Now this is quite a co-inky-dink if I do say so myself. I recently wrote a column about this very subject for another publication. The issue of parents allowing their young children to play age-restricted games is gaining momentum with every new controversial title that is released. Once upon a time game developers used to get it in the neck all the time because of the content of their games, but now, with various nanny organizations keeping the public informed of game content and age restrictions, the blame is being slowly shifted back to where it belongs in the first place – with the parents.
Rather than take an interest in what their children are playing, it seems that some parents would rather just ignore the age restrictions and buy Little Jimmy… let’s say… Grand Theft Auto – just to get him out of their hair. They’d probably have the audacity to blame the game designers when Little Jimmy develops criminal tendencies too. However, those days are numbered, as ever-increasing attention is being paid to how many parents heed these warnings and how many don’t.
The C&VG site posted a survey conducted by MyVouchers which indicates that 39% of parents in the UK do not heed the gaming age restrictions and allow their children to pretty much play whatever they want.
The games are age-restricted for a reason, parents. Please pay attention to it, or soon it's going to be YOU getting it in the neck, not the game developers.
