2. Timeline
1976: ‘Deathrace’ encouraged players to run over
gremlins
1983: ‘Cluster’s Revenge’ player required to avoid arrows
and rape a Native American woman tied to a cactus
1993: ‘Mortal Kombat’ caused a media storm
2004: ‘Manhunt’ was wrongly implicated in the murder
of Stefan Pakeerah
2007: ‘Manhunt 2’ is rejected by BBFC for constantly
encouraging visceral killing with little distancing.
2011: ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’ is biggest video
game of all time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xjCdN_rWCE
3. BBFC: Video Game Classification
Others include:
‘Harvester’ was first game to be cut by BBFC
‘The Punisher’ had changes made to minimise effects
of brutal and sadistic interrogations
4. BBFC: Video Game Classification
These controversial games resulted in tabloid
newspapers calling for all games to come under the
VRA
Following this, the industry set up a voluntary rating
system administered by the Video Standards Council
Today, the pan-European PEGI system is in place
Now games that do no require a mandatory BBFC
rating receive the voluntary PEGI one instead
5. How The Games Are Classified
Games submitted then tested by specialists in the IT
department
The titles of the games are examined
The actual game is played for up to five hours
Once finished playing, the team discuss any issues
that have arisen
The decision is then made in line with the BBFC’s
guidelines
6. The Byron Report
Recognise the popularity of games in young people and
children but are concerned over potentially inappropriate
material e.g. Violence
See a generational divide amongst parents and their
children
Propose that there should be a national strategy for child
Internet safety which involves better self-regulation and
provision of information and education for children and
families
Propose a reformation of the classification system for
video games stating that gaming providers should raise
awareness of what is in games
7. Parents Want Independent Regulation
Parents concerned about content of video games
Parents think video games may affect behaviour of
some children
Parents think video games should be regulated by an
independent regulator
Parents think video game ratings should reflect the
concerns of UK parents
Parents think it would help them if video games used
same ratings as films and DVD’s
8. Games Classification-For or Against
For Against
There are examples of young people’s Shouldn’t we just leave the decision for
behaviour being affected by playing video parents to choose what they want to buy
games. Shouldn’t we prevent that from for their child rather than have a national
happening? decision forced upon them?
75% of parents want video games to be The extreme cases in which the young
classified so shouldn’t we respect their person has taken the game far too
concerns? seriously and killed someone have not
been proven enough. No strong evidence.
The cost of regulating the way the Byron
report wants will be costly for the BBFC
Other factors contribute too, such as
watching violence on T.V. (WWE etc.)