Ted Price Tells Gamers to Step Up
On November 2, 2010 the landscape of US gaming starts to change. It’s on that date that oral arguments for Schwarzenegger vs. Entertainment Merchants Association — the so-called “violent video game” case — begin. One influential member of the gaming industry is urging gamers to do more than just hope their free speech rights are retained — that man is Ted Price.
Ted Price, Insomniac Games Founder/CEO, spoke in a recent interview about many things; one of which was the upcoming case. Price had these words for those in the gaming community:
Gamers have got to take a stand and explain why games are such an important and vibrant art form, and why they deserve the same protection that every other entertainment medium has under the Constitution
Price asks gamers to step into a role that they may not have thought was theirs: that of educators. He added:
It’s our job to help educate our representatives, and let them know how we feel, and that we will not stand to have our rights trodden upon.
No matter what your personal feelings are on the National Rifle Association, you can’t argue with this: they are small group comparatively speaking, yet are extremely vocal. It sounds like it may be time for gamers to get vocal to protect what they hold dear.
[Source]
13 Responses to “Ted Price Tells Gamers to Step Up”
If I understand the issue correctly, isn’t this bill proposing criminalizing the sale of “very-violent” games to children? This really doesn’t censor videogames then. But then again I think in similar industries such as the movie industry there is no government-controlled rating system, and movie theaters voluntarily do not let underage viewers in to watch an R-rated flick without a parent or legal guardian. So I guess I am against this bill. It is up to the parents to ensure their children are playing age/maturity-appropriate games, NOT the government.
Apparantly Australia doesnt believe in letting even adults choose which games they can play. It will be a sad day if that kind of censoring started happening in the states.
I dont see why people always blame the gaming industry for violent children. Where are the parents and why don’t they stop buying there kids violent games if they don’t wasn’t them to play them.
I don’t understand why people are making such a big deal about this bill. I mean all it is doing is making it so minors have to have their parents present whenever they purchase videogames.
I know there are other things about the labeling and fines if breached, but is this really a big deal?
it’s bad news not just the gamer but the developer their not going to have the freedom to make games but follow set guides made by the government. then we will not see games like Killzone 3, Mortal Kombat, and the list so on and on.
When did they add all of that? Last time i read anything about this bill the main things were:
1. Parent or guardian have to be present if minor is buying a M rated game.
2. Rating labels have to be bigger (or something like that)
3. Stores can potentially be fined if they are caught selling M rated titles to minors.
I’m pretty sure 1 and 3 are already laws, so unless this bill is simply increasing the penalty for breaking them, there must be more to the bill than that.
For those who want to speak out on this subject the ECA has a petition that people can sign which will be used refute the other side looking to restrict purchases. You can sign it here, http://action.theeca.com/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1781.
Also the ECA is holding a rally the day of the court case, here’s the details, https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2722/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=20407. Hope some people can make it.
Brett Schenker
Online Advocacy Manager
Entertainment Consumers Association
Thanks for those details Brett. I think this is a pivotal moment for the gaming industry, and I am sure many appreciate you providing the avenues in which they can lend their support.
Been on this since day one. Signed the petition, told my friends and family members that game, and/or buy games. Heck, i spread the word in the games stores and game sections in department stores. Wish i could be there for the rally, but i live to far away and must be at work during the time it takes place. yes, must be at work, someone has to pay my bills and supply my gaming fix. you have my and my fam’s (family and friends) support. Kill the Bill, if we as gamers don’t stand up for ourselves, who the heck will.
bad parenting leads to bad children…certainly not video games.
I’m fine with any law that attempts to do the job parents are supposed to do in the first place. It shouldn’t hurt the gaming industry, instead it should be a slap in the face of all those parents who weren’t already doing their due diligence and watching what games their kids were playing.
People if someone has said it once we will all say it again. The only interesting thing is the parents that want to do something about it actually do something about it while parents who do not try anything at all ask the government to step in and fix all their problems. Its funny though, parents don’t mind walking in to movie threater and watch the movie and probably fall asleep while watching. But won’t take the time to play 15 mins of a game to see what’s it about. As we grow as a nation, we also grow lazier because of how much is out their. so PARENTS stop being AFRAID and start paying ATTENTION.