As the UK moves to adopt the PEGI system as a sole means for rating videogames, the Video Standards Council (VSC), which will enforce and assign actual ratings, has added additional personnel to its ranks.
One new addition to the VSC is an Expert Advisory Panel reports GamesIndustry.biz, which will feature media violence expert Guy Cumberbatch, author Geoffrey Robertson and Dr. Tanya Byron (pictured), author of the Byron Report.
VSC Chair Baroness Shephard commented:
The newly established VSC Expert Advisory Panel will play a key role. The VSC will have the ability to effectively 'ban' a videogame from supply in the UK if it infringes the limits set out in the law. Any such decision will not be taken lightly and will involve a number of legal, clinical and psychological issues.
A trio of board members was also added to the VSC, ex-Chief Constable Tony Lake, retired Director of the Family and Parenting Institute Mary MacLeod and Chris Atkinson of the National Socitey for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Comments
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
Chris Atkinson of the National Socitey for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
What the heck is doing this in that board? How about including some guy from Society against Obesity to fill another seat in this ridiculous board?
Hell, I think the Church also would like to have some guy aboard. People should know that chainsaw a poor Locust in Gears of War is also against god.
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Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
Welcome to last week.
It should be noted that Geoffrey Robertson represented Rockstar in the Manhunt 2 appeal (and others against the BBFC) and Cumberbatch gave supporting evidence to their case. Dr. Byron is notoriously pro-games.
Knowing the set up as it existed, I too was concerned about this power being transferred to an inexperienced body. However, the panel as selected means I can see very little prospect for any PEGI ratings to be over-ruled by the VSC in the future.
Not forgetting that no game has been effectively "banned" in the UK anyway. Gamers should be very pleased at this panel. I'd be more worried if the PEGI advisory board get nervy again about not being able to "do" anything about potentially troublesome games, as they were discussing 18 months ago but that's almost as slim of a prospect as of now.
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
"Not forgetting that no game has been effectively "banned" in the UK anyway."
Except for Carmageddon and the highly-publicised Manhunt 2.
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Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
I said *effectively* banned.
Carmageddon was overturned on appeal, as was the revised (i.e. 'M' rated version of Manhunt 2).
The original (ESRB 'AO' rated) version was never appealed, so technically it remains banned from sale at retail. However, the combined specifics of the VAC ruling overturning the decision and the workings of the Video Recordings Act mean that should Rockstar want to release the original version, they could probably do so. It would be very difficult for the BBFC (and even more so for the new body when it comes into force) to be able to justify rejecting it again.
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
PEGI rates the game, the VSC legally enforce it.
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
And can over-ride PEGI if they decide a game should be banned instead of released with the PEGI-age rating. In other words, the Manhunt 2 farce WILL happen again.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
So games with an 18 rating from PEGI can be banned because this panel sees the game as evil and unfit? That sucks.
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
Who pays them on this panel?
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
They are a non-profit organization that collects membership fees. Presumably not paying a membership fee = your product wont be rated by them = it wont be coming out in the UK.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
Im surprised MW2 came out over there in the UK. Not w/this panel in play either.
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
I'm not surprised that you're surprised.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
lol you're funny.
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: VSC Ramps Up for Future, Adds Dr. Byron to Panel
I would assume the goverment or whoever is funding the VSC.
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