Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto: Would you let your 6 year old play?

The_One_Who

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

I have a 9 year old and a 2 year old. I wouldn't let either of them play 18 rated games until they are at least 16, provided I deem them to be mature enough.

I see parents in Game shops, and the like, buying their 10/11/12 year old kids Call of Duty, GTA etc. and it really annoys me. The parent clearly has no experience of gaming, and I would bet doesn't have any knowledge of the game content, so I doubt would monitor little Johnnies gaming, preferring to let them get on with it in their bedroom. The "anything for a quiet life" type of parent.

Not all parents have no idea of what they are buying, and they may well think that it is fine for their child to play those games with supervision. You don't know what goes on once they leave the shop.

I'm not disputing that there are parents who will buy games with no understanding, but there are plenty who do know about gaming.

Flyonthewall wrote: »

I'm curious as to when the first time was that any of you played an 18 game and which game it was.

No idea, tbh. I remember the Terminator games, as well as the first two Resident Evil games. There were also the Splatterhouse games, at least I think that was what they were called; those horror(ish) games.

Someone also asked about films, and depending on what it was, I would let a child watch them. Terminator, yes; !!!!!!, no.

Flyonthewall

No

The_One_Who wrote: »

No idea, tbh. I remember the Terminator games, as well as the first two Resident Evil games. There were also the Splatterhouse games, at least I think that was what they were called; those horror(ish) games.

Someone also asked about films, and depending on what it was, I would let a child watch them. Terminator, yes; !!!!!!, no.

Ah, yeah. I know I had resident evil on the ps1 which I did play when I was a kid but only like 10 minutes of it lol. No idea of the age rating on them.

I wouldn't let a kid watch terminator...wouldn't suggest an adult watching it either though :P Seriously though, I think most kids are generally happier watching animated films and films aimed at their age. I suppose it's the same as what has been said with games; why let them watch films with adult content when there are plenty of childrens films.

Edit: Seems Resident Evil games were rated 15 so not quite as bad as 18. I don't remember them being too bad but then again I didn't play very far.

RichL74

No

I love it when these games come out and I'm in a games shop and little 7 year old johnny is in there with his nan cos he knows full well his parents won't buy it him and the store assistant says to nan 'you do know this is for an 18 year old' and nans like 'whaaaaat? Speak up I'm a bit deaf'

And then the sales assistant has to sell it to her.

If you got me working in one and you walked in with your smug little brat I would tell you where the door was and to get the chuff out of my shop.

RichL74

No

kirstycobie wrote: »

well tbh i cant see the problem, a computer game is not goin to make a 6 year old go out and actually shoot someone in real life, how many 6 year olds would have access to a real gun anyway???? not many in my opinion, and as for GTA with the sexual content, 5 year olds are gettin taught sex education in our school!! obviously i think that is wrong and they shouldnt be allowed to play that for that reason, but with the bad language all this will of been heard before in the school play ground, in freinds homes, on the tv, everywhere! you cant wrap your kids up in cotton wool in this day and age its just the way it has eveolved, hearin a swear word is not the end of the world, aslong as the kids arnt swearin in real life, pinchin cars and shotting people outside whats the problem? and if they are then something is wrong with the kid, not one in the right frame of mind would shoot someone especially a 6 year old. and surely a computer game can not make or encourage a kid to do this!

Pity they don't ditch the sex ed and teach English and grammar first of all as it looks like the pupils would benefit from it.

Flyonthewall

No

RichL74 wrote: »

I love it when these games come out and I'm in a games shop and little 7 year old johnny is in there with his nan cos he knows full well his parents won't buy it him and the store assistant says to nan 'you do know this is for an 18 year old' and nans like 'whaaaaat? Speak up I'm a bit deaf'

And then the sales assistant has to sell it to her.

If you got me working in one and you walked in with your smug little brat I would tell you where the door was and to get the chuff out of my shop.

The staff in my local game shops wouldn't say something like that. I'm not convinced they all know what a video game even is.

If it were me working I'd point out (to save keep yelling lol) all the suitable good games and encourage her to buy them instead. If she's looking to buy games and the kids a brat you've got an almost guaranteed sale. Looks good on you if you sell something, the customer is happy and likely to come back, the kid still gets good games, the parents are happy and no kid is playing anything he shouldn't be. They'd only go elsewhere if you kick them out and you lose business too.

Weird_Nev

No

RichL74 wrote: »

I love it when these games come out and I'm in a games shop and little 7 year old johnny is in there with his nan cos he knows full well his parents won't buy it him and the store assistant says to nan 'you do know this is for an 18 year old' and nans like 'whaaaaat? Speak up I'm a bit deaf'

And then the sales assistant has to sell it to her.

If you got me working in one and you walked in with your smug little brat I would tell you where the door was and to get the chuff out of my shop.

I worked in Virgin Megastore many moons ago, and if it was clear it was being bought for an underage person we had to refuse to sell it. Trading standards did operations like that - getting an adult to buy a game making it clear it was for the young child with them. It was something like £1000 fine for the staff member and £1000 for the store.

The first 18 rated game I played? Mortal Kombat possibly, on Megadrive? That caused a huge row at the time with it's graphic "fatalities". Looking back on them now, they're on a level with itchy and scratchy - total cartoon violence. The original GTA had little 18 Stickers physically stuck onto the box as an afterthought. I had it on PC, my dad thought it was hilarious. I was 18 at the time though.

Interestingly, Carmageddon was refused classifcation in 1997 (I've been replaying it recently in it's original format, and it's so tame it's untrue) and Manhunt 2 was refused calssification in 2007 I've never had any desire to play that series though.

There were the "Leisure suit larry" games, which were "adult" in tone. Bloody awful, but adult. ish.

Mista_C

Makes you wonder what rating these... http://www.retrocrush.com/archive/atari/ ...would have received had there been a rating systems for games back then.

carolan78

No

I've not read everyone's comments so apologies, as a mum of a almost 8 and almost 6 year old I wouldn't be allowing them to play this game or any other that isn't rated for their age group. Purely because they are in my eyes too young.

In a few years as they grow and mature things will obviously change and I'll reconsider my stance on the whole computer game thing then but ultimately I want my children to be children not mini adults before their time.

Scorpio33

No

Obviously games have a rating for a reason.

However, on another site they were talking about the bulger killers, and someone did a study into psycopaths, and the one common trait that most psychopaths had? Being exposed to high levels of pornography and/or violence at a young age. For that reason alone, I will not risk my child having access to any game with levels of violence or pornography - even if it is clear it is a game and a cartoon.

davehughes182

No

I wouldnt let a 6 year old play GTA and dont know anyone that would to be fair. I played the first GTA when it got released on PC and I was 12 (i think) at that stage but it was not graphic and had no sexual themes to it at all.