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FROMTHE THE EDITOR EDITOR FROM Use it i~ or lose it ;~ w W Valerie Valerie Cognevich Cognevich Editor Editor Wewant wanttotohear hear We from you about from you about anyofofthe theartiartiany cles in this issue cles in this issue or topics you'd or topics you'd liketotosee. see. like Phone: Phone: 504/488-7003 504/488-7003 Fax: Fax: 504/488-7083 504/488-7083 E-mail: E-mail: news@playmeter.com news@playmeter.com PLAY METER PLAY METER e mentioned the topic of parental advisory estickers mentioned the topic of parental advisory briefly in the ASI wrap-up coverage stickers briefly in the ASI wrap-up coverage last month, but I want to devote my editorial last month, but I want to devote my editorial to it this time for reasons that will be obvito it this time for reasons that will be obvious. There have been some horrendous ous. There have been some horrendous tragedies that were all the more devastating tragedies that were all the more devastating because they involved children-some prebecause they involved children-some preThemost mostrecent recenthappened happenedininJonesJonesteens. teens. The boro, Ark., where an 11- and 13-year-old boro, Ark., where an 11- and 13-year-old went on a shooting rampage against their felwent on a shooting rampage against their fellow students. Four young girls and a teacher low students. Four young girls and a teacher were murdered and several othwere murdered and several others were injured. ersBefore were injured. that incident, another Before that incident, another teenager murdered his mother teenager murdered his mother and then calmly drove her car to and then calmly drove her car to school where he continued the school where he continued the carnage. It's almost too hard to carnage. It's almost too hard to comprehend when young chilcomprehend when young children resorttotomurder. murder.Children Children dren resort should be safe in school, their should be safe in school, their biggest challenge learning to biggest challenge learning to multiply by eight, not how to surmultiply by eight, not how to survive a barrage of gunfire. As hard vive a barrage of gunfire. As hard as it is to believe such events as it is to believe such events could be thought out by children, could be thought out by children, it's even more chilling when we it's even more chilling when we grapple with reasons why. It's not grapple with reasons why. It's not in our realm of reason and realiin our realm of reason and reality to lay the blame squarely on ty to layWe themust blame squarely on young shoulders. find culpability young shoulders. We must find culpability somewhere else. somewhere else. And herein lies a challenge for the coin-op And herein lies a challenge for the coin-op industry. In a recent issue of Time magazine, industry. In a recent issue of Time magazine, the Jonesboro disaster was the cover story the Jonesboro disaster was the cover story complete with interviews with the children's complete with interviews with the children's parents and an assortment of "experts." The parents and an assortment of "experts." The cover featured a photo of a very young Ancover featured a photo of a very young Andrew Golden, the 11-year-old, dressed in drew Golden, the 11-year-old, dressed in miniature army fatigues and holding a rifle. miniature army fatigues and holding a rifle. The image was of a boy barely out of toddlerThe image was of a boy barely out of toddlerhood that any parent would burst with pride hood that any parent would burst with pride calltheir theirown. own.Who Whoknew knewthen thenthat thatthe the totocall boy in the photo would become a haunting boy in the photo would become a haunting figure as experts rallied to discover what figure as experts rallied to discover what snapped in his mind just five years later? snapped in his mind five years later? But among the just images burned into the But among the images burned into the readers' minds were two video game screens readers' minds were two video game screens up with characters programmed to kill or litlitup with characters programmed to kill or maim featured in the main story. The article maim featured in the main story. The article clearly associates violence in youngsters clearly associates violence in youngsters with what they watch on TV and play on TV with what they watch on TV and play on TV screens. screens. 1212 As if that exposure was not bad enough, if that wasarticle not bad enough, anAsApril 1 exposure USA Today titled "More an April 1 USA Today article titled "More Ammo for Video Game Critics" heaped Ammo for Video Game Critics" heaped more blame on the images kids see on video more blame on the images kids see on video screens. It quoted Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an screens. It quoted Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an outspoken critic of violent games, as taking a outspoken critic of violent games, as taking a cautious stance in the Jonesboro tragedy. But cautious stance in the Jonesboro tragedy. But in the past he has been quite forthright in his inopinion the pastabout he hasvideo beengames' quite forthright in his impact. He was opinion about video games' impact. He was quoted in an earlier interview, "It seems logquoted in kids an earlier interview, seemsgames logwho play violent"Itvideo ical that ical that kids who play violent video games and get rewarded for all sorts of violence at and get rewarded for all sorts of violence at a young age have a probability of growing aup young have a probability of growing to beage more violent." be more violent." up to It spells trouble for the coin machine inIt spells trouble for the coin machine industry. The aftermath of any tragedy falls in dustry. The aftermath of any tragedy falls in many directions. When kids are involved, many directions. When kids are involved, our industry is a major target. But as an inour industry is a major target. But as an industry we have a rare opportunity to show dustry we have a rare opportunity to show legislators that we are just as concerned legislators that we are just as concerned about what youngsters are playing. This inabout what youngsters are playing. This industry serves children, and no industry is dustry serves children, and no industry is more concerned about the effect of their more concerned about youth. the effect of their products on America's However, alproducts on America's youth. However, although manufacturers tell you that some of though manufacturers tell you that some of their games are not designed for pre-teens, their games are not designed for pre-teens, in reality there's been little done to make in reality there's been little done to make sure they aren't playing them. sureAs they aren't playing them. an industry, we're fooling ourselves if As an industry, we're fooling ourselves if we think it's up to parents alone to monitor we think it's up to parents alone to monitor what their kids play in game rooms. Parents what their kids play in game rooms. Parents simply aren't game players for the most part simply aren't game players for the most part and wouldn't know Mortal Kombat from and wouldn't know Mortal Kombat from Tetris as far as what goes on. Those parents Tetris as farthink as what goes on. Those parents who stillthink ofPac-Man Pac-Manasasthe theultimate ultimate who still of video game would be shocked at the realisgame would be shocked at the realisvideo tic action taking place. That's where the tic action taking place. That's where the parental advisory stickers (or ultimately the parental advisory stickers ultimately the message designed into (or games' artwork) message designed into games' artwork) come in. At least give the moms and dads a come in. At least give the moms and dads a chance to see which games are strictly off chance to see which games are strictly off limits for younger players. Some may not be limits for younger players. Some may not be concerned about their offspring beheading a concerned about their offspring beheading a few bad guys, but give a break to those who few bad guys, but give a break to those who feel it's their duty to care. feel it's their duty to care. We certainly don't want legislative action We certainly don't want legislative action dictating rules for us. We may think that dictating rules for us. We may think that posting a red, yellow, or green sticker is a posting a red, yellow, or green sticker is a pain in the neck. What will we think when pain in the neck. What will we think when we're posting signs that say "no one under we're posting signs that say "no one under 18 allowed in this game room?" Makes you 18 allowed in this game room?" Makes you shudder to think of it, doesn't it? A shudder to think of it, doesn't it? JUNE1998 1998 JUNE