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Let's talk about the way M-rated games are marketed at children
- Thread starter a Master Ninja
- Start date
AdmiralSnackbar
Member
The Halo stuff was weird because they sort of trying to tie it in to Halo Wars, which was only T.
I don't even know if the audience is really for kids anyway since all kids now that Mega Blocks are just plastic lies.
I don't even know if the audience is really for kids anyway since all kids now that Mega Blocks are just plastic lies.
distantmantra
Member
Man, that Queen Facehugger is pretty sweet.
I had a ton of the Aliens toys. The way it was marketed made it seem like we'd get a cartoon series, but it never happened.
neogaffer1
Banned
COD isn't as bloody. In GoW you chainsaw people in half.
Warm Machine
Member
It started off as Halo Wars, yes. They just put the full Halo branding on it a few years later. Don't shit on Mega Bloks. Lego isn't making Halo nor would they want to due to their stance on violent properties. The sets themselves are of a decent quality. The MegaBloks Halo figures are as articulated as a 1980s G.I. Joe figure so they are pretty amazing.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
They had to install the chainsaw in order to cut through their skin if I'm not mistaken. The locust weren't being taken down too easily. Even if there is a reason behind the method. The idea that you're showing a 9 or 10 year old a body being mutilated is wrong. It's not like they just disappear . Even with CoD, the bodies drop, you're aiming for a persons head with a digital version of a real weapon. Even when I was younger those guns never looked that authentic. You can see grass from the reflection of your weapon. You're waiting for a digital person to move in order to shoot them. I think there should be an age limit because the graphics are becoming better and better.
Next thing you know they'll have dust fly up in the air when a body drops or they'll make realistic sounds when they die. It's going to get there one way or another. I'll play the games and enjoy it like everyone else, but I think some kids shouldn't be exposed until they're a little more mature. I feel like I lived through the cycle from NES to now. I just don't know what it would be like witnessing what we do now as a 7 or 8 year old boy.
Well, the toys recommend ages 10+.
Goldenroad
Member
No you don't. In COD you kill people in Gears you kill aliens. Aliens don't exist.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Eh, who cares.
Megabloks knew they can't compete with Lego so went after collector friendly IPs that made for good building sets.
They also have Assassin's Creed coming soon.
I was buying Resident Evil action figures at 9 and it was no big deal back then.
Megabloks knew they can't compete with Lego so went after collector friendly IPs that made for good building sets.
They also have Assassin's Creed coming soon.
I was buying Resident Evil action figures at 9 and it was no big deal back then.
This reminds me of that F2P IAP browser LEGO Legend of Chima game (or something) I attended a presentation for at gamescom 2013. The developers talked about how kids are their primary target group (of course) but they uses specific F2P terms and how parents could get a message on their phone from their kids every time they wanted to buy something (like more energy or stuff like that, you know how those game work). All of this made me feel uncomfortable and I called them out after the presentation had ended. Awkward.
In multiplayer you chainsaw people in half, playing as the Locust.
GringoSuave89
Banned
It's kind of a chicken/egg situation. Even without the licensing kids would be playing these games, and there's a demand for various product tie ins. Can't win.
I work at an "entertainment superstore" and the logic hoops some parents go through is amazing. "Oh his older brother plays and he just watches" "I just buy him the shorts and toys, I don't let him play those games". You can't pick and choose. Either he can play them, or he has nothing to do with those games.
I work at an "entertainment superstore" and the logic hoops some parents go through is amazing. "Oh his older brother plays and he just watches" "I just buy him the shorts and toys, I don't let him play those games". You can't pick and choose. Either he can play them, or he has nothing to do with those games.
test_account
XP-39C²
The aliens are humanoids though. And as mentioned above, in multiplayer, you can kill humans. I guess it can be discussed which game that has a worse impact on kids, but Gears Of War is more brutal at least.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
I have never seen a single bit on the news or media about the ESRB. I was just thinking about that. I believe GameStop has some sort of flier somewhere, but I don't think I've ever seen a person grab one. The MPAA is known by heart. It seems like parents have no idea when it comes to video game ratings.
I bet there are some sort of "Based on a game that is rated Mature", but people bypass that like it was nothing.
GringoSuave89
Banned
They used to play a crap ton on those tv display ad rolls you see in Target and Wal Mart. Doubt it did much.
Angelus Errare
Banned
Even better, they got it for Wii.
That entire video was hilarious!
IdreamofHIME
Member
Man, that Queen Facehugger is pretty sweet.
Those were all designed for a cartoon that never happened. The company put the cart before the horse though and ordered the toys before getting a green light on the show.
My Queen still guards her 'nest'
Zxrophantom
Member
It's nothing new really as another posters pointed out many other r rated movies mainly in the 80s were turned into toys. I don't think its too much of a problem given that toys use imagination for violence. I guess it still comes down to parents being the guardian in what a kids uses and plays with.
Yeah, I have 3 kids and they're into this stuff to some extent (like I was back in the day).
I just need to be there as a parent.
I'm not sure what this post is asking for...censorship? Pull more responsibility away from parents and let corporations/Govt decide this?
There's no point caring about this, it's not a problem. It's like people don't give children any credit whatsoever. When I was a kid I had some army Meccano. I built an armoured car (only because I didn't have tracks to make a tank).
I'm much older now, to this day I have still not constructed a real tank and driven it at my sister.
I'm much older now, to this day I have still not constructed a real tank and driven it at my sister.
This thing was awesome. Look how much fun those kids are having!
Alien action figure commercial from 1979
There was a big stink about this exact issue with this toy in '79; marketing a violent, scary movie to kids. That's why the figure is so rare and expensive now.
Came home from college one year and found this guy in my basement with his legs busted off. One of my little brothers, or their friends. Never found out who, but I'm still bitter about it!
Alien action figure commercial from 1979
There was a big stink about this exact issue with this toy in '79; marketing a violent, scary movie to kids. That's why the figure is so rare and expensive now.
Came home from college one year and found this guy in my basement with his legs busted off. One of my little brothers, or their friends. Never found out who, but I'm still bitter about it!
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
You're absolutely right. Government shouldn't decide this. This is a parental thing. I just think it begs the question far more than it did when we were younger. Hell, when my mom brought it up I'd think the toys were a lot cooler than before.
Corpsepyre
Banned
Just about every M-rated game is marketed towards children, in my opinion.
You'd get maybe two or three games that deal with real mature themes and aren't catered to pre-teens who are just about to get their first wet dreams. Pick up any game with a guy with a gun on the cover, and 99 % of the times they'd be all about senseless, rampant violence that attracts the little guys more than they do adults, honestly.
You'd get maybe two or three games that deal with real mature themes and aren't catered to pre-teens who are just about to get their first wet dreams. Pick up any game with a guy with a gun on the cover, and 99 % of the times they'd be all about senseless, rampant violence that attracts the little guys more than they do adults, honestly.
0ptimusPayne
Member
WTF?? I knew about the halo toys, but fucking gears and COD? Whats the damn point of the rating system, when you have physical M-rated game merchandise in the toys section?!?!
Paracelsus
Member
Kids like edgy things like gratuitous violence. I really would not be shocked if you brought me evidence the reason why God of War is 3-4 times more popular than other action games is because kids love a burly mean dude ripping enemies to shreds.
People love saying this, but parents could never compete with such companies.
I may get shit for this, but i get really uncomfortable when i see very young kids obviously not 17 at gamestop going for the newest call of duty every single time, and having their parents just give it to them.
It may just be a case of getting old, but back when i was growing up, my only games were 2D cartoonish ones like Sonic and Mario for Nintendo, SNES and Genesis, and i eventually branched out to things like contra, mortal kombat, street fighter, and other games. But even later on like Saturn, N64 and PS1, there were still a great abundance of games marketed for children. I gradually grew into mature games as a teen. Nowadays it just seems like only skylanders, nintendo games and that occasional sonic title still remain.
Everything has to be rated M, so that now kids just have that as their prime thing to look out for, outside of iOS and phones.
I just don't think kids being exposed to that kind of thing so early is healthy.
It may just be a case of getting old, but back when i was growing up, my only games were 2D cartoonish ones like Sonic and Mario for Nintendo, SNES and Genesis, and i eventually branched out to things like contra, mortal kombat, street fighter, and other games. But even later on like Saturn, N64 and PS1, there were still a great abundance of games marketed for children. I gradually grew into mature games as a teen. Nowadays it just seems like only skylanders, nintendo games and that occasional sonic title still remain.
Everything has to be rated M, so that now kids just have that as their prime thing to look out for, outside of iOS and phones.
I just don't think kids being exposed to that kind of thing so early is healthy.
Do you really think it's going to damage them? Really?
I drew the line at seeing someone from work buying his son GTA5.
Call Of Duty is so black and white. You have good guys, and bad guys, the good guys win. There's nothing particularly edgy in them, they're just war stories. Saving Private Ryan is 15 rated, but it's about 2,000 times more violent and bloodthirsty than Call Of Duty has ever been.
GTA5 though? That's too much, that's actual adult content. The scene where we first meet Trevor is probably the worst one in the entire game.
John Harker
Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
Well actually, all the examples you posted - Knex, Mega Blocks - those are licensing deals.
In that sense, the company, let's say Mega Blocks, purchases the licence from Actvision. Depending on the terms of the agreement, they'll either get a lump sum or some small royalty per unit sold, but Activision does not own those toys nor do they market them. (Though to your other question... a lot of the rationale for doing these deals is less revenue, but more 'expanded appeal' - to get their brand in front of a younger demo, let's say, because they (meaning the gaming pub) can't sell directly to that audience... but these licencors can. So the revenue may night be substantial, but it does have a halo affect.)
It's the companies listed that is selling and marketing those specific products... so it's really Mega Blocks selling to their audience, and hoping to attract fans of a franchise they licensed.
There are way less examples of companies actually selling their own toys, since they are entirely separate products and take a lot of internal resources that companies would likely have to build and invest in... that's why it's REALLY hard to do with Acti and Disney did with Skylanders and Infinity. Those are likely made internally, which means the companies are responsible for them on a P&L basis, development costs, as well as selling them into retail channels they have little experience in. It's a big endeaver. And very often why you don't see it with M-rated titles like what your mentioning above, because licencees have a lot better of a pipeline to sell this stuff since that's their entire business model.
theSlacker
Member
How about the edit that replaces the console boxes with sex toy boxes?
I think letting kids playing m rated games depends on the game and the kid. The first game I remember playing is Doom, I was 4, the game scared the shit out of me because the music wouldnt work so I only played with the sound effects which makes the game much scarier. If doom did anything to me it was the only FPS i truly liked for a long time. When I was 10 I played GTA3 when that came out. I was hooked and remember even pulling a few all nighters doing nothing but killing sprees.
These games only lasting effect on me is it made me a fan of their series, I am not a violent person at all, I havent been in a fight since middle school and gotten along with most people. If videogames have influenced anything in my real life it may have been the first time I shot a shotgun ever and some of my friends were playing skeet. 100% accuracy my first time. But I doubt that was video games as I hate playing 95% of fps games lol
These toys arent really that bad, if they play the game then its an accessory. If they dont then its just a cool action figure
These games only lasting effect on me is it made me a fan of their series, I am not a violent person at all, I havent been in a fight since middle school and gotten along with most people. If videogames have influenced anything in my real life it may have been the first time I shot a shotgun ever and some of my friends were playing skeet. 100% accuracy my first time. But I doubt that was video games as I hate playing 95% of fps games lol
These toys arent really that bad, if they play the game then its an accessory. If they dont then its just a cool action figure
The toys don't bother me as much as the children's sized clothing. At least with toys they can be for older people who collect them but the children's clothing isn't for anyone else. I'm fine with people under 17 playing M rated titles depending on the kid but I've seen Gears of War clothes small enough for 8 year olds.
Some of you are missing that these are all competitors to Lego and are just the licensed products that Kinex and Mega Blocks were able to sign. They are shelved in stores near Lego but are not necessarily marketed to kids.
The backpacks and wallets are a different story
The backpacks and wallets are a different story
Funny because I remember having this conversation with my wife when we went baby shopping (expecting our first) and I saw these toys on display. At first I was pissed off, but then I thought back to my childhood. Sure there were GI Joes, Transformers where, despite both shows heavily involving guns, they weren't M rated; but then you had toys based off characters like Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger.
I watched quite a bit of violence when I was a kid (to date, I have seen Bloodsport well over 100 times and I was 9-10 when I first saw it) but I turned out ok, It depends on the kid and the parents who allow their kid to play these games. My cousin's kid plays violent games, but he's a great kid. As an elementary teacher, I've stopped playing CoD because almost every boy talks about playing CoD from grade 3 upwards. Some kids can handle it, then there are the handful in which I think "Those parents should've known better".
I watched quite a bit of violence when I was a kid (to date, I have seen Bloodsport well over 100 times and I was 9-10 when I first saw it) but I turned out ok, It depends on the kid and the parents who allow their kid to play these games. My cousin's kid plays violent games, but he's a great kid. As an elementary teacher, I've stopped playing CoD because almost every boy talks about playing CoD from grade 3 upwards. Some kids can handle it, then there are the handful in which I think "Those parents should've known better".
The toy commercials even incorporated bits of footage from the movies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT2BM_X4B3Q
That's how I discovered the Alien and Predator movies too. I grew up on Horror movies though.
SliceSabre
Banned
This is nothing new to me and I honestly do not have a problem with it at all.
For real. come on guys? You're telling me as a kid you didn't want to watch the 18 rated films? You didn't have splatterhouse on the Mega Drive? GTA 3 on PS2?
That was one of the cool parts of being a kid!
ClaptoVaughn
Member
No, it's not wrong. It's not even a matter of wrong or right. They're just toys and video games. They're just for fun.
And I'm pretty sure Activision tries to maximize sales and appeal to EVERYONE within a reasonable age range of the typical gaming audience. So in other words, everyone but old people. There have been Call of Duty themed automobiles.
I'm guessing some may not care.