Jack Thompson Gearing Up For GTA IV Fight

Next Generation reports on Jack Thompson's next big fight: Grand Theft Auto IV. A mass email was sent to news organizations entitled 'Bill Gates in the Crosshairs'. He vows to 'rally the troops' against the release of the next chapter in Rockstar's sandbox-style crime series. The game is due out sometime this year, on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. From the article: "Thompson said that he would 'undertake various means to prohibit' the sale of GTA IV to minors, and added, 'Please have your lawyers [Microsoft chairman Bill Gates', that is] contact me in order that such sales will be prevented.' He also said that the ICCR report 'makes it abundantly clear that unless such prohibitions are in place, then millions of units of the new Grand Theft Auto game will be sold directly to minors.' He continued, 'I am quite intent upon making sure that that does not happen. I and others will endeavor to stop Microsoft from participating in any fashion, directly or indirectly, in such sales to minors.'"

Good Luck to him

[linvir]

This is the good side of what JT does.

If only he'd stick to keeping kids from buying adult games, the world would have no beef with him.

Re:

[greed]

Hey, if it wasn't for him and his like trying to get GTA3 banned, I would have never bought it. And wouldn't have played it and enjoyed it...

So, Jack, keep talking about what games are going to destroy the world, I need help with my shopping list.

Re:

[Captain Splendid]

I used to do the same thing with film critic Alexander Walker [wikipedia.org]. If he hated a film, then it was most likely something I would enjoy. Worked like a charm.

Re:

[sqlrob]

Riigght. MS has what to do with this?

And keep in mind that there are documented parental controls for the 360. MS has done it's job.

This is nothing more than JT being the attention whore he is.

Re:Good Luck to him

[fishdan]

Seriously: They should sell adult games the same way they sell adult magazines -- clearly labelled and with a wrapper around them, unless they're in an adults only area. I have no problem saying that GTA 3 was completely inappropriate for 7 year olds. But JT is just determined to undermine his cause by being such an asshole. I am sympathetic to the basic premise, some games are inappropriate for children -- but I don't agree that legislation is the way to fix it, and I don't agree that game companies are liable for the actions of idiots, and I certainly don't agree that you should welch on your offers. [advancedmn.com]

Re:

[Nasarius]

Seriously: They should sell adult games the same way they sell adult magazines -- clearly labelled and with a wrapper around them, unless they're in an adults only area.

If by "adult games" you mean hentai games and the like, okay. But if you're talking about GTA, that's ridiculous. We have no problem selling R-rated movies in plain sight, with content just as "bad" as any M-rated game. I don't see the difference.

Re:

[drinkypoo]

Seriously: They should sell adult games the same way they sell adult magazines -- clearly labelled and with a wrapper around them, unless they're in an adults only area.

If by "adult games" you mean hentai games and the like, okay. But if you're talking about GTA, that's ridiculous. We have no problem selling R-rated movies in plain sight, with content just as "bad" as any M-rated game. I don't see the difference.

A lot of parents would like to see those segregated out, too. But more don't give a f

Re:

[dougmc]

Seriously: They should sell adult games the same way they sell adult magazines -- clearly labelled and with a wrapper around them, unless they're in an adults only area.

If by "adult games" you mean hentai games and the like, okay. But if you're talking about GTA, that's ridiculous. We have no problem selling R-rated movies in plain sight, with content just as "bad" as any M-rated game. I don't see the difference.

Personally, I don't see why sex is seen as so much more damaging for people to see (or act out, in the case of games) than violence. As for the few hentai games I've tried, what's really criminal about them is just how bad (i.e. low quality) they are. They think the `sex! boobies!' gimmick is a sutiable replacement for things like gameplay or a coherent story/plot.

Re:

[geminidomino]

What are you talking about... they have plenty of substance. They even teach valuable life skills like how to click really fast through dialog and how to juggle school, work and multiple girl friends.

Looks like someone's played "True Love..."

Re:

[dave562]

We have no problem selling R-rated movies in plain sight, with content just as "bad" as any M-rated game. I don't see the difference.

Consider this... In an R-rated movie, a child simply has access to watching someone else perform acts that you wouldn't want the child doing (killing people, rape, etc). In a videogame, the child in effect becomes the perpetrator of the acts. The difference is between simply seeing the acts versus committing the acts, albeit in a virtual world.

When I played GTA San Andreas

Re:

[HTH NE1]

They should sell adult games the same way they sell adult magazines -- clearly labelled and with a wrapper around them

What store are you buying your games in where the cases aren't covered in shrink-wrap or displaying only the empty cases, the game disks kept behind the counter?

The adult magazines are similarly covered in clear plastic, and that's just to keep people from reading them in public. They employ opaque panels only if the cover art is too revealing of the naughty bits for your community's standa

Re:

[ZakuSage]

M-rated games are not "adult games". They are intended for audiences 17+, the equivalent of an R-rated movie. This isn't porn we're talking about here, that would be appropriately rated AO for Adults Only, which isn't carried in like 90% of game stores.

Here's the thing

[Sycraft-fu]

They are no more adult than R movies. That's what M is equivalent to in terms of movie ratings. The adults rating, or NC-17 equivalent, is AO. However because most retailer refuse to carry games with AO ratings, even in a separate section, few are made. Same deal with movies. That's why there's an "Unrated" American Pie. Basically what happened is in the original cut, the MPAA hung an NC-17 on it which most theatres won't carry. So they made the necessary changes to bring it down to R. When they released the original cut, they simply didn't submit it for rating, and thus sell it as "Unrated".

Either way unless you also think R movies should be off in a separate section then it doesn't make sense to move M games there. Not that it matters much, retailers these days card you. Seriously, I got carded buying FEAR last month (I'm 26) at Target.

Re:

[Traiklin]

They are no more adult than R movies. That's what M is equivalent to in terms of movie ratings. The adults rating, or NC-17 equivalent, is AO. However because most retailer refuse to carry games with AO ratings, even in a separate section, few are made. Same deal with movies. That's why there's an "Unrated" American Pie. Basically what happened is in the original cut, the MPAA hung an NC-17 on it which most theatres won't carry. So they made the necessary changes to bring it down to R. When they released th

Re:

[thatguywhoiam]

Seriously: They should sell adult games the same way they sell adult magazines -- clearly labelled and with a wrapper around them, unless they're in an adults only area. I have no problem saying that GTA 3 was completely inappropriate for 7 year olds.

If the game is porn, sure. If its just 'rated M' (i.e. rated 'R' equivalent) then they should sell it like they sell movies - next to everything else. The 'AO' titles can go in the special room.

Anyone ever seen an AO video game, btw? (outside Japan?)

Re:

[Sigma 7]

Anyone ever seen an AO video game, btw? (outside Japan?)

Duke3D would be the closest. This was pre-ESRB, but did have a "Warning: Adult Content" as well as an RSAC rating stating that there was significant sexual content.

Re:

[Randolpho]

Er... is that for giving bills to pasty-covered strippers and saying "shake-it, baby!", or for equally unraunchy "penthouse level"?

Re:

[HTH NE1]

Anyone ever seen an AO video game, btw? (outside Japan?)

GTA San Andreas, before re-release.

Re:

[mrchaotica]

That doesn't (or shouldn't) count -- the only AO content required a hack to get to.

Re:

[fishdan]

There's alot of replies to my original post that there is a distinction between M and AO. Also some distinction between what is an adult. For me, old enough to enlist in the armed forces means old enough to drink, smoke, swear, fuck and play violent video games -- in otherwards 17+ == adult in my book. I know you need parental consent to enlist in the army at 17, but I'm pretty sure once you're in, you get the same training and killing opportunities if you're 17 or 18.

As for porn, I cannot BELIEVE that p

Re:

[Chris Burke]

As for porn, I cannot BELIEVE that people on /. are advocating restricting porn to people you would allow violent video games too.

Welcome to an American audience, where we have a bizzare fear of the sexual and a bizzare fascination with the violent.

Like Orwell's Junior Anti-Sex League and the Two Minutes Hate only without the deliberate control behind it -- repression in one area leads to expression in another.

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"As for porn, I cannot BELIEVE that people on /. are advocating restricting porn to people you would allow violent video games too."

The reason for this incongruity is that teen pregnancy happens far more often than teen murder. In other words: Parents remember how they spent their youth and don't want their kids making stupid mistakes. They think that by being bombarded with porn they'll run out and try to 'score', ignoring the risk of tying up the next 18 years of their lives.

Whether they're right about

Re:

[geminidomino]

The reason for this incongruity is that teen pregnancy happens far more often than teen murder.

And because teen murder sells more newspapers/promo spots on the evening news.

Overboard

[Nazmun]

Just make sure that the cashiers check to make sure the people are 17+. Unless it's a video game porn.

No reason to blacklist or place mature (not porn) games like GTA 3 in the porno rooms or in porno wrappers. They should be treated like rated r movies.

Re:

[navygeek]

Whether you want to call it "flamebait" or not, the OP is correct. If JT limited himself to keeping M rated games out of the hands of those that are too young, he'd have support coming out of the woodwork. If he poured his time and effort into educating parents and those with the power about video games (and did it correctly, leaving the rhetoric on the curb) and lobbied to have the sanctioned rating system enforced (much like the movie rating system) - then he wouldn't come off as quite such a nut.

Inste

Re:

[nuzak]

There is no good side to this person. I suspect he'll make that abundantly clear with his public behavior (and in private, he's been reported to be even worse).

He may as well be talking to Western Digital and Seagate to demand that their hard drives not store GTA IV. Is it still a cart00ney if it's sent from an actual attorney? Maybe kooks like JT make the exception to the definition.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[jimstapleton]

I agree. Keeping such games out of the hands of minors, unless the minors have parent approval is a very good thing.

Re:Mod parent up!

[Thraxen]

No, it's not a good point at all because Jack is going after the wrong end of the chain. Why is he contacting MS? First off, MS isn't developing or publishing GTA4. He should be after the retail stores since they are the ones responsible for selling 'M' and 'AO' games to children. He should also be be imploring parents to pay attention to game ratings and to make use of the parental control features that are on all the current consoles. MS has NOTHING to do with mature games getting into the hands od kids.

Re:

[SilentChris]

Wherein we find the real reason why he's contacting Microsoft: they have money. More specifically, they're trying to mass market a device (Xbox 360) and Jack Thompson plans to link said device to various kinds of debauchery. In the process, he hopes to get a nice fat sum of money out of MS just to shut up.

Except, the plan won't work. Marketers, for all their faults, are savvy. Jack Thompson railing on your game/console pretty much guarantees sales now. Look at Bully. Decent game, certainly not on the

Re:

[MikeFM]

I agree - a mature rating should be fine for GTA. It doesn't need an adult rating and there should be no problem with normal stores like Walmart or EB selling GTA. It just needs to not be sold to anyone that can't buy an R rated movie. Walmart checks my id to buy spray paint and cold medicine so it shouldn't be hard for them to check for mature or adult rated games. Then it's up to the parents as to if their kid can play GTA. I wouldn't care if my kid played GTA but for parents who think it's important it s

Re:

[R3d M3rcury]

Well, age guessing is always tricky and when in doubt, it's a good idea to ask.

Heck, I got carded for cigarettes this morning and I'm more than twice the legal age. This happened because it was a new employee and the cash register told her to ask. Maybe Best Buy's cash registers have started doing that, just to remind the person that they're supposed to check these things.

Re:

[Phisbut]

Well, age guessing is always tricky and when in doubt, it's a good idea to ask. Heck, I got carded for cigarettes this morning and I'm more than twice the legal age.

I don't know how it goes in other places, but up here in Québec, the law requires convenience stores to ask the ID of anyone under the age of 25 when buying cigarettes or alcohol, even though the legal age is 18. That way, it removes much of the ambiguity of "this guy looks like he's 22 but he could as well be 17". It's no longer "Show m

Re:

[Fozzyuw]

up here in Québec, the law requires convenience stores to ask the ID of anyone under the age of 25 ... adults don't really care about being IDed.

First, I can say, I don't think there's a specific 'law', so to speak, but there is a common policy and campaign for the exact thing. Most stores will show employees a video and have signs that say "under 2x, we card", kind of thing.

Second, adults care a lot about being carded when they're obviously old. Speaking from experience as both a cashier, manage

Re:

[Karl Cocknozzle]

"Show me your ID if you look under 25". Much harder for a 16 year old to look 25, and adults don't really care about being IDed.

As an adult, I do have a problem with being asked for ID. I have gray hair and I'm obviously older than the little fucks asking for my ID. It's a power-trip for minimum-wage clerks.... "Sir, the law REQUIRES me to card you for appearing to be under the age of 60...."

What I usually do is demand ID from clerks in those situations, because I've run into clerks who look too young to

Re:

[budgenator]

In Michigan, if the clerk askes for ID durring an alcohol purchase and the purchaser doesn't produce the requested valid ID, and the clerk still sells, the clerk is liable for a $5,000.00 fine irregardless of how old the purchaser is.

Re:

[mrchaotica]

As an adult, I do have a problem with being asked for ID. I have gray hair and I'm obviously older than the little fucks asking for my ID. It's a power-trip for minimum-wage clerks.... "Sir, the law REQUIRES me to card you for appearing to be under the age of 60...."

And big fucks like you are the reason my girlfriend hates her job! Here's a newsflash, asshole: those clerks really are required by law to ID you! In fact, in my state it's required regardless of age -- she even has to ask 80-year-old geezers,

Re:

[Karl Cocknozzle]

And big fucks like you are the reason my girlfriend hates her job! Here's a newsflash, asshole: those clerks really are required by law to ID you! In fact, in my state it's required regardless of age -- she even has to ask 80-year-old geezers, because she'd get fired if she didn't.

Tell you what, why don't you post your name and address, so I can come beat the shit out of you for abusing people like my girlfriend, who are only trying to do their jobs! How would you like that, hmm?

In my state, clerks are requ

Re:

[Karl Cocknozzle]

"And if this is you Mom--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Re:

[Dahamma]

I would think when it's obvious they wouldn't need to ask, but I guess to be safe they can't take any chances on accidentally guessing someones age wrong.

Yeah, it's hard to fault them for asking EVERYONE for ID... my friend's little brother was working in a convenience store when he was in high school, and was fined (I think $250 - which is almost FORTY HOURS of GROSS income to a kid making $7 an hour - ie blew away 2-3 weeks of his part time job) for selling alcohol to a minor. The minor happened to be a

Land of the free! Remember that

[gullevek]

Yup, get your gun when you are four, but the booze you wont get until you are 80 and with your parents.

Re:Mod parent...Eh

[SatanicPuppy]

I disagree. Thompson does more harm than good to his purported cause.

This is a simple issue that no one disagrees with him on. Rockstar sure as hell doesn't care, and that only leaves the retailers, and I've yet to see a single one of them who has argued that they should be allowed to sell M rated games to minors. A handful of rational people could sit down and hash this deal out over a weekend.

Enter Jack Thompson, whose notion of a "solution" to this problem is probably a firmware patch that will prohibit

Re:

[JebusIsLord]

The XBOX360 at least (and, I assume the PS3) has a parental control feature that, when activated, prevents minors from playing games games with certain ratings. Of course this makes raising children the responsibility of parents, instead of Jack Thompson.

Re:

[phoenix.bam!]

Films are voluntarily restricted by a rating system set up by the film industry. Just like games already are. It is entirely the choice of the movie theater to allow in children to R rated movies (there are repercussions from the FILM industry and not the government for this.) Just like video game stores are able to sell Mature rated games to children if they choose.

Microsoft

[bilbravo]

Why just Microsoft? Why not Sony?

Re:

[mobiux]

Because even Jack knows that Sony will eventually implode without any outside help.

Re:

[fistfullast33l]

Bill Gates is a household name. Notice that he didn't target Microsoft as much as he targeted Gates in the title of the letter. I doubt there are many who know Phil Harrison nearly as well.

Re:

[budgenator]

I thought Steve Balmer was CEO of Microsoft, yeah you know the guy that does the monkey dance and kicks chairs across the stage, yup he's the guys to stop these violent video games!

Re:

[seebs]

Because no one actually has a PS3 or plays games on it; they just exist to get flipped on eBay!

(Disclaimer: I have one, and it's not getting resold.)

Pay attention to me!

[Gorkamecha]

I'm Jack T and no one has heard from me recently! I'm lonely and there are wolves...

On MS's side?

[Thansal]

wow, dark day, eh?

Hopefuly MS will simply ignore Wako Jako, or possibly shoot him down.

However there is a small dark corner of my mind pointing out that MS could join a campaign to keep GTA:4 from being sold to minors (after all, it isn't supposed to be sold to them, thatis what the "M" stands for), however in doing so it would add some credence to the nutjob.

Re:

[Alchemar]

No, that is not what the "M" stands for. The "M" stands for Mature, it is a guide line for parents to realize that they need to decide if their children are mature enough to play the game. If the kid can get the money and can make a purchase without an adult, you need to consider why if you do not feel that he/she is mature enough for such a game, running the streets without an adult and enough money to buy a gun, controled substances, or a prostitue is possible

"AO" means Adult Onl

Re:

[Thansal]

I would actualy disagre with that. Minors is defined as >17, and I would say the key age range for those games probably goes up to late 20s to early 30s, and starts around 15 or 16 (key range, I know you will find samples out side of the range as well, but not as many). That would be enough people above the age of being a minor to be no longer aimed at minors.

or were you just trolling?

Re:

[C0rinthian]

Children think that a game is mature because you can beat up hookers. Adults think the opposite.

The main reason kids fixate on these kinds of games is that we keep accentuating how 'MATURE' they are. Mario = kids game. GTA = Adults game. Kids naturally want to be percieved as adults, so they go for the 'adult' games.

I fully support restrictions on who can purchase mature games. I don't see government oversight as necessary.

My Prayer

[Stanistani]

Please, O Lord:

Bring the mighty weight of Microsoft's legal staff to bear upon Jack Thompson, and allow us to watch him disappear in a four-colored puff of smoke.

Amen.

Re:

[Amazing Quantum Man]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Of course, that then raises the question, is it JT or MS who's the friend in this instance!

Re:My Prayer

[Stanistani]

Actually, I'd like to see MS crush JT like a bug, and suffer bad publicity for doing so...

Win-Win!

Re:

[thatguywhoiam]

Bring the mighty weight of Microsoft's legal staff to bear upon Jack Thompson, and allow us to watch him disappear in a four-colored puff of smoke.

No kidding. Exactly my thoughts. "Further towards the kill zone please, Mr. Thompson."

Re:

[DrXym]

I expect the mighty weight of Microsoft's legal staff will ignore him totally unless he is stupid enough to file suit. At which point he will be squashed like a gnat and left with ruinous legal bill.

Seems fine to me

[maynard]

Isn't the game rated M anyway? So what's the problem with restricting access to minors?

Re:

[Aadain2001]

That would be a big loss of revenue for most game retailers then. There are no laws in place to prohibit selling of M rates games to minors (at least, not in my state), so businesses have to make a choice on the issue.

Re:

[HTH NE1]

There are no laws in place to prohibit the sale of tickets to R rated movies to minors either.

Re:

[sqlrob]

It's not really state by state. EVERY SINGLE ONE has been shot down.

And you need to care because of lowest common denominator. If it's too hard to sell M games, they will not be sold, and since they can't be sold, won't be made.

Re:

[joshetc]

Because it is not the government's job to restrict access from minors, it is the parent's job should they choose to restrict their children.

Of course, because of our countries mentality it will soon be the case anyway, just like with cigarettes, booze, and porn. (it will be just as affective too)

Re:

[EmperorKagato]

It's not enforced on a National Level.

Re:

[DragonWriter]

There's nothing wrong with private retailers deciding to do so on their own, or in response to market pressure.

When efforts are made to turn the ratings of an unaccountable private body into a legal control on who may purchase material, well, then there is a problem.

Re:

[Sigma 7]

But for a state to enact a law requiring that resellers put M rated games behind a counter and demand ID, like is as done with cigarettes and alcohol is fine by me.

The US has a pesky thing called the first amendment.

Also, there's a major difference with M rated games compared to cigarettes and alcohol: The former is a "soft" limitation, where it is not recommended to sell to children, while the latter is restricted to those above the age of 18. Putting a hard restriction on something that should be flexibl

Re:

[HTH NE1]

But for a state to enact a law requiring that resellers put M rated games behind a counter and demand ID, like is as done with cigarettes and alcohol is fine by me.

So would you be fine with the same being done for R-rated (or, *gasp* UNRATED director's cut) DVDs?

And hey, some of these kids aren't yet teenagers; better put the T-rated games and PG-13 movies behind the counter too, right?

(And where do you live where alcohol is behind the counter? Utah?)

Re:

[s4m7]

If it can regulate underage access to drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, why not video games (or movies)?

Fundamentally different. Drugs, Alcohol and Cigarettes are substances. Video games and movies are Information.
Didn't you read the pamphlet? Information wants to be free. Although for some reason video game information wants to be USD $59.99.
No in fact I would agree I think both are stupid, and cigarettes and alcohol should be available to children, it's up to the parents to monitor what their kid

Sigh

[Doytch]

Some people think that if you only disallow minors to buy the game, everything's fine. Except they're forgetting that this will just result in game designers self-censoring their games so they can get a T.

Oh yes, not to mention that it's been ruled against this little thing called the Constitution you Americans apparently have.

Re:

[cpt kangarooski]

No, the Constitution does apply even when minors are involved. Age has nothing to do with it (other than the voting age). But the Constitution basically just establishes and limits the powers of the government. Since a child's parents are not the government, the child's Constitutional right to privacy has no effect on the parents. Government-run schools are subject to the Constitution, but have been allowed some leeway as they act in a custodial capacity while the child is at school. Nevertheless, I would l

Re:

[DragonWriter]

Lots of things in the constitution don't apply to people under the age of 18.

The only thing in the Constitution that applies only to people 18 and older is Amendment XXVI (though, as a practical matter, the other provisions relating directly and solely to voting rights also don't have much utility, as a direct consequence of that.)

Not quite lots.

For example, the right to privacy?

...is not in the Constitution, as such, but rather is an umbrella term for the effects of diverse Constitutional protections, al

Oh, Bill

[gregtron]

I sorta like the idea of Bill Gates as in insidious mischief lover, selling lewd video game content to minors in the form of XBox games he hides under his trench coat.

I knew he wasn't the brightest... but wow...

[jimstapleton]

I and others will endeavor to stop Microsoft from participating in any fashion, directly or indirectly, in such sales to minors.

Last I checked, Microsquish didn't do direct sales except on XBox live, and somehow I doubt GTA will be there...

Poor guy

[tgd]

Doesn't he realize he'd feel so much better if he just went a beat up a hooker or two?

Re:

[HTH NE1]

I really don't start to feel better till I've beat up five hookers and run over a cop in an ambulance.

Damn, that's a hard goal. Just how many rescue operations do you have to go through just to pick a cop by chance with an ambulance(*), and still get him to where you have a tank parked just so you could run the ambulance-with-cop-inside over with it?

(*) Those paramedics sure can do wonders! They can revive any non-dismembered cop in the field, fully healed and ready to chase you down again, and never take

Sick of it...

[AdamTrace]

At what point do JT's repeated and unsuccessful lawsuits become illegal themselves? Is it legal to sue over the same issue over and over and over and over and over again...?

Total Conflict

[tprime]

Hmmmmmm..... Forget the impact on GTA and Rockstar in this, that won't be the big news. The big news will be that /.ers will be forced to either back Jack or root for Microsoft in this battle.

Better signage?

[GoNINzo]

Would something along the lines of 'Explicit Lyrics' stickers make him feel better?

How about the label: If you buy this for your kids, you are a douchebag and a bad parent.

If people would spend even 5 minutes understanding the ESRB, all these problems would go away. People understand R rated movied, why can't they understand M rated games? Jack Thompson should just get people to learn more about the ESRB, but I don't see how he can get paid doing that. heh

Re:

[drinkypoo]

Jack Thompson should just get people to learn more about the ESRB, but I don't see how he can get paid doing that. heh

Precisely. It's the same reason oxfam went after starbucks, who is arguably one of the more responsible coffee retailers out there, instead of attacking that $5 or less per can coffee shit. Think about this - starbucks claims they pay over the fair trade price, which is around a buck and a half. Probably less, still, although it may have edged over for organic coffee by now. This shit is

Re:

[MindStalker]

BS! Almost every time I goto an R rated movie, some dumb parent has brought their 5 years olds with them.

Re:

[Nimey]

Yeah! I don't go to the movies often, so the most egregious example I remember was some twat who brought her five-year-old and an infant to see Terminator 3. More's the pity that she's already passed her genes on.

Re:

[Androclese]

Lets go a step further... why not slap the Movie rating system over the Game rating system!?

GTA = R
Mario Brothers 3 = PG (animated violence)
Wii Sports = G

Well, you get the idea. If everybody in the US & Canada understands that system, why not just use it?

ESRB Rating

[nuggz]

I was pleasantly surprised to see a few things over this holiday season.
Parents asking about the rating system and what it means.
Game retailers pausing the transaction to point out it is a 17+/mature rated title and may not be appropriate for children.

I don't see anything wrong with carding younger customers (which I've seen). The problem is the outright bans some people want to have, or those who angrily react when someone suggests they make an informed decision.

Re:

[phorm]

It's like the anti-abortion wackos. A lot of people would agree that abortions - like many things - can be abused (for example, they shouldn't be used as a method of birth-control), but an outright ban is idiotic. Yes, it might mean that Suzi-Sexaholic thinks a little stronger on using the pill and getting her boyfriend Harry Hardon to wrap it up (though even this is not always true), but it doesn't help 12-year-old Sally who was raped and impregnated by her perverted uncle.

There are very few reasons for

WOOO, I want...

[nweaver]

Hmm, I may have to get an X-box 360 after all.

Now the question is: will there be Hack Johnson, "public interest" laywer, in the game, who you get to kill when he's frollicking with a bunch of prostitutes?

Re:

[Nimey]

Oh please Ghu, that would be hilarious.

OTOH, they've done that gag with a televangelist in San Andreas.

Awesome!

[Thumper_SVX]

I hadn't even heard about this game until today. Thanks again, Jack T for bringing it to my attention!!!

No, seriously... does anyone else here think Jack Thompson is actually a shill for Rockstar Games and is actually part of the PR marketing campaign??? Until he arrived, I'd heard almost nothing about Grand Theft Auto, but then again I'm not much of a gamer. Having said that, once I'd heard about it through Jack T I figured I should check it out. I borrowed a friend's copy of Vice City and loved it... then

Barking up the wrong tree

[Sefert]

There's no way Microsoft would play along. I'm sure he's hoping to get free labour from Microsoft's considerable legal clout to help him - but one of the main features of Vista (from the gaming side) is the ability for parents to lock out children of games that are inappropriate on a game by game, and kid by kid basis. For Microsoft to fight a legal battle like this would imply that their built in solution to Vista isn't a good one. And, obviously, it'll never be as good for preventing access by minors a

Another possibility

[rlp]

Or parents could accept some responsibility in raising their kids. I've got NO problem with laws requiring ratings for games. Beyond that it's up to the parent to make sure that their kids don't play inappropriate games. A pre-teen playing GTA? Where'd they get the fifty bucks for the game? How come Mom and Dad aren't paying attention to what their kids are doing? Legislation is no substitute for good parenting.

Re:

[sqlrob]

Such laws would be unconstitutional, and have already been ruled a violation of due process for movies.

He'd better hurry

[Quila]

He's facing possible disbarment over the Bully incident where the publicly berated the judge in the case. I wonder if he'll still be able to practice law when GTA4 comes out.

Irony.

[Lethyos]

I did not know another Grand Theft Auto game was looming. Now I am curious and want to play it! Thanks you, Jack, for helping to generate publicity for these fine products! :)

What infuriates me the most about Jack...

[AbRASiON]

The main issue I have with him is not the fact that he doesn't like video games or violence, it's that he JUST PLAIN OUTRIGHT LIES - he does not get the facts, he does not get the scoops, he doesn't know things we don't know - he simply assumes!
"It's called bully, it must be bad!"

"It's GTAIV from Rockstar, it MUST be bad!"

None of us at all know a single damn thing about GTAIV - it's a mystery thus far and he's already started?
I wish this foolish, stupid little man would go away soon.

Oh no!!! A Jack Idea I kinda-sorta-agree with???

[BTWR]

Oh no!!! A Jack Idea I kinda-sorta-agree with???

First off, I think the guy is a raving jackass nutcase (this is NOT bias - see the Youtube video of him being yelled at by a judge for acting like a 5 year-old if you don't believe me), but he may actually be doing something that ONE THE SURFACE, I have no problem with.

This is the thing: I have *no problem* with denying elementary school kids the ability to buy GTA4. I don't think it should be censored at ALL, but I don't think that adults (and even teenage

Jack needs a new quarry

[Hannah E. Davis]

Forget GTA, someone needs to set this man on Furcadia. At first glance, the game appears geared toward children with its bright colourful graphics and friendly mascot... until you get into the adult area. "Age play" seems to be a common fetish around there, and many members advertise both an IC and OOC age of under 18. Sure, there's a content filter, but it can be circumvented by merely editing the plaintext settings file, and any child can install the game and play for free without his or her parent eve

Re:

[drinkypoo]

Most slashdotters would never dare hit a woman

That's because most slashdotters would probably get their asses kicked by that woman. First, they're dazzled because they have emerged from their mother's basement into the sunlight. Then they're dazzled because they're face to face with and actually touched a woman. That would be enough to send them into hyperventilation or a seizure or something right then and there.

Have I checked off enough slashbot stereotypes to yell BINGO! yet?

Re:

[soft_guy]

Jack Thompson is to video games what Fred Phelps is to religion.

Re:

[demon]

Actually, Liberty City Stories (at least on the PSP) uses a whole new engine, instead of RenderWare as was used for GTA3, Vice City and San Andreas; I think Vice City Stories uses an enhanced version of the LCS engine. Dunno if the materials were transferred back to RenderWare for the PS2 LCS, or if the new LCS engine was ported back to PS2.

Re:

[budgenator]

Does anyone know of a level editer for the doom2/PrBoom engine that runs in linux? I want to make a game mod where a naked woman, Eve, runs around a garden whacking snakes with an apple branch in the first level and finishes the game by fighting through pedophile priest to eventually vanquish a homosexual televangelist who has a taste for hookers while calling fagots "an abonmination before the Lord" in last level.