| A common assumption today is that the majority | | | | second possible reason is that the parents know |
| of people who either buy or play computer | | | | that there are age guidelines, but through simple |
| games and video games are children or young | | | | child pester power, they give in. The age old |
| teenagers. In fact, well over sixty percent of all | | | | excuse that all the child's friends have it, and |
| those who do play or buy such video games are | | | | they've played it before many times, some |
| over the age of eighteen. It is largely the older | | | | parents imply give in for a quiet life. |
| brothers and sisters, or even parents of the | | | | A third possible reason is simply ignorance - that |
| children who are the majority of gamers. When | | | | parents don't realise just how much computer |
| you look at the type and range of video games | | | | graphical capabilities have developed in the last |
| and computer games on the market, there is a | | | | few years. Many parents may be thinking back to |
| large variety, some of which are suitable for | | | | the eighties when computer graphics were very |
| children and families, but many of which are not, | | | | pixelated and bland - no more than cartoons at |
| and in the case of video games which do feature | | | | best. They may well not realise that the graphical |
| more mature or adult content, this is clearly | | | | capabilities of a good video game and computer |
| displayed on the cover label. Shops and retailers | | | | system today means that the level of detail is |
| have a duty to ensure that games labelled for | | | | scarcely less that would be seen in a movie. |
| those only over the age of sixteen or eighteen | | | | Unless parents play an active role in looking |
| are not sold to underage children, with proofs of | | | | carefully at the labels on video games, and even |
| age required in the case of any uncertainty. In | | | | seeing the game itself, then this ignorance may |
| reality, this actually happens quite rarely - even | | | | well persist. |
| more rare than those retailers who check the | | | | Perhaps it is the responsibility of the video games |
| ages of people buying videos and movies that | | | | industry itself to increase the awareness of the |
| have similar age restrictions or advice labels on | | | | importance of age guidelines on computer games, |
| them. | | | | to help get the message across. If the eighty |
| In fact, over eighty three percent of all those | | | | three percent of parents who buy underage |
| adults who buy computer games or video games | | | | goods for their children stopped doing this, then |
| for children against the publisher's age | | | | the problem of children playing these games |
| recommendations are the parents themselves. | | | | would be seriously addressed. Clearly, since the |
| There are perhaps three main reasons why this | | | | majority of video gamers are adults, a change on |
| tends to be the case. The first reason is that | | | | the type of game available is not likely, or even |
| many parents don't even realise that computer | | | | appropriate, and so it is down to making sure that |
| games and video games have age limitations or | | | | inappropriate items don't fall into the wrong hands, |
| restrictions at all. Unless they have carefully | | | | as with anything such as alcohol, videos and car |
| looked at the covers and read the labels, there is | | | | keys. |
| no other way of them knowing or realising. The | | | | |