Yesterday evening I found myself basking in the glory of yet another unsubstantiated claim against the damage that video games do. Mass Effect was the most recent victim of such press. For those of you who are at a lost to what I'm talking about then please refer to the news story here.

Now I am probably going to walk down a path here that many of you will have trodden before. This post isn't about the individual instance mentioned above, it is instead about the general situation the games industry finds itself in.

Currently the games industry is going through the same growing pains that film and rock and roll both went through. With the crux of the matter being that in that 40-50 year period society is still incapable of dealing with the issues that arise. Games are being looked down upon by a section of society that are completely uninformed about the industry. In fact I would hesitate to say 'uninformed', they a more than likely just completely ignorant. The truth of the matter is that the games industry is the largest growing section of entertainment in the world. Just like any other entertainment media there is different genres for different people. Film and literature share the same genres of horror, romance, mystery and the ever so taboo erotic genre. Games have the same subcategories and are branching out into more engaging ones like romance as the industry expands.

To people in the industry we see nothing but a positive expansion of the most engaging and enjoyable media available. To the majority of people on the outside though, well it is an embodiment of everything that is wrong with the world. These people are the bane of my existence, not just for games but for any subject in which people try to air their view when they don't know the subject matter. Simply put, if you do not have an understanding of something, then before you comment, please do your research. You don't even have to 'research' in a traditional sense. We have this great device known as the internet, a plethora of information at your fingertips.
Ah, now this is a problem, in that very statement I have hit upon one of the key issues surrounding peoples ignorance of any subject be it gaming or gardening. There is a section of society, well it's not really a section but more of an abundance of people. These people are commonly in there early 30's and upwards, people to whom having such a vast array of technical gadgetry around them scares them to death. This generation missed out on the mainstream sensation that the information super highway has become. Sure they may have latched onto it in their mid 20's but nothing like those of us who have grown up with it. Now I know there are quite a few of you out there who fit this age range but by the very nature of you reading this blog, evening visiting Destructoid you are not the problem. You didn't grow up with the internet in your face, you weren't familiar with the ability to access anything at anytime with a click of a button. The difference is though that you chose to become aware and take advantage of what was available. The problem is the people who run their mouths about a subject but choose not to be informed. These people want everything spoon fed to them and do not want to make the choice for themselves.

Now how does all that relate to gaming? Well it is these very people that the games industry is having to defend itself against. In recent times there have been countless outcries against video games from politicians to religious groups. These people should not be allowed to comment on the industry and it's sickening that we have to even address them. They hold discussions and round tables debating how game X is destroying little Jimmy's life and must be banned. The arguments they spout? Look at the violence! Look at the sexual content! We must have the ability to keep this from our children! They do not even address the fact that this is a self regulated industry that has standards and guidelines in place. The very things that these people want in place so they don't have to think are staring them right in the face. There is a rating system, there are ways for parents to stop their kids from accessing certain content, there are ways to monitor what your kids are playing. Yet, these people refuse to utilize the very tools that they are screaming and shouting about. Let's not forget that good old fashioned failsafe of actual parenting. You know, where you take an active part in your child's development and influences. If you don't have the time to be a parent to your child then don't have one, it's a privilege not a right. At the very least, if your worried that playing games will have a negative impact on your child, then don't treat the game console as a Nanny.

To be fair, technology can be complicated to understand at times but it is never put into the public arena without instructions and manuals. You wouldn't expect to purchase a wardrobe from Ikea and have the way it is constructed become instantly obvious so why should you expect the same from a games console? Every instruction on how to use a device is written in clear and concise manuals, if you choose not to utilize this then don't expect to know everything about how it work's. It is then with this ignorance firmly in their hands that they moan and complain, resulting in something like the aforementioned news story at the start.

This is an unstable time for video games, if there is even just one successful ignorant imbecile who gets to a large enough crowd then it's game over. Jack Thompson my friend you are a prime example of the very thing we need to fear the most. It happened to the movie industry, elicit material is hidden away on top shelves, sections of 'unacceptable' material hidden in corners. Why? because incompetent people who could not think for themselves decided to enforce their stupidity on everyone else. Luckily for the time being in retail outlets around the world games are left to their own devices. We don't have a section for 'taboo' game types, everything is on an equal footing because currently we put faith in people being able to use their common sense.

It is the problem with the mass media that games are becoming stereotype and there are just going to be more of those idiots becoming common place. Let us make a stand against against having to smear everyone with the same brush, let us show we are able to be the maturest industry of all by allowing people to choose for themselves. Make the people think, make them become aware of the very things that we take for granted because 'we know games'. Point out the rating system, show them the manual or just point them in the right direction for them to fine enlightenment on the subject. I strongly believe that the best place for this to happen is on the store floor. To all of you who run the 9-5 shift at EB, Gamestop or any other outlet I urge you to echo this sentiment. You are after all the people on the front line and I know that for $10 an hour you shouldn't have to deal with such stupidity but you have the ability to change the everyday persons perception. Then there is the games media itself, put yourself out there as an authority on the industry. There is a substantial amount of work to be done for the general media to accept that games are here to stay and aren't just for the 12 year old in his basement anymore. That responsibility fall's firmly on the shoulders of sites like Destructoid, IGN, Kotaku etc To game publishers and developers just keep on allowing the creative juices to flow so we can expand this entertainment medium and let it reach it's potential.

Let us get a hold of this problem before it has a chance to completely ruin the industry. I for one don't want to end up in a situation where I can't buy a game because an ignorant board of oblivious people said I couldn't. To all the detractors out there, I beg you to engage your brain before you open your mouth. If you choose not to then please have your foot ready to shove firmly down your throat.


Lazlow out.

edit: whoa that was long!