]

People suck, and that's my contention, I can prove it on scratch paper and a pen, give me a fucking etch-a-sketch I'll do it in 3 minutes, the proof, the fact, the factorum, I'll show my work, case closed. I'm tired of this backslapping 'aren't humanity neat' bullshit, we're a virus with shoes, OK? That's all we are.

So nice, it's worth quoting twice.

[pacmanhat]

Let's face it - mothers are never wrong. :roll:

[Griking]

So, i'm working my shift today, and this angry mother comes into the store. She looked infuriated. I asked her like a good person if I could help her with anything. I then recieved a copy of God of War thrusted in my face. She started screaming at me that there was nudity in the game, and that it was my fault her son bought it. Now, he bought this the other day, WITH HER, since he was under 17. It's not my fault she doesnt' read what the ESRB puts on the box. It explicitely says, Nudity on there. Why can't parents take responsiblity for what their children play and buy, and not blame the video game store employees?

Did you tell her what you just told us? That SHE bought it for him the other day and it says right on the box that there's nudity? What was her response?

[EnemyZero]

join the club when i was at target and gamecrazy, i got it alot especially when GTA3 was released...id even WARN THEM and go out of my way to point the rating and contents out and id still get bitched at, they just dont want to live with the fact they made a mistake

[Joelius]

I just told her that it was clearly stated on the box by the ESRB, and pointed it out to her. Yeah, same thing happened when GTA San Andreas came out in October. Parents were pissed due to all the racial slurs in it. Oh well, what can you do I guess.

[GobopopRevisited]

People suck, and that's my contention, I can prove it on scratch paper and a pen, give me a fucking etch-a-sketch I'll do it in 3 minutes, the proof, the fact, the factorum, I'll show my work, case closed. I'm tired of this backslapping 'aren't humanity neat' bullshit, we're a virus with shoes, OK? That's all we are.

So nice, it's worth quoting twice.

This Poetry deserves three quotes.

This whole ESRB thing is getting out of control anyways... Parents and Senators are going to tear the industry apart before long. Maybe Washington can put aside the Social Security Reform and focus on ESRB reform? :P

[esquire]

So, i'm working my shift today, and this angry mother comes into the store. She looked infuriated. I asked her like a good person if I could help her with anything. I then recieved a copy of God of War thrusted in my face. She started screaming at me that there was nudity in the game, and that it was my fault her son bought it. Now, he bought this the other day, WITH HER, since he was under 17. It's not my fault she doesnt' read what the ESRB puts on the box. It explicitely says, Nudity on there. Why can't parents take responsiblity for what their children play and buy, and not blame the video game store employees?

Not sure what company you work for, but most video game retailers that I visit enforce the ESRB ratings and advise the consumer of the games rating and content prior to the purchase. In the case of a minor, a Mature game will not be sold without parental consent.

That being said, based upon facts provided, IMHO both parties are at fault. Sure they didn't read the game's ESRB rating, but did you advise them of it? Did you tell them the reason for the rating? Who paid for the item? Was the parent just passive or did she affirmatively give her consent to the purchase based upon the information provided? These are all questions left unanswered in your post.

Understand that the ESRB is merely advisory, not mandatory, but by game stores taking a more active role in providing the information to the consumer, it helps prevent the consumer from making a bad purchase. I am not a parent, but I can understand the reason for hte ESRB ratings. I laugh everytime I make a purchase of a M rated game and the clerks at Gamerush/Gamestop/EB tell me the rating and the reason for it. It is better to give the advice to the consumer rather than just assume that they are buying it for themselves (not a minor) or will read it themselves (an assumption upon an assumption - i.e., that they even know there are ratings and what they stand for). This will prevent embarrasssing and confrontational situations for everyone such as the one you just described.

[zmweasel]

Not sure what company you work for, but most video game retailers that I visit enforce the ESRB ratings and advise the consumer of the games rating and content prior to the purchase. In the case of a minor, a Mature game will not be sold without parental consent.

Yup. The folks at my local GameStop inform a parent when he or she is buying an M-rated game, and read aloud the descriptors on the box, to make absolutely sure the parent knows what he or she is getting.

-- Z.

[shvnsth]

does anyone think that nudity and the sex mini-game make those parts of the game feel really tacky? other than that though, very awesome game, playing it right now

[-hellvin-]

That was such a fun time when GTA SA was released. Sometimes I would actually talk mom or dad out of it citing it's explicit racial slurs and language and the fact you could use and murder women. Sometimes though I'd just grab it and say, "There ya go!". Only wonder what Christmas morning was like for that family.

"What the fuck G!"