June 25, 2007
Watchdog group the National Institute on Media & the Family has issued a statement concerning the Adults Only rating which, it was revealed last week, the ESRB has assigned to Rockstar's Manhunt 2.Over the years, NIMF president Dr. David Walsh has been a frequent critic of video game violence and, not surprisingly, has had a rocky relationship with the ESRB. In recent months, however, things seem to have improved between the two organizations, especially following ESRB president Patricia Vance's participation in the National Summit on Video Games, Youth & Public Policy held by NIMF last October.
From the NIMF statement:
Take-Two’s decision to temporarily suspend distribution of Manhunt 2 is a victory for parents and children.
Because of the their thoughtful decision to give Manhunt 2 its strongest rating, “Adults-Only,” the ESRB has sent a strong message to Take-Two and other game makers that they no longer can push the envelope on gratuitous violence in video games. The ESRB showed real leadership in assigning this rating and further evidence it is making significant progress in keeping extremely violent and graphic materials out of children’s hands...
The uniqueness of Nintendo’s Wii gives game raters a new challenge when it comes to first-player shooter games...
Comments
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/26/ny-times-r-rated-movies-gorier-than-ao...
I'm a parent and I wanted to play Manhunt 2. No, I wasn't going to play it in front of my kid...(sheesh)
I think that my brain melted reading this. I swear, what planet are these people living on, cause it sure isn't Earth.
oy...why must they repeat the destructive cycle... books bad,radio bad,film(silent pictures) bad,books bad(dime novels),film(50-7s),TV,comics,TV,FILM,video games....good god when dose it end.....
And -I- don't see this as a "victory for Parents and Children".
I see this as succumbing to dictator wannabes.
I see this as misinformation.
I see this as giving me less trust in the ESRB simply because I feel it has been manipulated by agenda seekers, massacre chasers, and liars and deceivers.
I am a Parent who makes informed decisions, not because someone else dictated to me what is or is not appropriate for me or my child, but because I actually do the research and don't limit myself to just a few opinions on one side or the other.
The ESRB is a minor tool in my overall examination of what I deem to be appropriate or not for my child. And no amount of bragging or glory seeking is going to make me trust NIMF, the PTC, John Bruce "Jack" Thompson, or any other glory hound bragging git is going to encourage me to accept their opinions as the sole source of my resource or the ones to make my decisions for me.
I'm sorry Dr. Walsh, but while I respect you overall by leaps and bounds over John Bruce, I don't agree with your opinion.
Is Manhunt 2 (or any other particular video game) inappropriate for children? My answer is simply this:
It's not my job to decide what is or is not appropriate for other people's children. I'd be happy to review it and give my opinion to others as to its content, playability, etc. But decide for them whether it is appropriate or not for THEIR child or decide whether they are "good" Parents or "bad" Parents because they decide to let their child play a particular games such as Manhunt 2? Nope. Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be the intelligent thing to do. No more intelligent than making such decisions for other people as to what books, TV shows, movies, music, religious beliefs, or anything else are appropriate or inappropriate for THEIR children. I may not feel their choices are appropriate for MY child. But that doesn't necessarily make my choices better or worse than theirs.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Manhunt 2 isn't a First Person Shooter.
T? Wow. PEGI said it's 7+.
So Manhunt 2 will feature razor-sharp rainbows impaling kittens which had just beheaded numerous ponies.
Fixed.
In other news, I'm looking for a mildly sizeable island where I can start my libertarian utopia.
Actually the simpsons hit and run is rated T for teen.
Pardon me chap, if it would be okay with you I would very much like to borrow your vehicle. I saw some ne'redo-do-wells loitering down at the Cluckin' Chicken.
By all means. You should report those hooligans to the proper authorities straight away.
Thank you very much kind sir. I shall now drive your vehicle at a safe and leisurely pace to the police department, thus obeying all vehicular laws.
....yeah that would be a fun game.
The Simpsons: Hit & Run.
I think you're giving them too much credit there. They don't need a reason to start talking about GTA, or to stay on-message for two consecutive sentences. And didn't you know? Saw is a children's movie. I watched it on the same DVD player that was used to play last year's Narnia movie. And they both come on identic-looking shiny discs! Duh.
Were that the case they wouldn't have gone on to mention the hopes that Grand Theft Auto 4 should be family friendly. GTA is an adults game and should remain as such. As much as Saw isn't a children's movie.
"Dr." David Walsh
I wish more people had enough time to complain about the practices NIMF uses.
Anyway, a complaint was filed against the NIMF a little while ago. Check it out here:
http://www.d3dgames.com/bbb.html
If a game is made that has content deemed inappropriate for anyone over the age of 17 (an adult), it won't be licensed on their systems.
This is a failure in the policies of these companies, not of the ESRB.
It is the dated policy's of the console manufactures that need revision, not those of the ESRB, or game developers.
The NIMF claiming this as a victory because they are petty (and not shy about it) and wish to appear as if they, as an organization, have done something they told the soccer moms they would.
Yes, you are absolutely right. I also didn't take any time to paragraph edit. I usually go back over my writings, but I am at work and had an important matter to attend to. Thanks for understanding what I wrote in spite of my deficiencies. I hope that NIMF looks past that also.
You should add "It's against the 14th Amendment to go after just one form of media." after "Why such a biased view towards games and not all media?"
Great paragraph, but please, do learn to grammar. >_>
There is no excuse for mixing up "their" and "there."
Message to game makers? The whole point of the ratings are to attempt to inform consumers of what they're purchasing, not slap game makers on the wrist. Their role isn't to be a pitchfork mob like you.
"As gaming technology continues to change, we hope to continue to work with the ESRB to ensure that future games have appropriate content and context for children."
No. Video games aren't solely for children, and shouldn't be stripped down to babysit your brats for you.
To whom it may concern,
"I am somewhat confused by NIMF's position regarding Manhunt 2 as well as future releases such as Grand Theft Auto 4. In your statement you stated that games should be family friendly. Why such a biased view towards games and not all media? Do you also believe there should be no R rated movies? And what about romance novels should those be banned as well? And as an adult gamer should I not be allowed to have games to meet my adult tastes?
Your response on this matter would be appreciated.
Signed, An adult gamer"
Make no mistake... NIMF is NOT pro-family or pro-parenting.. they are for having a subset of 'parents' who crave power decide how other people should raise their kids.
free country to play what I want to play. These groups are idiots that have
nothing better to do than claim victory over a video game. If these groups
care so much about society then why dont they use all this time that they
spend trying to mess over Manhunt 2 and use the time to help out on way
more serious issues. Yea, I like really see these groups as real caring groups because they spend time trying to mess with our free rights rather
than going and saving peoples lives at the moments of messing with Manhunt 2.
I remember reading about the moral outrage over movies like Ralph Bakshi's Fritz the Cat. The perception at the time was something like, "Oh horrors! How DARE he make an X-Rated cartoon! Cartoons are meant for children!" Never mind the fact that a few decades earlier that there was no disitinction. The preception that cartoons were children's entertainment was fostered in large part by the financial success of Walt Disney and Hanna-Barbera, although when Warner Bros., Max Fleischer and Tex Avery made their cartoons, they weren't necessarily made with kids in mind.
Still, that Bakshi made an X-Rated cartoon - and would continue to push the envelope with films like Heavy Traffic, Coonskin and Wizards - earned him a reptuation of a "bad boy" and regarded by the industry almost as a pariah (an attitude not unlike the one given to Rockstar now).
It wasn't until the late '80s/early '90s with the popularity of Anime and the success of shows like The Simpsons and South Park that that attitude began to change. Now most people agree that not all cartoons have to be for kids. Family Guy and the shows on Adult Swim get made and hardly anyone of note complains. Okay the PTC is upset about Family Guy, but that kind of goes without saying. Still, there isn't as much resistance to the idea as there was before. That having been said, however, a PG-13 or R rated cartoon has yet to do well at the box office (remember Titan A.E.? Or Atlantis: The Lost Empire?)
I wonder if the same thing will happen eventually with video games? And that once a truly successful AO title gets released or given another decade or so the public's attitude towards video games as children's entertainment will shift as well? One can hope.
I get that from all the politicians i write to also. but i feel i that voting and complaining about problems give me all the right in the world to gripe and complain when things go wrong. Until i can run for office i don't think my voice is really going to accomplish much, except make a couple individuals i know in person think twice about issues. meh one day they will learn, when something they want protected is attacked for being deemed inapropriate for children, then i will weep for their rights, while laughing at the irony. :'( :D
I get that from all the politicians i write to also. but i feel i that voting and complaining about problems give me all the right in the world to gripe and complain when things go wrong. Until i can run for office i don't think my voice is really going to accomplish much, except make a couple individuals i know in person think twice about issues. meh one day they will learn, when something they want protected is attacked for being deemed inapropriate for children, then i will weep for their rights, while laughing at the irony. :'( :D
What is this? Grade school?
How childish.
What the hell is this? Grade school?
How childish.
well you have a nice blanket responce form to look forward to if you get a reply at all.
Honestly after following politics for a while i totally understand why there's war in the world.
I have grown up in a conservative home. One that listens to christian and public radio. One that donates to those stations and organizations such as NIMF. Unfortunately I feel that a change is needed in the attitude that NIMF seems to take regarding media entertainment, such as movies and video games. Your statement is giving that message that it is good for things to be banned altogether, or forced into obscurity based on a rating. And that parents and children "Win" when this happens. Sadly you and a large portion of the most vocal advacates of anti-violent/explicit material, have not gotten past the stereotype that video games are just for kids. You would rather video game companies doen't make games that get an Adult only rating at all. Where as i would encourage making them. When you can't make games AO because of a financial responsibility to a company, the most likely action will be what? it won't be making all games kid friendly, on the contrary, it will make games just under the limit available as rated M for mature. This makes it even easier for children to get on there own, while simultaniously making it harder for parents to make a disctinction between games their children are mature enough to play and those that are unapropriate. The problem isn't the games, it is retailers not enforcing the set procedure and preventing children from purchasing Mature games on there own, and at the same time refusing to allow Adult oriented games to be made available to adults only. There would be many ways to do that, i cannot go into the details at this time, but would like for NIMF to look into those options and support a more responsible attitude, instead of getting on the ban- wagon. When people lose choice it isn't a victory for anyone, especially the children who have to grow into a world with less freedom than the generation before.