Gamertell

Adults Only-rated games have been despised by major retailers and console manufacturers. But there is a very distant possibility of console manufacturers giving the green signal to AO-rated games if they see any merit in the argument that AO-rated games are a form of free speech. Adam Thierer, director of The Progress & Freedom Foundation and a proponent of free speech, has addressed the possibility of AO games appearing on consoles on his blog.

Thierer feels that AO games should be accommodated into the mainstream but disagrees with a suggestion that the AO rating be scrapped and the Mature (M) rating replace it. He believes that the better way of making AO games more accessible to adult gamers would be to woo console manufacturers to allow them instead of shuffling the ratings, as that could invite the wrath of anti-game activists and lawmakers.

Another interesting point that he makes is that voluntary boycott of AO-rated games by console makers and retailers has prevented a “full-on legislative assault on video games.”

I don’t totally agree with him on this part, being a free speech zealot per se. I believe that AO games should be made available on consoles and sold at major retailers, and there is no need to fear legislative action. The industry can successfully defend itself against any legislative action on the grounds of free speech and argue that it is being targeted invidiously – if porn movies are fine then the same should apply to AO rated games.

He said that AO games should be made available on consoles as they have parental lock features.Thierer is of the view that Sony might be the first of the three console manufacturers to allow AO games on its consoles.

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