Codes of practice in videogames
The Video Standards Council (VSC) is a non-profit-making company limited by guarantee not having a share capital and was registered in England and Wales on the 11th July 1989. The VSC administers a registration scheme whereby members of the video entertainment and video games industries in the United Kingdom register as members and agree to abide by a Code of Practice.
The Code has been designed to promote high standards within the video entertainment and video games industries and otherwise to ensure that audiovisual content and video games are supplied to the public in a responsible manner.
The Code has been designed to promote high standards within the video entertainment and video games industries and otherwise to ensure that audiovisual content and video games are supplied to the public in a responsible manner.
Codes Of Practice Rules
- Members must at all times comply with all aspects of the law having particular regard to the provisions of the Video Recordings Act 1984.
- Members must at all times refrain from trading in illegal or counterfeit product.
- Members will have a duty when dealing with their customers to trade legally, honestly, decently and truthfully.
- Members will have a duty to take all reasonable action to ensure that age restricted films and other audiovisual products, DVDs and video games are not supplied or offered for supply either as physical products or online to persons under the specified ages.
- Members will to the best of their ability comply with the Code of Practice Guidelines.
Codes Of Practice GUIDELINES
Members must take all steps necessary to ensure that they or their staff do not supply video entertainment products or video games given an age-restricted age rating in accordance with the Video Recordings Act 1984 to people below the specified ages.
Members must exercise caution in the use of any materials, including posters and displays, of a violent, sexual or possibly offensive nature in their retail premises having particular regard to the likelihood of such materials being seen by young persons.
Members must exercise caution when playing or demonstrating video entertainment products or video games which have been legally age rated above 12 in retail premises or other public places to which persons under the age of 15 have access.
Members must exercise caution in the use of any materials, including posters and displays, of a violent, sexual or possibly offensive nature in their retail premises having particular regard to the likelihood of such materials being seen by young persons.
Members must exercise caution when playing or demonstrating video entertainment products or video games which have been legally age rated above 12 in retail premises or other public places to which persons under the age of 15 have access.
The Independant Game DEVELOPERS association
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is the largest non-profit membership organization in the world serving all individuals who create games. They bring developers together at key industry to improve their lives and their craft. Whether you're a student training to be a developer or a seasoned veteran. From indie developers to studio AAA their all welcome to the IGDA. The IGDA relies entirely on volunteer work from countless members. The IGDA empowers everyone with the means to positively affect their carrer and the industry
Pegi
The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games. It was launched in spring 2003 and replaced a number of national age rating systems with a single system now used throughout most of Europe.
The rating on a game confirms that it is suitable for players over a certain age. Accordingly, a PEGI 7 game is only suitable for those aged seven and above and an PEGI 18 game is only suitable for adults aged eighteen and above. The PEGI rating considers the age suitability of a game, not the level of difficulty.
The rating on a game confirms that it is suitable for players over a certain age. Accordingly, a PEGI 7 game is only suitable for those aged seven and above and an PEGI 18 game is only suitable for adults aged eighteen and above. The PEGI rating considers the age suitability of a game, not the level of difficulty.
Change of OwnerShip
In the games sector its quite regular for companies to change name or be bought out while a game in progress. For example the popular game The South Park Stick Of Truth was originally going to be published by THQ however was bought out by Ubisoft.
Games that have been censored
Games are sometimes censored in certain countries to make them seem less offensive to others and these are some examples.
- Call of Duty: World at War - The game had difficulties in passing censors in some countries before it could go on sale. The German version of game has removed the gore and gibbing on shoot and explosions, the swastikas are replaced with iron cross and the Hitler in the Berlin pictures is replaced with Luftwaffe officer.
- Resident Evil 4 - In Japan, all versions of Resident Evil 4 do not show decapitations or various other portrayals of gory death.
- Resident Evil 6 - Like Resident Evil 4, decapitations of enemies in game are not portrayed.
- Saints Row IV - The Australian version of the game has had a mission removed in which characters steal and use alien drugs in order to give them stronger physical abilities. Portraying the use of illegal substances as a way to gain rewards is not permitted according to Australia's classification guidelines.
- South Park: The Stick of Truth - The European version of this game has all references to anal probing removed. An abortion minigame was also cut.
The Consequences Of avoiding these Regulations
If your a game designer and completley ignore these regulation there will be consequences. The main consequence is that your games wont be allowed to sell in specific countries which will mean that your company will not make as much profit as it could. Also it could affect the younger audience because if a parent gave a 6yr old a 18 rated game it could greatly affect their behaviour later in life. For example their as been may occurrences where people that frequently play violent video games commit crimes such as robbing banks and murder.
Helpful Links
http://www.videostandards.org.uk/VSC/what.html
http://www.videostandards.org.uk/VSC/rules.html
http://www.videostandards.org.uk/VSC/guidelines.html
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/id/33/
https://www.igda.org/?page=about
http://www.videostandards.org.uk/VSC/rules.html
http://www.videostandards.org.uk/VSC/guidelines.html
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/id/33/
https://www.igda.org/?page=about