Credit Card Required To View 'M' Rated Information 103
John Callaham writes "Gamecloud has a special feature article titled 'Going Through The Age Gate'. Why are some downloads of game trailers and demos are now requiring that a person declare their age before accessing them?" Not only are some sites requiring you declare your age, Activision is requiring a credit card to view "M" rated game information. From the article: "Asking for a credit card number, even if that the message says it will not be charged, brings up some very serious questions. Why is Activision asking for credit card numbers to access product pages that promote 'M' rated games when the ESRB and every other publisher only use the required 'age gate'?"
check cards (Score:3, Informative)
I had a Credit Card at Seventeen geniuses!! (Score:4, Informative)
At the time it was guaranteed by my mother but I still had a number on it. So if they want to protect themselves it had better tie into a real database somewhere down the line which will tell them your age.
Morons. (Score:3, Informative)
Unless you get a card on your parent's account.
Or get a credit card while 16 (I started getting massive solicitations about that age.)
Or find/loot/steal a credit card from someone.
Or get someone who has a credit card allow you to use their number.
There are some things I will give up credit card numbers for. Getting another credit card, for instance. Or buying something. But I'm not going to release my financial information to view a trailer for a video game. I'll just wait until some independent game site sticks it on their server, thanks.
Next thing you know, we'll be getting stories on Slashdot like "Activisions's New Game (first born and credit card required) is said to put the 'mat' in 'mature'."
Just a second... (Score:5, Informative)
It's asking for a number and a DOB.
What this thing is doing is running the number against a check of Visa/Mastercard/AMEX's available card numbers to see if the algorithms check out. For example... 1111 1111 1111 1111 is not a valid card number. In fact, there are credit card number generators out on the net that do nothing but figure out bank information numbers and card holder numbers, throw it together, and give you a 16 digit account number.
Any credit card generator program could easily be used to bypass this if people are being uptight about the authorization.
The whole reason behind this is so that the parents realize that little Billy is digging in the wallet trying to figure out what a real credit card number looks like.
Is it so bad that, instead of really looking at the information, we dig out the pitchforks over any little thing?
Game Sites (Score:5, Informative)
Second, these guys are only hurting themselves. Let's say 10% of gamers actually go to a publisher's site to get something. How many will actually have a CC? How many will be willing to put that number in? I think not many. The traffic to what is, in effect, an advertisement will fall. And with the adverts not getting clicks, the game sales will fall sharply.
Finally, let's say they have an exclusive demo or make you register to get updates. Well, the demo will be out on eMule and ISOHunt within a few days. If not, the full game will be out no later than 2 weeks after the release. And if people can't access a demo, sales will fall and piracy will rise. Updates and patches will end up mirrored by tons of fan sites; they are rarely hosted back at the publisher's site anyway.
Look, I really understand that game publishers are scared. After all, they are in a position where screenshots and in-game videos will get you sued while Tubgirl and Rocco float around unmolested. It really is sick when selling a game to a kid will result in a bigger fine than selling him porn or alcohol. The pubs are scared. But taking this first step is really going to hurt them in the eyes of the precious few consumers that actually try and read their sites.
VeriSign sample numbers (Score:4, Informative)
Re:fake card? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Porn sites do it to "keep minors out" (Score:1, Informative)
If I'm not mistaken (Score:2, Informative)
So I suppose it IS all about the money.
Test number 4111-1111-1111-1111 works (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Err... What are you guys talking about? (Score:1, Informative)
I would however never give any1 my credit card # for age verification. I would just not goto the website.
Re:Firefox Bypasses It (Score:4, Informative)