Thursday, September 16, 2010

Soap box? Check.

Video games have been testing patience for years. Soon, they will face their biggest test yet: constitutionality. The Supreme Court will hear deliberations about a bill in California that restricts the sale of video games to minors. The bill chooses to ignore the fact that the video game industry self-regulates and has created the Entertainment Software Rating Board (http://www.esrb.org) to monitor exactly this subject.

The bill is vague as it defines terminology that will be critical to the determination of a game's rating, and equally vague about the enforcement strategy. Ultimately, the creator of the game will be responsible for branding their games. All game creators, however, will be reticent to declare their games Adult for fear of the stigma that this rating will attach to it's game. If the publisher chooses not to accurately define their game, and are found to be guilty this could result in huge liabilities for the publisher, the industry, and eventually, the consumer.

In addition to the possible concern for consumers, one must also consider the impact on government. The penalty under the bill is a 1000$ fine, but how will it be collected? Will the government create a new bureau to collect the revenues, and if so, will the revenues be exploited to shore up local, regional, and national government budgets? Also, this bill has far reaching implications for all forms of entertainment, and could be the impetuous for a strangle-hold on creative expression, that limits all forms of media.

I dislike this bill. I think it's stupid. I like my government like I like my women: vacant and incoherent. This bill should be scrapped, and the parents of the children purchasing games should be more actively involved in the process. The ESRB does a great job of regulation, and should continue to operate without government intervention.

For more information, go to videogamevoters.org.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

I miss split-screen action. Is there any sweeter memory than running up on some character in Goldeneye and karate chopping him into oblivion, and talking smack to your friend while you do so? Now, it seems that most games are hesitant to include a split screen multiplayer mode. Why is it I have an easier time playing COD with my brother in Afghanistan, than my sister who's in the same room? When they remake Goldeneye, I hope it will inspire the industry to put more split-screen, or full screen multiplayer options in their games.