Silkroad Online Forums

Some of you might remember almost a year ago when there was all that stuff about games and first amendment. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/08-1448.pdf


TL;DR: Video games are now protected by the first amendment and thus the law in California restricting the sale of games to minors is unconstitutional. Gamers win, don't **** with us law makers.

I still don't understand
"restricting the sale of games to minors is unconstitutional" did California ban minors from buying all games? Or can minors now buy 18+ games?

Isn't the first amendment freedom of speech? o.O

read about this in this newspaper. it's a good thing. I think people point their fingers too fast at entertainment products like games for complex problems like teenage violence. that's too simple and stupid.

XMoshe wrote:Isn't the first amendment freedom of speech? o.O

It is, which means video games fall under it, same as art, books, movies, etc...

Good for you guys! Now you can all finally buy all the games you want yourself!!

Oh happy days!!

It has very little to do with actually buying games and everything to do with protecting our basic rights which the government has been taking/trying to take way since 9/11.

Yep, now I wonder how long it will take them to understand trying to take away our internet rights is Unconstitutional..

expression, press, assembly, petition, religion

Where does video games fit into this? Expression? lol

Anyways I dont think 10 year olds should be able to play games like GTA etc, in the same way as not being able to watch R rated movies w/o parent. They should lower the age requirement for that stuffs though, a 13 year old obviously isnt going to be new to violence etc, and they are gonna play the game if they want anyways lols

UnbeatableDevil wrote:expression, press, assembly, petition, religion

Where does video games fit into this? Expression? lol

Anyways I dont think 10 year olds should be able to play games like GTA etc, in the same way as not being able to watch R rated movies w/o parent. They should lower the age requirement for that stuffs though, a 13 year old obviously isnt going to be new to violence etc, and they are gonna play the game if they want anyways lols

It falls under all of it; video games are a medium for game makers to express their ideas/beliefs to a larger crowd, much like movies, magazines, etc.

As far as the minors purchasing mature themed games, there is already a system in place for that: The ESRB rating system and in all honesty, it is enforced more than that of the MPAA. Most theaters don't normally card you when purchasing tickets to a R rated movie, go to purchase a game rated M and you need to show proof of age.

UnbeatableDevil wrote:expression, press, assembly, petition, religion

Where does video games fit into this? Expression? lol

Anyways I dont think 10 year olds should be able to play games like GTA etc, in the same way as not being able to watch R rated movies w/o parent. They should lower the age requirement for that stuffs though, a 13 year old obviously isnt going to be new to violence etc, and they are gonna play the game if they want anyways lols

It's up to their family to decide if they allow them to play the games.

Oh crap... Selling M-Rated games to minors?
Well, why is this a good thing?

[Orphen] wrote:It falls under all of it; video games are a medium for game makers to express their ideas/beliefs to a larger crowd, much like movies, magazines, etc.

Yeah but they arent restricting people from making video games, they are just lessensing the audience.

_Equal_ wrote:
It's up to their family to decide if they allow them to play the games.

Erm isnt that how it works out right now, the parents can let the kids play the video game by buying it for them? As opposed to kids buying it themselves.lols

*BlackFox wrote:Oh crap... Selling M-Rated games to minors?
Well, why is this a good thing?

At 16.. I couldn't buy any games I wanted.. I got them anyways. If someone wants a game, they will still get it anyways because their parents will buy it.

UnbeatableDevil wrote:

[Orphen] wrote:It falls under all of it; video games are a medium for game makers to express their ideas/beliefs to a larger crowd, much like movies, magazines, etc.

Yeah but they arent restricting people from making video games, they are just lessensing the audience.

It was never about restricting them, they were planning to force an "Adult Only" rating on games that are already rated "Mature." And most stores, primarily Wall-mart and Gamestop in California, don't stock/shelve any games with the AO rating, thus game developers wouldn't want to develop such games because they wouldn't sell nearly as much. So in this way, however indirect, they were very much restricting people from making the games.

[Orphen] wrote:So in this way, however indirect, they were very much restricting people from making the games.

If I was a developer I wouldn't want my game to be considered 'adult only' since it's bad publicity as well. Rockstar anyone?

Toshiharu wrote:

[Orphen] wrote:So in this way, however indirect, they were very much restricting people from making the games.

If I was a developer I wouldn't want my game to be considered 'adult only' since it's bad publicity as well. Rockstar anyone?

If I was a developer... sell, sell, sell.. Profit, profit, profit.

Mirosuke wrote:

Toshiharu wrote:

[Orphen] wrote:So in this way, however indirect, they were very much restricting people from making the games.

If I was a developer I wouldn't want my game to be considered 'adult only' since it's bad publicity as well. Rockstar anyone?

If I was a developer... sell, sell, sell.. Profit, profit, profit.

More like profit comes first with pre orders and all.

Toshiharu wrote:

[Orphen] wrote:So in this way, however indirect, they were very much restricting people from making the games.

If I was a developer I wouldn't want my game to be considered 'adult only' since it's bad publicity as well. Rockstar anyone?

There is no such thing as bad publicity, as long as they get your name right