12 Months to Adulthood

Wow. No, not World of Warcraft, just wow! It is not until recently have realized how crazy and opinionated people can be. Yes, I am guilty too, but some people take it to an new level.

I recently became enraged reading responses to an article on ABC.com about reviews for recently released Manhunt 2. Responses included opinions from National Advocates for the Mentally Ill (at least that's what I think NAMI stands for), video gamers, and bible thumpers. The report from ABC and the initial review of the game by Common Sense Media immediately became a debate over the evil empire Rockstar Games and governmental child rearing.

The game was originally rated as AO (adults only.) This would have been fine but from a marketing standpoint you loose the appeal of the younger crowd. By younger crowd I am referring the highly sought out males age 18-35. So the material was edited to fall into the mature rating for audiences, ages 17+.

The fact remains that "The average game player is 33 years old and has been playing games for 12 years" according to the Entertainment Software Association

So what's the big deal? well by going with a rating of M, Rockstar games is able to house it's game on a number of larger retail chains such as Circuit City and Wal-Mart where it otherwise could not have with a AO rating.

This is a non debate in my opinion. (I do see the irony of me blogging about it) Parents are responsible for this game falling into the hands of their children, and have a right to feel uncomfortable if their child wants this game for his 17th birthday. According to law they should only feel this way for 12 months because that is when their child is old enough to buy tobacco, vote, and join the army, just not buy alcohol. That could cause them to go into a psychotic depression when mixed with this game.