California's Leland Yee Warns Parents on Manhunt 2 Halloween Release

I actually agree with most of what Senator Yee has said.

Most importantly:

"It is imperative that parents avoid purchasing this game for their children and always review the video games their children are playing."

I can't agree more. If every parent was putting in the due diligence on their child's entertainment, there wouldn't be any need to restrict adults from purchasing entertainment aimed at adults.

Bad Dog

By that I meant the Nannies, not you fine GPers.

I'd respect a politician more if he said something like "Hey! Parents! Stop acting like dumbshits and do your job! Like parenting!" Perhaps more.... eloquently, but the message should be the same.

"Not surprisingly, this game is being released on Halloween. Halloween already presents many safety concerns for parents. With the release of Manhunt 2, parents will now face a new challenge from the purveyors of violence.”

What challenge? Being responsible? Monitoring what their children watch/play/listen to? Wow, with all the stuff parents do, it's terrible to heap this NEW AND NEVER BEFORE SEEN concern on them... (*sarcasm detector explodes*)

"It is imperative that parents avoid purchasing this game for their children"

Captain Obvious swoops into action! No-one ever suggested buying this game for kids.

"and always review the video games their children are playing."

True. They should be doing this without being told to by a politician in the first place, just as they should review the books/films/albums etc. that their children consume.

"Ultra-violent, interactive video games such as Manhunt 2 can have negative effects on our children."

Unproven and alarmist. Perhaps combined with other much higher risk factors such as childhood abuse, bullying, mental problems, etc. But if this is the case, then the poor kid has much bigger problems than playing a video game with pictures of make believe characters killing each other. The worst that would happen from a normal well adjusted kid playing a violent video game is exactly what would happen with a violent film, finding out about topics before they should "Daddy, what does "F*%$" mean?"

Some people just love to say "ultra violence", which probably appeals to the lowest common denominator, which is Yee's core audience.

I'm not sure where the problem is-Yee, or the simple brained uber-liberal buffoons who voted for him who may not be able to think on their own all that well anyway.

The fact the game is marketed and designed for Adults never seems to enter Yee's mind. The whole video games are just for kids mentality needs to stop. However, Yee is right -- Parents need to, I dunno, *pay attention* to what their kids are buying, and be *responsible*.

I don't see why he ignores every other violent rated M game on the market.

@retrogamer88

Or every R or NC-17 movie on the market, for that matter.

Posion the body, protect the mind? Nice.

Please, please, don’t make me think. Think for me oh great masters of the political world. This mentality of blame the video games is beyond tired. The industry continues to do what they can to make parents aware of what games are for kids and what games are for adults. Parents don’t want to take responsibility for their lack of involvement with their children. It’s pathetic it really is.

For those parents who are active in what their kids do I say; Thank you, thank you very much.

Hey, I will say one thing about Leland Yee. Not once in that statement did he imply that the game should be banned, or that criminal charges should be filed against someone who sells it to a minor.

Instead, all he did was notify parents that they should not allow their children to play/purchase this game and that they should always be reviewing the games their children are playing. He's one of the few that I think genuinely wants to ensure a good system for keeping children away from games they shouldn't be playing. Yes, he tried to pass some bad legislation, but I think he's learning that parents are a big part of the problem too.

ok, you know what? this is becoming so stupid. (the people saying "ZOMFG, its M rated, and for mature people. DONT SELL IT TO KIDS", not GP'rs)

its alreaddy all been said a hundred times over, so i'm just going to go ahead and ensure that when i have kids, i raise em properly, and keep them away from
a. things that will damage their development (like some M rated games, films, etc...)
b. people who dont know what M rated means.

dont they realize that all this coverage and attention they put on this one game is what makes it appealing to underage buyers?

Thank you, Mr. Yee, for trying to instill common sense to parents WITHOUT having a law do that for you.

You're still a jackass.

To parents out there, just say no. They may throw a tantrum, but saying no after that is called parenting. It's a fact of life. No is a GOOD word.

...duh?

And once again more free publicity, this time from a government offical.
Life is strange sometimes.

@E. Zachary Knight and Shoehorn O' Plenty

While I agree with you that Yee *does* have some misconceptions about the industry, and that he probably will still try to legislate it, you have to pick your battles.

I would just hate to see his inbox getting spammed by hundreds of profanity-laced e-mails from angry gamers when he's really not that bad. I just think it's better to deal with the guys that are way out in left-field first, such as "He who will not be named" and those that keep asking him to be on TV. Once you deal with the big threats and clean up the industry's enforcement issues a relative moderate (in this debate anyway) like Yee will be much easier to tackle.

I've noticed, for example, that ever since he was on the Starr Jones show he's dropped the "We need parental controls" line. I'm guessing that after the smack was laid down by the ESA lawyer he went and checked and saw that yes, they were there. That's why I would like to see people lay off a bit...he's someone who actually seems to *listen* to the gaming crowd. Profanity-laced tirades and insults will likely make him stop though...