OnTheAir420
01-25-2007, 02:56 AM
New York State Wants to Get in on Game Banning
by Nelson Rodriguez
Eager to jump on the wacky bandwagon, a New York state assemblywoman is proposing a law that would make it illegal to sell violent video games to anyone under the age of 30. Aurelia Greene represents the 77th Assembly District, which happens to be in, of all places, my childhood home - the Bronx.
Apparently Greene believes that only she and her allies can be trusted to make decisions about what content is safe to consume. She has taken a cue from Homer Simpson who famously said "everyone is stupid, except me."
A ban that raises the age limit to 30 should be good for a laugh, but it also speaks to the level of condescension one can find in some of our politicians. 29 year olds in Greene's district should be concerned about what their elected representatives think of their cognitive abilities.
Greene comes from a borough of New York that boasts the poorest congressional district, with appallingly high crime rates since before the days of the Atari 2600. A video game law may not do much to help the neighborhood. Has anyone spread the word that crack cocaine and murder are illegal?
I'm sorry Ms. Greene, but I don't think your district is a place for anyone to take cues from in terms of protecting our children or our delicate little minds.
*EDIT* Conflicting reports have come in, questioning the accuracy of the original source article. A law is being proposed, but the age limit appears to be 18 and not 30, and the law calls for a change in the way games are displayed in shops - restricting them from the view of people under 18. As new information appears, the story will be updated.*
http://www.planetxbox360.com/index.php/articledetails/show/1224
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Blitz: The League Banned in Australia
by Matt Gibbs
Our friends down under won't be playing Blitz: The League anytime soon, with their classification review authority banning the game over in-game drug use.
The Office of Film and Literature Classification refused to classify the game, which means it is unable to be sold legally there. They stated:
"In the course of the game, the player may access what are purported to be both legal and illegal performance-enhancing drugs for the members of the team. Choosing to use these drugs (by selecting from a menu) will have both negative and positive effects on team-members, for example, by improving their speed while making them more susceptible to injury. Each drug has different characteristics. Fake urine samples may also be acquired for avoiding positive drug tests. While the game-player can choose not to use the drugs, in the Board's majority view there is an incentive to use them. By using them judiciously, the player can improve the performance of the football team (while managing the negative effects) and have a better chance of winning games, thereby winning bets and climbing the league table."
The piece of legislation that the authority were dealing with states titles that "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults" must be refused classification.
Other games refused classification there include:
* BMX XXX
* Manhunt
* Grand Theft Auto III
* Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
* Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude
* Postal
* Postal 2
* Narc
http://www.planetxbox360.com/index.php/articledetails/show/1250
by Nelson Rodriguez
Eager to jump on the wacky bandwagon, a New York state assemblywoman is proposing a law that would make it illegal to sell violent video games to anyone under the age of 30. Aurelia Greene represents the 77th Assembly District, which happens to be in, of all places, my childhood home - the Bronx.
Apparently Greene believes that only she and her allies can be trusted to make decisions about what content is safe to consume. She has taken a cue from Homer Simpson who famously said "everyone is stupid, except me."
A ban that raises the age limit to 30 should be good for a laugh, but it also speaks to the level of condescension one can find in some of our politicians. 29 year olds in Greene's district should be concerned about what their elected representatives think of their cognitive abilities.
Greene comes from a borough of New York that boasts the poorest congressional district, with appallingly high crime rates since before the days of the Atari 2600. A video game law may not do much to help the neighborhood. Has anyone spread the word that crack cocaine and murder are illegal?
I'm sorry Ms. Greene, but I don't think your district is a place for anyone to take cues from in terms of protecting our children or our delicate little minds.
*EDIT* Conflicting reports have come in, questioning the accuracy of the original source article. A law is being proposed, but the age limit appears to be 18 and not 30, and the law calls for a change in the way games are displayed in shops - restricting them from the view of people under 18. As new information appears, the story will be updated.*
http://www.planetxbox360.com/index.php/articledetails/show/1224
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blitz: The League Banned in Australia
by Matt Gibbs
Our friends down under won't be playing Blitz: The League anytime soon, with their classification review authority banning the game over in-game drug use.
The Office of Film and Literature Classification refused to classify the game, which means it is unable to be sold legally there. They stated:
"In the course of the game, the player may access what are purported to be both legal and illegal performance-enhancing drugs for the members of the team. Choosing to use these drugs (by selecting from a menu) will have both negative and positive effects on team-members, for example, by improving their speed while making them more susceptible to injury. Each drug has different characteristics. Fake urine samples may also be acquired for avoiding positive drug tests. While the game-player can choose not to use the drugs, in the Board's majority view there is an incentive to use them. By using them judiciously, the player can improve the performance of the football team (while managing the negative effects) and have a better chance of winning games, thereby winning bets and climbing the league table."
The piece of legislation that the authority were dealing with states titles that "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults" must be refused classification.
Other games refused classification there include:
* BMX XXX
* Manhunt
* Grand Theft Auto III
* Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
* Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude
* Postal
* Postal 2
* Narc
http://www.planetxbox360.com/index.php/articledetails/show/1250