WILL they destroy rockstar?

[MarioAllStar2600]

With the new manhunt lawsuit they are trying to take out rockstar. Always someone else to blame besides the nutjob kid and parents who just dont care. But the lawyer said they will take down RockStar. This is not the first time it has been threatned. So my question is do you think one of these lawsuits is going to shut down rockstar? I really don't think they will. Any game with a mature rating isn't to be sold to minors. They enforce that rule near me, every game store. So techniclly its the kids parents fault just as much rockstars.

Will bullcrap lawyers and stupid kids start to take down video game companys?

[Sniderman]

Other entities responsible for "the decline of morality" or "responsible for violence" at different points in our history:

- horror comic books
- rock -n- roll
- Elvis
- punk rock music
- Garbage Pail Kids
- Looney Toons cartoons
- The 3 Stooges
- pr0n
- Howard Stern
- Faces of Death

And, as far as videogames are concerned:
- Night Trap (the beginnnings of vg ratings)
- Mortal Kombat (people were outraged by the violence)
- GTA III (kill people, run drugs, and screw hookers)
- GTA VC (see above)
- Doom (Columbine anyone?)

Blah blah blah. I'd say "Nothing will come of this either."

[kainemaxwell]

It's just media attention. M rated games shouldn't be sold to parents and parents and store employees should be more vary of the ratings and who the customers are.

[Cauterize]

didnt some murderer in the usa once blame star wars: Return of the jedi too??? AND THATS A "ALL AGES" RATING!!!!!

[MarioAllStar2600]

didnt some murderer in the usa once blame star wars: Return of the jedi too??? AND THATS A "ALL AGES" RATING!!!!!

I dont know the story but if its true that is only one occasion. RockStar has been blamed multiple times and 2 times I can rember the killingsresemble what goes on in the game. The manhunt one and were the 2 kids shot out peoples tires with there dads rifles. Stuff straight out of the game. I dont think the games are to blame though.

[Sniderman]

*sigh* It bears repeating:

The videogame Doom was directly "linked" to the Columbine massacre. The kids played the game all the time, made refs to it in their "how to kill everyone notes," and even said they felt "like they're in the game" in the videos that were shot of them. They were clearly "emulating" the game, and the media and pundits had a field day with it.

And, in spite of this overhwelming evidence that Doom "caused" the deaths of 13 people as well as the suicides of the shooters, Doom 3 is released this week.

Quit getting panicy over the actions of some asshats that are getting blamed on games. This too shall pass the next time some kid pokes out his sister's eyes and says he got the idea from The 3 Stooges "eye poke."

"Is this what we want to expose our impressionable children to?!? Eye pokes, slapping, squirting with seltzer?!? Won't someone think of the children?" x_x

[Hovoc]

*sigh* It bears repeating:

The videogame Doom was directly "linked" to the Columbine massacre. The kids played the game all the time, made refs to it in their "how to kill everyone notes," and even said they felt "like they're in the game" in the videos that were shot of them. They were clearly "emulating" the game, and the media and pundits had a field day with it.

I know your not saying that that was the cause, but its rediculous to think a video game can turn someone in a killer. These people commiting these acts of violence would have done them anyways, movies, video games, and music are only catalysts for their already fucked up minds

[link1110]

I;m probably gonna get flamed for this, but I think laws that say kids can;t buy M games would be a good idea. If that happened, what would happen the next time a kid shot someone?

Parent: GTA: San Andreas is responsible for my kid killing someone

Judge: But your kid doesn't have that game and can't play it because he's a minor. I order you to pay all Rockstar's legal expenses under frivouous lawsuit law.

Parent: But I don't have that much money

Judge: Go play GTA, maybe it'll make you rob a bank or something

[Mr.FoodMonster]

People are sue crazy. They want to blame everyone else for their problems, even moreso if its their own child. This wont go anywhere, just like ever other single lawsuit against videogames. I read somewhere that Rockstar is trying to find a way to make it impossible to sue a videogame creator for any criminal acts blamed on a game. It would make sence to me. I'm concidered a 'minor' and I think its a hassle if I get asked if I'm over 17, but I have learned to deal with it. I just wish america had less stupid people. Hah.

[FantasiaWHT]

It's irresponsible to claim that video games CAUSE violence.

It's also JUST as irresponsible to claim that video games can't affect us, and that those effects can't be negative.

Legally, a developer should never be held responsible. Now you could probably build a fair case for child neglect heh...

[Jibbajaba]

I definitely agree that there should be a law (if there isnt one) against selling M rated games to minors. M rated games should be treated like porno in that it should be illegal to sell it to minors, and it should be illegal to PROVIDE it to minors; thus if a parent provides an M rated game to their kid, and that kid goes out and shoots someone and blames it on the game, then the parent can be held responsible. Violent games are no different than violent television or violent movies, and it is the responsibility of the parent to make proper choices concerning what their kids are both watching and playing.

Chris

[Kroogah]

Other entities responsible for "the decline of morality" or "responsible for violence" at different points in our history:

- horror comic books
- rock -n- roll
- Elvis
- punk rock music
- Garbage Pail Kids
- Looney Toons cartoons
- The 3 Stooges
- pr0n
- Howard Stern
- Faces of Death

You forgot Jazz, and Witchcraft! Wait...does this mean that LOUIS ARMSTRONG IS A WITCH?

[-hellvin-]

This shall be a never ending cycle. It's simple. Take an actual PART (Omg I know it's scary) of your child's life and stop him from playing the horrible video games of death and destruction and everyone will be in a happy world. Oh yeah, and don't let him watch violent movies either. Oh, oh, and don't let him watch stories of rape and murder every night on television and....ahhh...oh well.

[YoshiM]

I definitely agree that there should be a law (if there isnt one) against selling M rated games to minors. M rated games should be treated like porno in that it should be illegal to sell it to minors, and it should be illegal to PROVIDE it to minors; thus if a parent provides an M rated game to their kid, and that kid goes out and shoots someone and blames it on the game, then the parent can be held responsible. Violent games are no different than violent television or violent movies, and it is the responsibility of the parent to make proper choices concerning what their kids are both watching and playing.

Chris

Thing is, to restrict it "like porn" opens up a whole other can of worms which would seriously affect the industry. Retail stores wouldn't carry the games at all. When was the last time, for example, you saw legit porn at Best Buy? Retail shelf space is another form of advertising and by regulating the games like porn you've just lost hundreds to thousands of perusing eyes thus resulting in lower projected sales and making M rated games (like GTA) unprofitable. Would GTA have sold as good as it did as a rated "T" game? Hard to say.

Now, if something like that were to happen, where does the line get drawn? R rated movies being pulled off shelves? What about media that doesn't have a ratings panel? Would that mean no more CDs with Explicit Lyrics available at Best Buy? Novels deemed too "mature" for kids being pulled out of libraries? All illogical extremes but if such a restrictive measure were to be placed on mature games it could be downhill for everything else.

The best way is to not make a law about it, but "influence" stores to actually card young customers. The ESRB board should have a list of "stores that adhere to our ratings and restrictions". Make it public, make it worth something to the eyes of the ever paranoid populace. This list would contain the names of all the stores that would essentially card and prohibit sales of M rated material to minors. In essence a "safe" list. Stores would have to agree to a change of corporate policy that would unleash displinary action on associates who sell to minors. Stores would be randomly inspected by "secret shopper" teens and those who fail to uphold the standards of the ESRB rules would be delisted. Publicly. The list could easily be printed in game magazines or even family magazines along with signage in stores stating that "they are proud members of the ESRB Safe Sellers group". Adults don't get shafted, stores are covered, the responsibility now rests on the parents.

[ddockery]

How about just alking t your damn kids to make sure they understand that just because killing zombies in DOOM is fun, that killing tons of people isn't going to be a good idea. Why the hell is talking with your damn kids so hard? If people don't want to raise kids right, then for the of of all things please USE A DAMN CONDOM!!!

[Hovoc]

correct me if i am wrong

but here in virginia it is illegal to sel M/R rated games and movies to minors. In fact, upon being scanned, cashiers are prompted at the register to check id.

i was told that if we(walmart, at the time) were caught selling a M/R rated item to a minor that we'd be heavily fined.

ive always made it a point to enlihgten parents about what they are really buying for their kids, and in the end some just dont care, in fact, while at walmart, a lady bought her son GTA 3, i explained there was killing, and hookers and drugs and such in the game, shes like "thats fine, he sees it on tv", a few hours later she brought it back, yelled at the manager bc we "sold her kid" the game, and then came back and yelled at me, go figure

[JJNova]

I definitely agree that there should be a law (if there isnt one) against selling M rated games to minors. M rated games should be treated like porno in that it should be illegal to sell it to minors, and it should be illegal to PROVIDE it to minors; thus if a parent provides an M rated game to their kid, and that kid goes out and shoots someone and blames it on the game, then the parent can be held responsible. Violent games are no different than violent television or violent movies, and it is the responsibility of the parent to make proper choices concerning what their kids are both watching and playing.

Chris

WTF!? There is one....it's called AO raiting.
The ESRB should be held responsible. They have the power to keep these games out of childrens hands, smack a damn AO rating on there. The sticker is there, but no Developer will publish a game that has the sticker. If M games become just as much a hassle to purchase as AO games, then why su\mit games to the ESRB anyway? Then we would be arguing about there should be a law stating that kids can't purchase "unrated games". To hell with it, if you are a developer and the ESRB says you get an "M" or "AO" rating...refuse to accept it and publish the game unrated!

We become so infatuated with what are children might/could/perhaps do, that we are shielding from reality. I'm not saying that every child should be exposed to Doom at the age of 6, but for goodness sake, I was walking Yojimbo through a town slaying people at that age on the C-64.
One day, regardless of what your child has been exposed to, someone is going to kick them in the nuts or twist their tittie, at which point they are going to realize that it hurts, and that in certain circumstance, a nut check and a booby bounce can work to their advantage.....regardless.

[Kepone]

Human beings can be totally fucking stupid, so don't ever expect to see 100% compliance with the Ratings system for video games.

The games are marketed to clear audience of people that are 18 and older. If a parent buys GTA for their 10 year old and complains when the 10 year old emulates GTA, it should be their damn responsibility and they should face criminal charges. Why not?

Why should responsible adults who buy Rockstar products, be forced to suffer just because a parent is stupid enough to let their underage child near such a product? I for one, will not pay for the stupidity of someone else.

Based on this incident, some people shouldn't be parents in the first place.

It's a fucking game, people! Not reality.

(this rant brought to you by an angry gamer and owner of GTA3 and GTA:VC)

[EnemyZero]

yeah we know these arguements will never end on violence in games. maybe we should just sue the parents....
::ring ring:: thanks for calling rockstar games, how can I help you?

Angry parent: I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS GAME GTA:VICE CITY IS APPAULING AND SHOULD NEVER OF BEEN MADE!!! MY CHILD IS 15 YEARS OLD AND TALKS ABOUT KILLING HIS FRIENDS WITH BATS NOW!!!

Rockstar rep: soooo.. you say he is 15?

Angry parent: YES 15!!!!

Rockstar rep: thank you ma'm our laywers will contact you shortly

Angry parent: YOUR laywers??

Rockstar rep: yes OUR layywers...where sueing you for the crime of idiocy....and buying your 15 year old son our M -Rated game, you are the weakest parent, goodbye


not that id care if rockstar was sued out of business but still...the parenting going on this day and age is ridiculous...i mean seriously they buy there kids these games with the knowledge of whats in them , then they freak out at the stores and game publishers, and when someone dies they say " OH SHIT.......uh uh uh ..SHIT....AHHHH ...oo calm now..just blame the company...yeah thats it...."

[Sniderman]

True story: I worked at Babbage's during a Christmas season for extra $$$. I'm near the counter, so I saw this exchange - and many more like it - on a daily basis.

<woman drops GTA III on counter>
Clerk: Are you buying this for yourself?
Woman: No, it's a present for my 10-year-old's birthday.
Clerk: Er...you realize that this is rated M for Mature?
Woman: Oh he's very mature for his age.
Clerk: No ma'am, it means there is mature content in the game.

<woman pays no attention as she's still funmbling through her purse for her credit cards. Clerk is still swinging away though>

Clerk: OK, if you want your 10-year-old to screw hookers, push drugs, and kill people by running over them, fine by me.
Woman (now looking up): What?!
Clerk: Quite a mature 10-year-old ya got. Yessirree. Hope he knows most of his four-letter words by now. This game is filled with 'em.
Woman: I thought this was a kid's game!
Clerk: (slowly turns to the woman) No ma'am. That's why it's rated "M." That's why I've spent the better part of five minutes trying to tell you it wasn't appropriate.
Woman: Well, I think it's wrong of a store to sell these games to kids!
Clerk: Ma'am, we don't sell them to kids. It's their misinformed, inattentive parents that buy these games FOR their kids.

(Woman storms out and goes to another store, presumably to buy The Suffering for lil Johnny instead.)


A 1,000 times I saw this occur. x_x