Home Gaming This lawmaker wants to ban all violent arcade games

This lawmaker wants to ban all violent arcade games

2 min read
27

Judgement time

I want you to picture the following scene: It’s a Friday night, you’re young, wild and stuck in a dorpie that makes the classic film Escape from Absalom look like a tourist brochure. Naturally, your only salvation is that arcade game for The Punisher outside the Greek corner cafe, waiting for your 50 cent coins. Now imagine if that arcade saviour of yours had been banned straight into video game hell.

That’s the bleak future facing some New Jersey residents if Assemblywoman Linda Stender gets her way again. Fresh off a successful smackdown on iconic light-gun games that were removed from public areas in the state of Massachusetts, Stender is now trying her hand at killing some fun and misplacing blame by banning violent arcade games from public places altogether. Here’s the official statement from her office:

Assemblywoman Linda Stender will introduce legislation that prohibits any kind of public accommodation—movie theaters, rest stops, bowling alleys, arcades—from making games rated Mature or Adults Only available to the public for play.

As Kotaku quite correctly pointed out, there happens to be around zero arcade games in those areas that happen to carry a mature or adults only age restriction on them. That’s partly thanks to the ESRB not rating such games, but also due to the fact that the popularity of those cabinets is on a declining trend.

Stender though, isn’t backing down and is proposing a fine of $10 000 for first offenders, and $20 000 for each time afterwards. Because finding an arcade cabinet running Soldier of Fortune: Payback, is more common than you would think.

The main point here is that Stender is effectively targeting an industry that is only really active in less than a dozen locations. She’s also remarkably out of touch with the industry, how it has changed over the years and a little thing known as common sense.

Stender is essentially trying to piggyback on the momentum that a new state task force recommendation that adults accompany children when they purchase more adult-themed games. Having consent from a guardian at that age is a good idea, I’ll admit and agree with that. Due to the fact that retailers have been doing just that for years now.

But jumping on the “Vidjeo garmez are turning our kids into killers you gaiz” bandwagon? C’mon, there’s no way that your constituency is going to fall for that. And before I get a submarine thrown at me, I’m genuinely not writing a stupid Americans article here. It’s a stupid American politician piece that I’m writing.

And believe you me, we’ve got more than our fair share of idiotic tax cash wasting, alcohol-banning morons on this side of the globe.

Last Updated: April 15, 2013

27 Comments

  1. That’s where you’re mistaken – her constituency will fall for it.

    Reply

  2. Admiral Chief Erwin

    April 15, 2013 at 11:21

    HUH?
    WHAT SAUCERY IS THIS???

    O_O

    Reply

    • Rincethis: Spellalicious

      April 15, 2013 at 11:27

      damn you, now I’m MOAR hungry!

      Reply

    • Rincethis: Spellalicious

      April 15, 2013 at 11:27

      damn you, now I’m MOAR hungry!

      Reply

  3. Admiral Chief Erwin

    April 15, 2013 at 11:22

    NOOOOO DUCK HUUUUUUUUUUNT!!!!

    Reply

  4. Admiral Chief Erwin

    April 15, 2013 at 11:25

    this duck hunt?

    Reply

    • Wtf101

      April 15, 2013 at 11:40

      Damn you Erwin! Some sensitive souls (like me) need to sleep tonight! Ah well, good thing there is Splatterhouse to calm my nerves…

      Reply

    • Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

      April 15, 2013 at 12:03

      I lol’d. Then I lol’d some more…. Then I took a breath and ROFL’d

      Reply

  5. Yolanda Green

    April 15, 2013 at 11:26

    Everybody wants a piece of the “video game violence pie”, especially if it will “help” their political career. No matter how ridiculous their actions, as long as the words “games” and “violence” are involved.

    Reply

  6. Yolanda Green

    April 15, 2013 at 11:26

    Everybody wants a piece of the “video game violence pie”, especially if it will “help” their political career. No matter how ridiculous their actions, as long as the words “games” and “violence” are involved.

    Reply

  7. Rincethis: Spellalicious

    April 15, 2013 at 11:29

    Oh gods, not another moronic politician! I wonder what she must be like at home. Probably thinks knitting is fun…

    Reply

  8. Rincethis: Spellalicious

    April 15, 2013 at 11:29

    Oh gods, not another moronic politician! I wonder what she must be like at home. Probably thinks knitting is fun…

    Reply

    • Wtf101

      April 15, 2013 at 11:34

      Are you mad????!!!!!! Knitting involves sharp pointy things! It will lead to Violence!

      Reply

      • Rincethis: Spellalicious

        April 15, 2013 at 11:41

        The safest needles, are Invisible Otter Safety needles…

        Reply

  9. Wtf101

    April 15, 2013 at 11:30

    Tell Linda Mileena says hi!

    Reply

  10. Wtf101

    April 15, 2013 at 11:30

    Tell Linda Mileena says hi!

    Reply

  11. Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

    April 15, 2013 at 11:36

    Le Sigh

    Reply

    • Rincethis: Spellalicious

      April 15, 2013 at 11:48

      Bo ya!

      Reply

      • FoxOneZA - The Chosen One

        April 15, 2013 at 12:29

        Le Booo ya..

        Reply

  12. Lord Chaos

    April 15, 2013 at 12:27

    Shouldn’t someone over there just point to the constitution and politely tell these politicians to stick it where the sun don’t shine?

    Reply

  13. matthurstrsa

    April 15, 2013 at 13:35

    You are mistaken, all politicians are stupid.

    Reply

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