Comments on: Michael Atkinson personally responds to R18+ classification

By: Ferahtsu

Ferahtsu — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:24:53 +0000

This mans logic is about as broken as the logic driving the US war on drugs

By: kowbrainz

kowbrainz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:19:05 +0000

You’re not roleplaying in the book or movie, though. It may put you behind a character’s thoughts and actions but never directly in their shoes forcing you to become the character themselves. Books and movies never address you as the viewer as if you are the character.

By: Jordan Garski

Jordan Garski — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:01:54 +0000

If games are so much worse because they actually let you perform the action, how is that any different than reading a book and letting your own mind put together the horrible act as you see it or how is that any different than what an actor does in a movie?

By: kowbrainz

kowbrainz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:37:29 +0000

@Seph: he’s been over the idea of films against games regarding R18+ ratings before in that games are worse because they actually let you perform the actions yourself making people more likely to copy what they do in the game in real life. Pretty silly Jack Thompson logic but I wouldn’t call it hypocrisy.

By: Matty W

Matty W — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:06:38 +0000

Somebody mentioned this elsewhere: If we want to get anywhere on this issue, someone (I’m guessing the Gamers 4 Croydon guys would be a good start) needs to openly debate Atkinson about this. Until then, we all rage at his stupid circular arguments, and non-gamers just buy into the ridiculous idea that every game over MA15+ includes “depraved sex”.

Meanwhile, where ARE all those depraved sex games he continually mentions? I must be missing out on a release schedule somewhere

By: Seph

Seph — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:42:55 +0000

Having no adult-restricted classification for video games, while maintaining an adult-restricted rating system for all other forms of entertainment is just plain old hypocrisy.

Using the arguments he has presented, I say we either refuse classification on all current R18+ rated material, and pull it from shelves… or just give the damn games their rightful rating system to match other mediums.

Of course option A would never happen. Literally half the country would be up in arms over it, it would never get passed.

Option B is of course out of the question, for one reason and one reason alone… Mr Atkinson obviously DOES NOT PLAY GAMES.

Forgive me if I missed something, but since when does one man’s personal opinion take precedence over the residents of the country? I believe it’s called a Democracy, and not a Dictatorship, for a reason.

By: kowbrainz

kowbrainz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:24:51 +0000

Anything I say now would just be beating a dead horse, I just hope that the guy doesn’t have much longer until retirement.

By: James Pinnell

James Pinnell — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:02:24 +0000

There are just so many incorrect assumptions and strawman statements in that letter that I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin.