Nintendo Versus Sega: Sex, Violence and Videogames

30. Nintendo Versus Sega: Sex, Violence and Videogames

Teaching Notes¹

In recent years the content of videogames has come under increasing scrutiny. Parents and concerned citizens have lobbied for a comprehensive, industrywide videogame rating system that would give parents the information needed to make informed choices.

In December 1993, the Senate Subcommittee on Regulation and Government Information held hearings on the violent content of videogames and the accessibility of these games to young people. The case highlights the impetus for such hearings and what the videogame industry proposes to do about this important issue. Both Nintendo’s and SEGA’s guidelines to control and monitor game content are profiled. Students are challenged to consider the issue of whether videogame companies have an ethical responsibility to parents and consumers in limiting the content of videogame violence and whether these companies are responding in a socially responsible way.

Suggestions for Using the Case

The subject matter of this case can be expected to provoke heated debate, since there are good points to be made on all sides of the issue—no regulation or rating system, a voluntary rating system, or a mandated rating system with governmental oversight and enforcement. What makes the case especially interesting is that the two leading competitors in the industry have somewhat different positions on the issues at hand and their competitive positions and competitive strategies are affected by the outcome. The case is short—always a popular feature with students, and it can easily be covered in a 50 to 75 minute discussion time. It is a good case to use in those class situations where a small portion of the class time has to be devoted to other matters.

It is possible to obtain a videotape from C-SPAN covering the Senate hearings on violence. The reference numbers for the C-SPAN tapes are B-40477 and 40477; we understand the cost is $105. To order the tapes, call (202) 626-7963. While the coverage of the hearings runs 2 hours and 40 minutes, you can simply show selected segments, picking out the portions where the coverage focuses on what you want to emphasize.

Assignment Questions

1. 
   What are the ethical issues here?
   
2. 
   Should videogame providers take the initiative in establishing a voluntary rating system?
   
3. 
   What problems do you see in rating a videogame?
   
4. 
   Who should police a rating system?
   
5. 
   What actions should SEGA and Nintendo take? Should they attempt to take a unified position or act independently?
   

A good way to get the discussion flowing on the issue of sex and violence in videogames is to ask students to identify the social/ethical issues. You can use the following questions to draw out discussion:

• 
  Has the content of videogames become increasingly sexist and violent?
  
• 
  Should we be concerned about the impact of videogames on children? On their attitudes toward violence?
  
• 
  Does the form of entertainment violence in videogames cause violence in society or merely reflect it?
  
• 
  Do videogame providers have an ethical duty or a social responsibility to regulate or limit the content of sex and violence in videogames developed for young audiences?
  
• 
  Is it better for the industry to police itself than to have the government determine what acceptable content should be?
  

Students ought to be able to identify at least six groups of stakeholders here:

• 
  Parents
  
• 
  Educators
  
• 
  Concerned citizens
  
• 
  Legislators
  
• 
  Videogame providers
  
• 
  Videogame consumers
  

Expect arguments on both sides of the fence, for and against.

Some students will contend that videogame providers have an ethical/social responsibility to parents and consumers. The public is becoming more concerned because children are easily influenced at such a young age. Certain videogames are so violent that they have the potential for making a lasting impression on these children. Although research on the effects of videogames is limited, several studies strongly suggest there is a link, much like with television, between violent videogames and children’s aggression.

Concerned citizens would like the videogame industry to adopt a voluntary, industry-wide arrangement to put a cap on violence. With the emergence of human-like graphics, videogames that allow young players to participate in heinous acts of cruelty, sexism, bodily harm, and inhumanity should not be portrayed, regardless of profits.

No

Some students may argue that videogames should be treated no differently that the television, motion picture, recorded music, or publishing industries. As such, videogames should be accorded the full range of expression as the other media mentioned. More specifically, the foundation of such arguments may hinge on the idea that any government involvement in regulating graphic violence or sexually suggestive material in videogames is a free speech issue, guaranteed under our First Amendment. As such, videogames are a form of expression that comes under the protection of the First Amendment. If the government were to get into the act of approving or deciding on ratings or warning labels, this would run head on into the First Amendment’s prohibition against content discrimination.

Instead of the government exuding warnings and interfering in the process, the marketplace should decide the value and impact of certain videogames. Parents and others, the argu­ment goes, should make their own decisions about whether certain games should be in the home.

Another point that may surface is the notion that all videogames are not for just children. The customer base is much more extensive. As noted in the (A) case, 39% of Nintendo’s players are over 18 years of age. Clearly, a large percentage of videogame users are adults 18 years of age and older. While videogame products are intended and purchased for young children, many other software titles are intended for or purchased by adults for their personal entertainment and enjoyment. Therefore, the videogame providers would prefer that the concerns about content be addressed not by censorship, but instead by giving consumers and parents more information. Namely, an information-based rating system is needed to properly address the problem.

There does not exist any uniform system for warning concerned parents about the violent or sexual content of videogames to be used by their children. The primary purpose of the proposed legislation would establish the National Independent Council for Entertainment in Video Devices as an independent agency of the federal government to oversee the development of voluntary standards to warn parents of the content of videogames. It would also provide an exemption from the antitrust laws for the industry to develop such standards. In short, the legislation would help establish a system for parental notification about graphic sexual or violent material contained in some videogames; it would provide parents a tool for identifying games that are inappropriate for children.

One of the strong arguments for protecting young audiences from videogames that contain unacceptable violence is the pervasive images of murder, mutilation and mayhem that encourage kids to view violent activity as a normal part of life, and that interactive video violence desensitizes children to the real thing.

At the same time, it should be brought out that the vast majority of videogames are appropriate for young audiences, and have the potential for developing many important and socially acceptable skills.

• 
  What standards/criteria will constitute a pass or fail grade on suitability for young audiences? (The case cited four standards as possible candidates: Nintendo’s Game Content Guidelines, SEGA’s three-pronged approach, the IDSA guidelines, and SPA guidelines).
  
• 
  What self-restraint should a company exercise when confronted by a breakthrough product desired by mature audiences?
  
• 
  Should companies use self-administered rating systems or external standards when rating games? Some might argue that asking a single manufacturer to rate its own games is like asking the fox to guard the hen house.
  
• 
  Achieving industrywide acceptance and voluntary participation at all levels (to include PC markets and arcades) is a big problem/issue.
  
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  Achieving reasonably uniform and objective application of any rating standards will be a problem.
  
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  Consistency as to the presentation of ratings in product packaging, advertising and promotional materials.
  
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  Enhancing customer awareness and understanding of classifications.
  
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  Retailer cooperation and implementation.
  
• 
  Rating games adds time to the already lengthy process of getting titles out to stores.
  
• 
  Impact on sales uncertain—sales of some very popular games could be hurt.
  
• 
  Ensuring an enforcement mechanism is in place; perhaps an independent third party responsible for interpreting, administering, and enforcing the ratings once established.
  

The class should be pushed to single out and comment on the various options the two companies have for dealing with the content issues:

• 
  Take a proactive and leadership role in developing and standardizing an industrywide rating system that is independent of producer pressures; begin with an industrywide forum and go from there to reach consensus.
  
• 
  Fully endorse and implement the rating guidelines promulgated by the Interactive Digital Software Association (ISDA).
  
• 
  Reinforce whatever rating system is adopted in advertising programs.
  
• 
  Educate parents to:
  

• 
  become actively involved in helping their children make videogame choices that reflect each family’s own values.
  
• 
  take seriously the videogame rating labels, warnings or content descriptions that are available.
  

• 
  Both Nintendo and SEGA should review their respective rating systems and revise as necessary given the increased interest in game content and rating games. The strategy here should be not only to comply with and endorse the IDSA guidelines, but also to go further as demonstrated by each company’s own extensive rating classification system.
  
• 
  Ignore the ratings issue.
  

Expect students to take different positions on this issue. The majority of students endorse rating games and recommend some form of rating system. Options typically include some element(s) of the alternatives listed above.