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Are there any stores that DO NOT sell M rated games to minors?
- Thread starter suaveric
- Start date
TheGreenGiant
Banned
dunno but the other day the bestbuy chick squeezed my cheeks when she handed over GTASA.
I never get asked for ID at any of my usual game stores, but recently at Toys R Us I was asked on two seperate occasions and followed by the "this game is rated M, it is intended for people 17 and older... would you like batteries (for the games I'm purchasing wtf?) with that" speech.
carbonbased
Member
Circuit City also has a prompt that comes up asking for valid ID when an 'M' rated game is scanned at the register.
Nova Scotia (Canada) passed a bylaw (starts Nov 16th) that made it mandatory for all stores selling game to follow the ESRB ratings. Mature is 17+ etc.
This is a cross Canada initiative (not mandatory) that has also been put in place:
http://www.esrb.org/about_updates.asp
Canadian Retailers and Video Gaming Industry Launch National Ratings Education and Enforcement Program (October 14th, 2004)
Canadian retailers and the computer and video game industry today announced the launch of a new countrywide "Commitment to Parents" initiative beginning this holiday season to help parents ensure the games they buy for their children are appropriate for their households.
Commitment to Parents is an industry-led voluntary initiative designed to limit the sale or rental of games to children that are meant for older teenagers and adults. It achieves this through a combination of educating consumers about the video game rating system and point-of-purchase controls.
Today's announcement was made by Retail Council of Canada (RCC), the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESA Canada) and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) at news conferences in Winnipeg, Halifax and Toronto. The program has been in operation in British Columbia since 2001.
Participating retailers have agreed not to sell or rent "M"- rated (Mature) games to customers under the age of 17, or games rated "AO" (Adults Only) to customers under the age of 18. These retailers are also displaying store signs which advise customers of their participation in the program and promote awareness and understanding of the ESRB rating system.
"This initiative is an extension of retailers' commitment to customer service," said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. "When parents enter a participating retail store they can feel confident that the retailer is working on their behalf to ensure the video games their children buy or rent are suitable for their age."
Commitment to Parents participating retailers to date include: Hudson's Bay Company retail outlets the Bay and Zellers, Best Buy, Blockbuster Canada, EB Games, Future Shop, RadioShack, Rogers Video, Toys 'R' Us, and Wal-Mart.
This is a cross Canada initiative (not mandatory) that has also been put in place:
http://www.esrb.org/about_updates.asp
Canadian Retailers and Video Gaming Industry Launch National Ratings Education and Enforcement Program (October 14th, 2004)
Canadian retailers and the computer and video game industry today announced the launch of a new countrywide "Commitment to Parents" initiative beginning this holiday season to help parents ensure the games they buy for their children are appropriate for their households.
Commitment to Parents is an industry-led voluntary initiative designed to limit the sale or rental of games to children that are meant for older teenagers and adults. It achieves this through a combination of educating consumers about the video game rating system and point-of-purchase controls.
Today's announcement was made by Retail Council of Canada (RCC), the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESA Canada) and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) at news conferences in Winnipeg, Halifax and Toronto. The program has been in operation in British Columbia since 2001.
Participating retailers have agreed not to sell or rent "M"- rated (Mature) games to customers under the age of 17, or games rated "AO" (Adults Only) to customers under the age of 18. These retailers are also displaying store signs which advise customers of their participation in the program and promote awareness and understanding of the ESRB rating system.
"This initiative is an extension of retailers' commitment to customer service," said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. "When parents enter a participating retail store they can feel confident that the retailer is working on their behalf to ensure the video games their children buy or rent are suitable for their age."
Commitment to Parents participating retailers to date include: Hudson's Bay Company retail outlets the Bay and Zellers, Best Buy, Blockbuster Canada, EB Games, Future Shop, RadioShack, Rogers Video, Toys 'R' Us, and Wal-Mart.
jecclr2003
Banned
Pretty much all the stores here in Canton, Oio check them. I've seen many kids denied the M rated games they wanted. Then the parent come in and are pissed at the kid for even trying to buy it in the first plce once they find ou what the M stands for.
Like all those 10yr old suburban boys who tricked their soccer moms into buying GTA: SA. Wait till they get the game in the system and are pounded with the F bomb and the N bomb. Happened to my dad with my little borther, he was grounded for 2 weeks.
Like all those 10yr old suburban boys who tricked their soccer moms into buying GTA: SA. Wait till they get the game in the system and are pounded with the F bomb and the N bomb. Happened to my dad with my little borther, he was grounded for 2 weeks.
TekunoRobby
Tag of Excellence
Preach it brother, I love going through the whole process and getting them hyped for it and just before I ring it up I pretend to remember to ask for their ID. I love doing it to all the little nuisances that hang out at the store because they have nothing better to do. I only did this with Vice City however.robojimbo said:
All the stores are supposed to do it. I know Toys R Us has those signs everywhere and they prompt you that the game is mature when you ring it up. The same with Target and Circuit City. Target actually makes you enter the birth date. Best Buy is supposed to ask too, I don't know if it prompts at the register though. It's not a law, but when the news crews send some underaged kid in to buy GTA and he is actually allowed to purchase it, it's some bad publicity for the store.
Randam_Hajile
Member
Agreed. I won't sell alot of M games to minors, and it's even more fun when they try to get their uninformed parents to buy them and I get to explain the content of the game to them.robojimbo said:
I guess he thought I was underage cuz I was with my mom *shrug*jecclr2003
Banned
Locki he's just doing the right thing. It's imperative for the parent to know what their children are trying to get past you.
In the thinking of most parents a video game is just a toy thats harmless. They don't grasp that there are "Mature" titles gears towards adults. I see it all the time, little Billy starts harassing his parents for the latest GTA, parent gets it, within 2 hours they are back in the store yelling at the clerk because he just did his job and sold her the game. Parents just aren't informed enough.
If the clerk makes it a point to inform them of what is in the game, alot of this can be avoided. Hell I'm 26 and still get carded every time I buy an M rated game. Just the stores policy, can't fault them. They've had one too many problems with parent blaming THEM for selling the game, rater the fact they have no control over their manipulative demon seeds.
In the thinking of most parents a video game is just a toy thats harmless. They don't grasp that there are "Mature" titles gears towards adults. I see it all the time, little Billy starts harassing his parents for the latest GTA, parent gets it, within 2 hours they are back in the store yelling at the clerk because he just did his job and sold her the game. Parents just aren't informed enough.
If the clerk makes it a point to inform them of what is in the game, alot of this can be avoided. Hell I'm 26 and still get carded every time I buy an M rated game. Just the stores policy, can't fault them. They've had one too many problems with parent blaming THEM for selling the game, rater the fact they have no control over their manipulative demon seeds.
Everytime I go into the gamespot by my house, if someone is buying an xbox game (and even if they look 12 years old) the store clerk asks them if they want to pre-order Halo 2.
But when I got into my local Target to buy an M rated game (and I don't look underage) they always ask me for ID.
But when I got into my local Target to buy an M rated game (and I don't look underage) they always ask me for ID.
Best Buy does have a prompt that comes up for M rated games, but they need to update their database more carefully. I've had a number of occasions come up where an M-rated game was rung up and an employee wasn't prompted, and even a few times where something like Spongebob Squarepants gets rung up and the cashier is prompted to ask for ID.
radioheadrule83
Banned
Retailers should be fined in cases that they do. A significant enough amount to deter them.
Maybe it'd stop developers passing off digital excrement, garnished with blood and / or cussing and angsty marketing campaigns. It's getting fucking boring.
Metal in Prince of Persia 2 and YET more female video game characters that look like sluts!? YAY!
Maybe it'd stop developers passing off digital excrement, garnished with blood and / or cussing and angsty marketing campaigns. It's getting fucking boring.
Metal in Prince of Persia 2 and YET more female video game characters that look like sluts!? YAY!
I worked at a K-Mart for a time, and M rated titles would automatically remind the cashier to card the customer when scanned. I usually abided by the age requirements, although not that much of such things went through my lines anyway. We also had to card for cans of spraypaint as well (due to potential use as an inhalant, I know).