Would you let your kid play M Rated games?

I can see why people don't want to let their kids play Mature games. However, many people are torn on this topic  because some people say "yeah my kid is smart enough" and some say "FUCK NO I HAVE TO CENSOR MY LITTLE BOYS LIFE FOREVER!". I'm wondering Giant Bomb's take on this.

Bad parents blame their problems on games. That is what I get out of these arguments. Then the media hops on the bandwagon because it brings in ratings, takes up a news slot, and what not. Also, when I said bad parents I also refer to bad parenting.

Edit: Therefore yes I would let my kid play a rated M game. Although not right off the bat, you have to move them progressively up the scale of ratings.

Eh...For Violence? Yeah sure, for Nudity...No no.

I'm of the opinion that it would be a little hypocritical if I said "no, you can't play M rated games". Games don't make bad kids, parents make bad kids.

Why is nudity worse than violence? I will never understand this...

I would in moderation.  I mean, it would obviously depend on how mature the kid was, but certain games would be off limits, at least until they got to the age of about 13.

Depends on the age of the kid. I wouldn't let an 8 year old play a game rated 18, but at the same time I wouldn't make the kid wait until they're 18 to play it.

It all depends on how the child is. One of my cousins takes a lot of things very literally and so I wouldn't let him but i've never had that problem, i've played 15 and 18 games since I was well below that age and it's never done me any harm, so it's one of those things you have to play by ear.

It depends on the child...on the game etc. It's always different from person to person, but I think parents who are gamers themselves will be fine with whatever decision they choose to make. I say this because most likely a gamer parent will have actually played the M-Rated game in question and would be able to properly judge whether it's ok for their child or not...

"Why is nudity worse than violence? I will never understand this..."

Let me get laid first. I tell you after :p

At a certain age, I would have a talk with them about what is in the content of the video games, and should not be interpreted as reality. If they are mature enough, I would let them play them. My parents weren't extremely bothered when I was playing GTA: SA when I was like 11 years old.

That would depend on the child. But generally, yes, of course. But I would not hesitate to limit his/her media consumption if I feel the need to.

Edit

Eh...For Violence? Yeah sure, for Nudity...No no.

Depends how old he is I guess...

"Depends how old he is I guess..."

"Absurd said:

"Depends how old he is I guess..."

No daughters for you?"

I will let them if they know it's not real, and they can't do this in real life. And for their first couple of years, I will watch them play and examine their behavior.

I would at a certain point, and only with certain games. Once they're 13-16 I wouldn't care as much. But it would probably be an easing process.

"Eh...For Violence? Yeah sure, for Nudity...No no."

I don't know. I mean. No one ever moderated what I watched or played. I mean. Ever.
The first movies I can recall watching were movies like Terminator 2 and some of Jean Claude Van Damme's stuff and movies with similar content that I guess isn't kid friendly.
But I watched them. And when I got into video games one of the first games I ever played was Mortal Kombat, again not kid friendly.
And I turned out okay! I mean, I think I did.

I mean I have my problems but I don't think sex and violence in the movies, games or TV is the cause of any of them.

It'd probably depend on the kids mother. I tend to be perhaps overly relaxed about this sorta thing.

I, unlike many parents (generally), would play the game to its end and determine the value and content of said game, before I let my kid play any game. Mature or otherwise.

"It all depends on how the child is. One of my cousins takes a lot of things very literally and so I wouldn't let him but i've never had that problem, i've played 15 and 18 games since I was well below that age and it's never done me any harm, so it's one of those things you have to play by ear."

It really depends on how mature your kids are.
I probably would wait until they were like at least 12 before giving them more freedom, but even then I would watch their reactions to the violence.

If I had kids and they ended up being good and mature at 15 or 16, sure... if my kid is an asshole, no way.

It depends on the kid, if he/she is mature enough to handle the subject matter then there is no problem. Otherwise its a no go.

As long as my kid's mature enough to know that you shouldn't be ripping people's heads off in real life, I'd be fine with it.

Yeah. as long as i give my kid the right education it won't matter

Therefore yes I would let my kid play a rated M game. Although not right off the bat, you have to move them progressively up the scale of ratings."

It depends on the maturity.
I beat GTA3 when i was 10. I was playing M games when i was a little kid and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

So the answer would be hell yes.

"It depends on the maturity.
I beat GTA3 when i was 10. I was playing M games when i was a little kid and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

So the answer would be hell yes."

Kids wont be playing games, too busy slaving over hot stoves and chopping firewood.
My kids wont be useless pussies.

"Absurd said:

"Depends how old he is I guess..."

No daughters for you?"

It depends for me, I played M rated games since I was 4 with mortal kombat on my genesis. I don't get into any kind of trouble at school, nor have I ever been in trouble with the law and I still get good grades. I would have to see how my kid is though, I understood that it was just a game and all that crap, I really couldn't care less what it was, violence, swearing, i wouldn't worry to much about nudity cause its not in to many games.

Of course, there are some quality games that are M rated, so if I knew my kid to be mature enough to handle the thrill of it, then why not?

I'd have to be bat-fucking crazy to make them wait until they turn 18. Maturity isn't age-specific.

It depends.
I mean, violence is alright. But some stuff like GTA, I wouldn't let gim try till he was, say, 12.

the first thing i would teach him is not to scream on XBL :P anyway i don't think it's really that big a deal. it's a GAME and kids know it

Well i think a lot of it depends on the game, and i also think parents need to keep up with what their kids are playing.  Anyway I think alot of it depends on the games content.  Take Halo versus Gears of War, Gears is much more bloody and mature themed than halo which feels a lot lighter.  Granite they both have their share of cursing which is a problem in both games, and you need to watch out for people online.  It really boils down to personall feelings toward what your child can handle.

It depends on the game honestly. I'm anti-censorship but there is a right time for everything.

"It depends on the child...on the game etc. It's always different from person to person, but I think parents who are gamers themselves will be fine with whatever decision they choose to make. I say this because most likely a gamer parent will have actually played the M-Rated game in question and would be able to properly judge whether it's ok for their child or not..."

It would depend on the age and maturity of my kid, and the individual game, but generalizing, no I wouldn't. Kids are all very impressionable. I wouldn't want my kid being influenced by something like GTA. But as I said, it would depend on the age and maturity from him/her. A mature 14 year old might be alright, but at the same time an immature 17 year old might not. I'd take each case on an individual basis.

It depends on the child.  I hope to raise my kid to have common sense and maturity.  If I think they won't be negatively influenced by an M rated game then I'll let them play.  If I think they'll try out some of the stuff they see, then I wouldn't let them play.

I think it's ok for people to play M rated games if they are 14 or older.

"I can see why people don't want to let their kids play Mature games. However, many people are torn on this topic  because some people say "yeah my kid is smart enough" and some say "FUCK NO I HAVE TO CENSOR MY LITTLE BOYS LIFE FOREVER!". I'm wondering Giant Bomb's take on this."

"Megalon said:

"Why is nudity worse than violence? I will never understand this..."

I'm guessing you're from Europe. In the US, violence is much more abundant than nudity in everyday advertising/television, etc. In Europe it's vice-versa."

I'm a bit young to have kids yet but if I did I'd base letting him/her playing it on their maturity and if I believed they could handle whatever was in the game

Depends on the maturity and age of my kid. I won't let them play M rated games until they are 12, no its ands or buts. If the they aren't mature enough by 12, I still wouldn't. I would never be a strict parent, but I think that with M games becoming more explicit these days by the time I'm old enough to have children they will probably be too mature for someone below 12 years old.

*ifs

This broken edit function is starting to really piss me off.

"whackmypinata said:

"Megalon said:

"Why is nudity worse than violence? I will never understand this..."

I'm guessing you're from Europe. In the US, violence is much more abundant than nudity in everyday advertising/television, etc. In Europe it's vice-versa."

Actually I'm from the US, I just really don't get it. Like, say my kid is going to imitate something they see in a game or movie. I would rather they imitate getting naked than killing or hurting somebody. We're ridiculously uptight about something that everybody experiences everyday, and it just seems damn silly."

"Megalon said:

"Why is nudity worse than violence? I will never understand this..."

I'm guessing you're from Europe. In the US, violence is much more abundant than nudity in everyday advertising/television, etc. In Europe it's vice-versa."