The principal reason to institute a R18+ rating for electronic games is so that adults can play games with adult content. Responsible support for such legislation presupposes that:
- adult gamers are responsible people;
- adult games are consistent with the values and standards already accepted by Australian society;
- adult games when played by their intended audience are unlikely to cause significant harm; and that
- the risk to children arising from adults possessing adult games is not greater than the risk of other materials such as alcohol, tobacco, lawnmowers and bleach.
To answer 1), it is sufficient to recognise that the median gaming age is now over 30. Adult gamers come from all walks of life, and feature many highly-educated professionals. In the US some 31% of gamers are women over 18, and Australia is seeing similar trends.
In response to 2), adult games are sophisticated products that use the same sort of scripting, imagery, technology and voice-acting found in film.
To address 3), neither Australia nor any other comparable country has had a history of significant game-related social problems. However, Australia
has had a history of social problems associated with competing entertainments such as gambling, alcoholism, and tobacco-consumption.
Finally, the contrary position at 4): that adults can manage bleach, cigarettes, alcohol and adult DVDs in the house but not electronic games is too ludicrous to warrant serious response.
On this matter, Australia is embarrassingly out of step with the developed world. It is time to correct that.
