British Columbia mulls video game restrictions

Regulations starting at 14 and older

In this story: Game industry displeased Passage not certain RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Richard Stenger
CNN

(CNN) -- A Canadian province has proposed what could become the first government-sponsored rating system in North America to regulate the sale of violent and adult video and personal computer games.

"We are making sure minors cannot buy or rent inappropriate video games," said Graeme Bowbrick, attorney general of British Columbia. "Such games will also be separated from general release games to prevent minors from viewing or playing them in stores."

Games rated "Teen" would be designated as suitable to those older than 14. Games classified as "Mature" or "Adult Only" will be available only to those 18 and older, Bowbrick said in a statement.

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According to the proposal, storeowners would display Mature video games on a separate shelf. Adult Only games would remain in rooms separate from other games, similar to Adult Only video films.

Adult Only and Mature video games deemed obscene or excessively violent under the same criteria as films would be banned for sale or rental in British Columbia, a province bordering the Pacific Ocean with about 4 million residents.

Game industry displeased

Industry representatives wasted no time attacking the proposed changes after the British Colombia attorney general announced them Friday.

"It makes no sense to have one province have a rating or age category different from all others," said Harvey Nightingale, director of the Canadian Interactive Digital Software Association. "It creates packaging issues and retail problems."

The measure resembles an independent rating system popular in Canada, but slightly raises age minimums for the categories. For example, a Mature-rated game in other provinces sanctions users as young as 17 -- a year younger than teens in British Columbia could play under the proposed restriction.

"If every state or provincial government changed any of the ratings to suit their political purposes, how would the manufacturing and retail communities be able to deal with it?" Nightingale asked.

Passage not certain

No legislation is needed, said Nightingale, whose an Ontario-based organization represents makers of video games and other interactive software.

"The government received one or two complaints and they were primarily about a PC (personal computer) game and not a video game," he said.

Other groups have welcomed the measure.

"Video-game violence hurts children and their families," said Jillian Skeet of the B.C. Coalition Opposed to Violent Entertainment. "I want government, business and the public to work together to protect them."

The regulations would take effect later this year, if British Columbia's lawmakers approve them. Such an action is hardly guaranteed. The province is preparing for an election, which could stall the legislation, according to political observers.

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Canadian Interactive Digital Software Association

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