Why do politicians seemingly hate our games?

By: Grahame | January 28th, 2010

Last week Keith Vaz, the British Labour MP for Leicster East, typified in his actions what can be seen as the general disdain many politicians appear to have for seriously debating videogames.

Vaz, a Labour MP since 1987, was due to participate at the’ Westiminster eForum’ debate with EA’s Keith Ramsdale, CEO of Eidos Ian Livingstone, West Bromwich East Labour MP Tom Watson and Wantage and Didcot MP Ed Vaizey. However, Vaz did not show and left the debates organizers to announce for him that he could not make it.

Mr Vaz is perhaps best known in gaming circles as often the most outspoken politician against adult videogames, and also the apparent rent-a-quote for when the Daily Mail need to run a piece on the next big controversial game release.

Sadly it seems many of our politicians are all too keen to skirt the debate and run to the newspapers. Not only did Mr Vaz frustrate those in the public who attended, but also his fellow Labour MP. Mr Watson expressed his frustration at the forum: “You want to understand where his head is now after being so negative about the videogame industry.”

Mr Watson seems to be gaming’s white knight in comparison to Vaz’s censorial outlook. In response to comments made about Modern Warfare 2 by Vaz, Watson set up the Gamer’s Voice facebook group, which calls itself “unashamedly pro videogames.”

Mr Watson isn’t running blind into arguments however, he called Modern Warfare 2’s “No Russian” level “deeply repulsive” and said he would not play it himself. He did mention however that as long as there is sufficient policing of age ratings then there was no debate really to be had on its inclusion.

In comparison, Keith Vaz’s comments on the level were how repulsed he was by it, though he didn’t mention if he had viewed the entirety of the level or at all. He said: “”It contains such scenes of brutality that even the manufacturers have put in warnings within the game”. A cheap shot considering they didn’t have to put the warning in there.

Westminister can’t claim exclusivity over gaming ignorance however, it seems that Scotland has one or two MSPs wanting in on the act. Labour MSP Elaine Smith has raised a motion calling on the government to notify every Scottish parent of the “possible risk to children’s emotional and psychological development as a result of prolonged use.”

Smith didn’t just get the fury of Scottish develoment team Realtime Worlds, she also received a rebuttal from Dundee East MSP, Joe Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick countered the “unnecessarily hostile” motion by saying: “I am very keen to promote Dundee’s world-leading video game development sector and am concerned at this unwarranted attack on an important industry and the effect it might have on its development.

“The UK Government is due to introduce legislation protecting children by making age ratings compulsory for all boxed games designed for those aged 12 or above, using the Pan-European Games Information (Pegi) classification system.”

Elaine Smith: Ignorant?

What our politicians need to realise is that we are coming very close to a generational shift. I am 25, I grew up with videogames as did virtually everybody else of my age. Many of my generation will go into politics with a history of playing games behind them, they will not have this ignorance over the unknown that our current generation seems to be plagued with.

The Keith Vazs and the Elaine Smiths of this world will need to either move with the times or be lost in the transition; interactive content, and not just videogames, will only increase. Antiquated thoughts of “mind warping” violent games will soon be ridiculed in the same way that the reactions to the “video nasties” of the 80s are now.

it’s only a matter of time before more of these “White Knights” appear.  I believe in Harvey Dent Watson and Fitzpatrick.