Lawmakers zero in on Rockstar
Thanks to Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Florida lawmakers now believe they may now have enough to have penalties sharpened for retailers who sell or rent violent or sexually explicit computer games to minors.
A Haitian group is suing Rockstar’s owner, Take-Two Interactive Software, because Vice City tells players to “kill the Haitians” and awards points for each kill.
Another Rockstar favourite, Manhunt, is so bloody and violent that it’s been banned in New Zealand and the company’s Grand Theft Auto III is being blamed for inspiring two brutal murders in California.
However, legislative critics in Florida, “believe they may now have a better chance of gaining support after ire over Rockstar Game’s “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City,” in which players are urged to “kill the Haitians” and score points for rape and murder,” says a Reuters story here.
“We want to make sure that parents are educated and that retailers are aware that this game and others like it are not appropriate for children,” Florida state House sponsor Rep Sheri McInvale is quoted as saying.
The Florida House bill, and a similar Senate proposal, would require merchants to demand identification for any purchase or rental. Both proposals exempt Internet sales.
But retail associations are urging lawmakers to shelve their plans because, they say, the proposals ignore the Entertainment Software Rating Board system that already ranks video games based on content.
“Furthermore, the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association, an industry group including such retailers as Wal-Mart WMT.N and video chain Blockbuster Inc BBI.N VIAb.N , agreed to have procedures in place by next Christmas to stop the sale of mature and adult video games to minors,” says Reuters.
“We’re just saying we need to deal with video games in the same way we deal with pornography, alcohol and R-rated movies,” said McInvale.
