Letters to the Editor
November 20, 2008 11:59 PM
Re: ‘We owe it to Brandon to do more,’ Liberal editorial, Nov. 13.
There’s another side to the tragic Brandon Crisp story opposing the editorial you ran in Thursday’s paper. The media is all too quick to point the finger at Brandon’s supposed “video game addiction”.
While it’s agreed that gaming is not a lifestyle of many senior citizens, an Entertainment Software Association study reports the average gamer is 33, much older than students such as Brandon Crisp, who this newspaper believes is in danger.
It’s not merely an escape for a younger generation, but an engaging form of entertainment in an increasingly interactive world.
You asked in your editorial, “Does the gaming industry have some responsibility? There are warning labels and age restrictions when it comes to purchasing alcohol and tobacco.”
Do your homework. There are warning labels and industry wide policies that restrict the sale of Mature-rated games.
The game Brandon Crisp was allegedly addicted to, ‘Call of Duty 4,’ was not even geared toward players of his age. Brandon was 15, and the game was rated by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board for audiences over 17, he is not the game’s target demographic.
The game industry happens to be the foremost self-regulating industry of the popular entertainment mediums. A 2005 Federal Trade Commission study found only 35 per cent of people under 17 could purchase these games, while 81 per cent of minors were sold a restricted movie. And we’ve come a long way in three years; I’ve witnessed plenty of 16-year-olds ahead of me in line have their identification checked and be rejected for the sale of a 17+ game.
Parents are given plenty of information about what games are acceptable for their children. There are websites such as whattheyplay.com created just for parents. There are descriptors of everything in each game, from sex to violence and everything in between, on the back of every game box. The game industry is the only entertainment industry that displays its ratings prominently on the front of the box: you’ll have to hunt the back of a movie to find its rating.
Brandon left home because of a dispute with his parents. It could have been an argument over any number of things, such as junk food consumption or poor marks in school.
Unfortunately, this newspaper is focusing on demonizing video games. It has failed to recognize the game industry does an admirable job of informing parents what to expect in games.
Ross Arbour
Age 17
Richmond Hill