The European Union (known in some circles as The Nazi Party 2.0) has given the videogames industry two years in order to protect children better. Apparently, game companies are not doing enough to replace parents and teachers and now have to find a way to spy on children 24/7 to make sure their products are not being bought. That was sarcasm, that last sentence.

"Creators have to enjoy freedom of expression but at the same time it's an industry that impacts society," stated EU Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding, possibly while annexing the Sudetenland. EU Consumer Protection Commissioner Meglena Kuneva added, "When children go out to play today they enter the world of joysticks. We are not quite sure where they go and there is real anxiety from parents."

Kids still use joysticks, according to the EU.

The ELSPA has come out and said that it thinks the PEGI rating system is robust enough and would like it adopted more in the UK. The European Commission admitted that there is no strong evidence linking violence in videogames to the behavior of children, but wants a code of conduct for the games industry as a "precaution." 

The EU doesn't seem to have said what would happen if the industry doesn't protect children better, probably because it doesn't know. What I know, however, is that making the games industry assume obligation for the protection of children is silly. It should be the game store's job not to sell games to minors, the parent's job not to buy games for minors, and the games industry's job?

Make games.

That is where its responsibility begins and ends.

Legacy Comments (will be imported soon)

Excel-2011

Look on the bright side though: If the EU chapter of the games industry doesn't comply and is shut down entirely, at least you won't have to worry about delays anymore!

3r0t1c n3rd

I can already see the EU in 2 years, writing ANOTHER letter to the gaming industry. That'll teach em.

Cheeburga

Jim why can't you just be world leader?

Corak

Corak

Won't somebody please think of the children!!

Simon

Gamers demand that parents look after children better, why the game industry should have to do anything more that its already is pretty stupid as far as I am concerned.

FreedomToast

might as well start feeding them whike their at it

loki d20

So, with these new game consoles offering to baby sit my kids I'm actually saving money. $300 for the console, $50/year subscription to their online service, and that's it. Free babysitter in a box. Now I can go out whenever I want, as often as I want, and it's not going to cost me $10/hour each time I do it.

Volomon

Ignorancy makes the world go round apparently.

Churchhills Dog

sorry, but terms like "Freedom of expression and "Freedom of speech" CANNOT be followed by the word "BUT".

While I despise the right in the US (I'm a moderate), all one needs to do is look to Europe to see what happens when allowing unfettered left-wing politics to dominate.

Seems like common sense is in short supply on both sides of the big pond :(

king3vbo

People, in general, FUCKING SUCK. Especially the EU

Syn

Well at least I know in the future I won't have to raise my children, the government will do it for me.

...and they'll probably be serial killers

fyre

"When children go out to play today they enter the world of joysticks."

That's a great sentence.

VampireChrist

im just wondering what that picture was from... i know i've seen the video but i dont remember what its called. you got the nazi robot, then the american robot and then the japanese one... oh yeah

mistic

There was gonna be a show about video-games tonight on national television here in Belgium, made by the national TV-station and everything... but the only game you can see in the previews is Manhunt 2 for Wii, being played by one of the reporters...

Luckily I have to work nightshift, otherwise I'd be pissed as hell by the end of that show probably...

Its ridiculous though... the manhunt series to me feels like a statement, you know lets see how far we can go... but the 'outside world' has totally misunderstood it and now a few of those scaremongers are making everybody believe that every single gamer is a blood-thirsty-homicidal-maniac just waiting for that 'trigger' from that one game before going all high-school-shoot-out...

Darren Nakamura

Love the Sudetenland remark.

Dogen

I've seen the source movie for that pic, and it's really cool. Can't remember the name of the guy who did it, but it was a pretty sweet project by the looks of it.

MechaMonkey

In related news, a video game has given birth, and expects humans to raise its child.

Crumpet Lips

I don't understand how they will help look after children better. What will they do, lock the game every 5 minutes and make you put in your date of birth to confirm your age, then tell you its bad if you are a child, playing video games?

I don't understand what EU expects. Fucking morons.

Also, ^ Lol at MechaMonkey

Velt

Children, always the children...
dont these guys look at numbers? Is their job, and they dont do it.

dprime

Right, free expression only applies if you don't influence society.

Aaron Mxy Yost

Does this mean I can leave my 20 month old alone with a PS2 running while I go out drinking? Is can't wait for the US to catch up with Europe's advanced Nanny State technology!

brad drac

Some slight overreaction here, I think. This is just meaningless political posturing of a couple of worthless beurocrats hoping in vain to appear relevant and useful. The EU would never ratify any law like this. This is just an example of the fundamental weakness of democracy(namely, shit floats) rather than the flaws of die vaterland.

Holyetheline

Yes they should make games and parents should stfu and start taking care of their kids the good old fashion way.