News Legally enforced ratings system for UK?

DO SOME RESEARCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I currently am employed by Gamestation in the UK.

There exists already a legal framework to prevent underage persons buying games which are classified, monitored by the BBFC.

If i sell an age-rated game to a minor i may face a custodial/fine/community sentence. As well as losing my job and having a criminal record.
The people responsible for minors obtaining age-rated products is the parents. We turn away many each day trying to buy 18 rated products with a combination of sex/violence/swearing and it is the ignorant minority who do not abide by these rules.

DO SOME RESEARCH

LAZY LAZY LAZY

 

But not all games are rated its a voluntary sytem.

READ THE THREAD!!!11111

 

Does this just stop you from selling games to underage kids, or stop them from actually playing?

If its the former, this entire thing is pretty null because most shops that sell "optionally enforced" games still demand ID (at least where i live), And then parents will just buy the games for the children, and nothing much changes

 

The positive effect of games having a mandatory run past the BBFC is that it would (potentially) move the "these horrible games are being sold to children" outrage away from the games industry and onto the moron parents who buy "Kill Everything: With Guns - XI" for their underage offspring.

Of course the BBFC's game rating methods would have to be improved, like actually playing the game say, instead of merely watching video of it being played.

 

Fair point, obviously they would need more staff (volunteers if I remember correctly) and how many people here would apply for that position just to play through potentially uncensored pre-release games? I for one would be glad to give up some of my "spare time" that would usually be wasted playing games... errr...

from the bbfc website:

Bring it on and watch for the employment adds

 

I agree in that if a rating is set that it should be illegal as a retailer to sell it to someone under that age without a legal guardians to pay for it.

 

Already been done in Canada... the ESRB is nessecary, and every game has a rating put on it before it goes for sale. Work fines to be honest...