California bill see' s M rated games " harmful matter to children."

Gamespot has reported the following:

After 10 months in committee and dozens of revisions, the game-regulating California Assembly Bill 1793 has finally become law. Sponsored by Assemblyman Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), the bill, in its original form, would have classified M-rated games under Section 313 of the California criminal statutes as " harmful matter to children."

Under its auspices, anyone caught selling M-rated games to minors could have been punished with a $2,000 fine and received a year in jail. It would have also required game retailers to separate M-rated games and display them where minors could not see them, much like the adult film section of video-rental stores.

However, the bill signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger--who is himself the star of several games, including the recent Terminator 3: Redemption--this afternoon bears little resemblance to Yee' s original. Under the new law, " video game retailers will be required to post signs spelling out the availability of a video game rating system and brochures explaining the system." Pressure from various groups--including the game industry--led to numerous revisions of the bill, which led to the removal of much of its regulatory teeth.

It' s funny how the bill has been changed so much from its original form. Though the beginnings of it did look stupidly strict I do agree with the final bill. Ratings are put on games to show its contents and suitability for children. You wouldn' t want your kid of 8 playing GTA now would you? If educating parents about ratings stops M rated games landing in the hands of another ‘video game killer’ that can only be a good thing, right?

This doesn' t stop everyone under 17 playing M rated games however. A parent could buy a game for that 13 year old if they thought the game suitable. Less law abiding kids could even pay an adult to buy a game for them.

Do you think this bill will effect the selling of games in any other states? Could this become law in other countries too perhaps?

You know...there will always be kids playing mature games, because there will always be a big brother (or friend) who lets his little brother (or younger friend) play his mature games.

So, the law is about as useful as t*ts on a two-by-four...

All the law does is make sure that game sellers are held accountable for mature game sales to minors.

Whoopidy Doo!!!

If parents did their job, then kids wouldn' t get access to these games...at least until they are ' of age' .

Videogaming is the contemporary interactive pasttime.

Of course " M" -rated content is unsuitable for children. Are we surprised here? It' s essentially the same thing as an " R" -rating for movies.

And just as a side note, the best parent on the planet would not be capable of shielding their child from that kind of content in this media-oriented society. Not unless they chained them in a closet until they were 18.

Between what happens at school, friend' s houses, and which channel they just happen to flip to at any given time, this is an impossibility. Furthermore, with the horrendous state of family values in this country, I' d say we have long since failed as parents as a whole. We' ve proven we can' t do it...sad as that is, it means that a higher power might have to pass some sensible laws.

Kikizo Staff Writer