Game Critic Keith Vaz Supports PEGI Ratings, Says ELSPA Head
Game Critic Keith Vaz Supports PEGI Ratings, Says ELSPA Head
July 24, 2009
Labour MP Keith Vaz (left), a longstanding critic of the video game industry, is apparently lending his support to the use of PEGI as the UK's sole rating system.
At least, that's the word from ELSPA. A press release issued today by the UK game publishers group reports on a "quick meeting" between ELSPA boss Michael Rawlinson and Vaz:
London, United Kingdom – 24 July, 2009: ELSPA’s Director General, Michael Rawlinson, met with Keith Vaz MP this week. During the meeting the Home Affairs Select Committee Chairman made it clear he supports the single rating system being introduced for videogames and also commended the improvements to PEGI.
“We had a quick meeting with Mr Vaz and he made it apparent that he believes it is important to have a single, rather than a confusing dual, rating system in the UK,” said Michael Rawlinson. “Mr Vaz added that he was keen to see the changes being made to the PEGI system and acknowledged the UK games industry’s commitment to an advertising and education campaign around the new age symbols and content descriptors when they are introduced to further protect players.”
"Quick meeting" leaves a lot to the imagination: Hallway? Elevator? Men's room? We've asked ELSPA for clarification and whether we can expect any type of announcement in which Vaz states his position for himself.
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Posted 11/21/09 at 09:44pm
Flamespeak: I still think military personell, killing other military personell, on a military complex should be handled by military courts.
Flamespeak: I still think military personell, killing other military personell, on a military complex should be handled by military courts.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I could see this a mixture of the two charges rather than just one or the other.
Flamespeak: I could see this a mixture of the two charges rather than just one or the other.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:43pm
Flamespeak: I think this was mainly a person who snapped, but evidence is showing he definitely had strong inlinations to islamic-extremism.
Flamespeak: I think this was mainly a person who snapped, but evidence is showing he definitely had strong inlinations to islamic-extremism.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:41pm
Flamespeak: People are trying to claim that Hasan's actions were not terrorism. I don't jump on the 'terror train' like others, however
Flamespeak: People are trying to claim that Hasan's actions were not terrorism. I don't jump on the 'terror train' like others, however
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:38pm
mentor07825: Britain certainly does deserve it! And the French! God damn it, it was a hand ball!!!
mentor07825: Britain certainly does deserve it! And the French! God damn it, it was a hand ball!!!
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:34pm
ZippyDSMlee: mentor07825:Well Brittan dose deserve it....
ZippyDSMlee: mentor07825:Well Brittan dose deserve it....
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:33pm
ZippyDSMlee: Alyric:I don;t hasliburton having to pay back billoins... don;t you love it when the rich roll over the goverment without a care?
ZippyDSMlee: Alyric:I don;t hasliburton having to pay back billoins... don;t you love it when the rich roll over the goverment without a care?
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:32pm
mentor07825: I say we nuke the whales, for the benefit of both mankind and the environment.
mentor07825: I say we nuke the whales, for the benefit of both mankind and the environment.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:28pm
Austin_Lewis: I say we try Al Gore too. I always said he was in on the racket.
Austin_Lewis: I say we try Al Gore too. I always said he was in on the racket.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:16pm
Alyric: The leaked information proves these organizations knowingly defrauded governments (i.e., taxpayers) out of billions of dollars. Yet there will probably never be a trial.
Alyric: The leaked information proves these organizations knowingly defrauded governments (i.e., taxpayers) out of billions of dollars. Yet there will probably never be a trial.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:15pm
Flamespeak: working on other things makes me angry. I might have had a jet pack by now. :p
Flamespeak: working on other things makes me angry. I might have had a jet pack by now. :p
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:14pm
Flamespeak: Just thinking of all the time and manpower wasted to try and make things emit less CO2 emmision that could have been spent
Flamespeak: Just thinking of all the time and manpower wasted to try and make things emit less CO2 emmision that could have been spent
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:07pm
Alyric: @Zip: FYI, the construction of solar panels puts out more pollution than any form of energy production. To say nothing of the toxic components of the panels that cannot be recycled.
Alyric: @Zip: FYI, the construction of solar panels puts out more pollution than any form of energy production. To say nothing of the toxic components of the panels that cannot be recycled.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:04pm
ZippyDSMlee: I know I know not the point.
ZippyDSMlee: I know I know not the point.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:01pm
ZippyDSMlee: Mmmmmm box the panels in so you can see them from the side or below?
ZippyDSMlee: Mmmmmm box the panels in so you can see them from the side or below?
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:01pm
Flamespeak: and ways that aren't really hurting anything, then let them instead of forcing change on them.
Flamespeak: and ways that aren't really hurting anything, then let them instead of forcing change on them.
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:00pm
ZippyDSMlee: Ya make it a optional program, you get the 10% and no recoup on engery gained from the panels :P
ZippyDSMlee: Ya make it a optional program, you get the 10% and no recoup on engery gained from the panels :P
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:00pm
Flamespeak: I am not saying that using solar panels is a bad idea, but if a town's populace wanted to keep their old look
Flamespeak: I am not saying that using solar panels is a bad idea, but if a town's populace wanted to keep their old look
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:00pm
Flamespeak: might as well outlaw all muscle cars and make it so no parts could be made for them
Flamespeak: might as well outlaw all muscle cars and make it so no parts could be made for them
Posted 11/21/09 at 09:00pm
ZippyDSMlee: Meh balance it out raise the rates by 10% t so they can put panels out.
ZippyDSMlee: Meh balance it out raise the rates by 10% t so they can put panels out.
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Comments
do you know what else is confusing? changing the ratings system (thats been proven to work great for years) to something new that doesnt make a blind bit of difference apart from causing the probleme your trying to prevent.
the old ratings system worked great you changed it for the sake of changing it PEGI was just marking its territory with the change.
I don't understand why people praise the BBFC or are disappointed that we've got PEGI. I remember reading in PCG years ago the problems with the BBFC (The 'F' stands for film by the way - I've always presumed that it originated with interactive movies having relevant content, but they never had a clue about games themselves). I've read several articles in games industry magazines showing consistent support for PEGI, I can't recall any defense of the BBFC.
Also, I'd imagine "quick meeting" to be at least under half an hour.
Because the BBFC treat the content in films and games equally. In America Hot Coffee was seen as pornographic, the scenes in Basic Instinct weren't. PEGI think Mass Effect deserves an 18, BBFC believe a 12 is sufficient. The BBFC were quite open with the people they employ to rate the games and they were serious gamers, this wasn't some hack job.
The support that you have seen for PEGI comes from the industry itself, not from the consumers. PEGI is not publically accountable (unlike the BBFC was as evidenced from Manhunt 2), therefore the games companies have their say in the matter, no one else does.
>Because the BBFC treat the content in films and games equally.
Which is exactly why they banned Manhunt 2 and not Saw.
/b
Which was then overturned through the proper channels.
People seem to have trouble remembering that.
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It isn't that people have trouble remembering it. Everyone remembers it. But the fact that it was overturned is irrelevant. The point remains is that it happened in the first place.
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
The point remains that the ESRB also gave Manhunt 2 AO status, essentially banning it too, although it allowed a cut version at M rating. They did the same was San Andreas and guess what? There isn't an appeals process like there is within the UK.
Perhaps there would be an appeals process if the US government gets its wish to deputize the ESRB and give its ratings force of law. But we, unlike Jack, don't want to go down that road now do we? I mean appealing the ESRB? Come on. That is like "appealing" Pepsi to bring back Crystal Pepsi.
-Ultimately what will do in mankind is a person's fear of their own freedom-
Saw and Manhunt 2 aren't comparable. (I don't know if you use Saw as an example of an "extreme" film rather than the film's actual content). Saw isn't that violent or graphic (most of the gore is implied), Manhunt 2 in its orginal form was and the gore definitely wasn't implied. More comparable films would be Murder Set Pieces (banned by the BBFC) and Ichi the Killer (cut by the BBFC). Saw and add to that Hostel are not examples of extreme cinema.
The BBFC actually bans and forces more cuts to be made to films than it does to games (only two in its history).
Im sure there insnt anything wrong with pegi and their ratings system as such but they claim its to prevent confusion. despite the fact that all the people (responsible parents) who will bother learning it allready know about the old one. a new one will have to be learned all over again for no good reason.
Anyone with half a brain dose not need ratings, between box art and whats on the back you can tell if soemthing is bad or not for your kids.
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Conker's Bad Fur Day being a great example of that. Fluffy squirel in a forest, a nice adventure game for kids.
Then you play it and go "WHAT THE F*** IS THIS S***!?"
To be honest, I couldn't give a monkeys what his opinion is, it's nothing whatsoever to do with him.
Keith prob wants the VSC to ban more games or lots of 18 rated ones. He hates violent games.
PEGI will be a lot quicker to slap the harsher certificates on games, as evidenced by Mass Effect being given an 18 rating. The European influence will also be a factor, countries like Germany are a lot quicker to condemn games, while the BBFC was traditionally quite relaxed. Manhunt 2 was an unfortunate and isolated incident.
Check out my blog - http://serveratcapacity.blogspot.com
Indeed. I've spent many a year laughing at the glaring inconsistencies between the two. Anything BBFC rates, PEGI rates harsher.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
I'm guessing Vaz would be happy about that.
Well I could care too hoots about Vaz, he is just a opportunistic politician who will probably be voted out sooner or later.
Also condeming a game in Japan just because it was on Amazon.com and nowhere else, seems really desperate for a politician to do in order to scare parents.
Then trying to lable the Videogame Industry who do not really make games like that in the first place, (which is like trying to blame Hollywood movie industry for the Porno films that are run under a seperate organisation all together) and having a real hate against Videogames (does not surprize me is Vaz was also the one who put in that health poster about a boy playing videogames and saying it leads to an early death).
Yeah, Vaz is allot like Jack Thompson only worse because he is a politician, well at least most of you guys don't live in Australia, I have got Michael Atkinson doing the same thing in Australia and he is bullying all the Australian Adult Gamers who do want an 18+ rating for games.
I only hope that this does not lead the UK for banning 18 rated games though, because it would be just as worse as what goes on in Australia.
And for those who believe in protecting the children? Just wait until something YOU like becomes attacked and banned....