Venezuela could completely ban the sale of violent video games

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 26th 2009 at 11:00PM }

If a bill currently being reviewed by Venezuela's parliament is formally approved by the nation's president, then gamers living in the country may have (legally) purchased their last M-rated title. The "Bill for the Prohibition of Video Games and Toy Weapons" aims to completely ban the sale of violent video games (and, as you may have guessed, toy weapons) in the country. It was approved by the National Assembly yesterday, and now must be approved in one more debate and signed by the president to become a law.

The bill was written out of concern for the negative effect violent video games and toys are having on the nation's youth (sigh), but was also created to prevent the use of toy weapons in real crimes. We'd scoff at this, too -- but we just watched a harrowing cinematic example of this type of criminal activity. It must be stopped!

Tags: ban, bill, government, law, mature, parliament, politics, toy-weapons, venezuela, violence

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

TM @ Aug 26th 2009 11:06PM

how long before the world follows suit?

WREturns(There was once a dream called Rome) @ Aug 27th 2009 12:00AM

What? Who gives enough of a shit about Venezuelan politics to try and emulate them?

The Dark Wayne @ Aug 27th 2009 12:22AM

uhhh Germany?

Ridgecity @ Aug 27th 2009 1:34AM

considering Mercenaries 2: World in Flames plot, it's not surprising they are acting like this. For one game all take the blame. Probably even Super Mario.

Courtney @ Aug 27th 2009 1:45AM

Gotham City? I hear they have a problem with crimes that involve toys...

DeepFriedSushi @ Aug 27th 2009 3:43AM

i doubt it matters i bet most people get their games illegitimately anyways.

Skaz @ Aug 27th 2009 7:32AM

There seems to be this trend of video games being set there or someplace vaguely like Venezuela. It's like South America is the new middle east or omaha beach.

asdfghjkloo @ Aug 27th 2009 9:50AM

In 20 years, it's not going to make a difference whether other countries follow suit now or not since all the geezers will be out of office and gamers will be in.

Instead of sending troops overseas, world disputes will be settled over Xbox Live in a game of Ground War on (CoD?) Modern Warfare 6.

Quit being a Juggarnaut bitch, Castro!

D @ Aug 28th 2009 12:26PM

the new Diversity Cszar. No joke. google online and you will find a video of the dude talking about hugo and his grand revolution and how that needs to come to America.

Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Aug 26th 2009 11:07PM

...Venezuela?

THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Aug 27th 2009 12:15AM

HYPOCRITE ALERT! ammiright ?

Creating illogical sentences to irritate the Internet Grammar Teachers @ Aug 27th 2009 11:39AM

Another reason why Communism sucks.

The more you know...

Dan @ Aug 26th 2009 11:09PM

I hope you can still import.

Sam406 @ Aug 27th 2009 12:29AM

You can't, import, sale, rent and use of any and all violent video games is suddenly ilegal.

My shelf is now full of contraband.

jahd5000 @ Aug 27th 2009 1:12AM

`lol @ Sam406 yeah i guess im full of contraband too XD

Vaitork @ Aug 27th 2009 1:34AM

Even if we could buy videogames outside of the country, there is a system that don't let us spend money in a number of things. For example, I couldn't buy Zeno Clash on Steam because Steam is considered, ahem, "videogaming or cyber café related business", so it's BANNED. That's it, banned.

I've never really played the retail game (prices are unbearable here, think $150~180 dollars per videogame), but it's still an unfair and poorly analyzed law.

Not that any of us are surprised at this point...

Diskoboy7 @ Aug 26th 2009 11:09PM

As we've seen in the US... Taking away kids video games could be detremental to your health.

So, in a way, this could be a good thing. Piss off the kids, and they'll fight back.

Vaitork @ Aug 27th 2009 1:38AM

I've discussed that possibility with some friends. My opinion is that the real uprising will come when they mess with the internet, which is considered the ultimate form of free speech in here. As a matter of fact, many of the 34 banned radio stations resumed their activities through the web.

Let kids find out they can't log into their Facebook accounts anymore. Rage and despair will reign the land afterwards.

The Dark Wayne @ Aug 26th 2009 11:10PM

How could toys be used in real crimes? Wouldnt they not be real crimes then? I mean I guess someone could rob a place with a toy gun but isnt that better than using a real gun

Look At This Suit @ Aug 26th 2009 11:20PM

It's not like the money they stole is worth less because they used a toy gun.

Iroquois @ Aug 26th 2009 11:27PM

It's really more to discourage crime. To take away all hope for all those people who thought they could rob a bank by using a toy gun since they can't get their hands on a real one. Not that it matters much though. robbing a bank is robbing a bank, no matter what you use as a weapon.

The Dark Wayne @ Aug 27th 2009 12:03AM

yeah but toy guns would sure make my job a lot easier

BigD145 @ Aug 27th 2009 1:34AM

It's fairly difficult to kill someone with a toy gun. So difficult, you'd almost have to have your victims' complete cooperation. I don't think I'd be giving anyone money if they pulled such a thing on me.

rciafardone @ Sep 10th 2009 3:22PM

No, preventing crime is not the "reason" behind this stupid law. It is supposed to be a way to keep the "violence" out of children’s minds. In reality is just a way to slice another small layer of freedom from us (here in Venezuela). The ultimate objective is to make us see, hear, touch, talk, eat and play only what the government wants us to. We are royally screwed.

Radical Dylan @ Aug 26th 2009 11:15PM

well according to the movie trailer, Venezuela should be banning music... not video games and toy guns... "The music made them do it..."

Batzarro @ Aug 26th 2009 11:17PM

Oh, they's working on it.

Batzarro @ Aug 26th 2009 11:16PM

I don't know if this is part of the whole "make sure all media bow to us" angle Chavez has been playing out , that includes that radio stations may only play their own programing for 2 hours to allow more pro Chavez/Revolution propaganda, or just the usual "games is turning kids bad, ban them" thing. But it looks like it sucks.

jahd5000 @ Aug 27th 2009 1:13AM

im glad someone actually understands the whole thing

Neo Senku(PSN:Neo-Senku) @ Aug 26th 2009 11:18PM

its nice to see that around the world pointless laws are considered

mike phillips @ Aug 26th 2009 11:21PM

The irony of a fascist, megalomaniacal dictator banning "violent" videogames should not be lost on any gamer reading this story.

Chavez tried to seize control over the country in a failed coup de tat!! The guy's M.O. is taking away personal freedom, he even wants to be declared president of Venezuela for life!!

This situation is so ridiculous and oxymoronic that I am surprised that a hole has not yet been ripped in the very fabric of the space-time continuum.

HippoHero @ Aug 27th 2009 12:43AM

He thinks he can take power easier if he doesn't have video-game trained, toy-gun-armed militiamen opposing him.

Charlie_Six @ Aug 27th 2009 1:42AM

Chavez a fascist? Are you serious? The guy donates heating oil to poor people in America for God's sakes.

Perhaps you meant communist.

Vaitork @ Aug 27th 2009 1:48AM

And to think I was pissed about Jack Thompson's antics a while ago... That was nothing compared to how utterly retarded this is. Did they even take parental responsibility into consideration? Do those "+18" stickers mean anything at all? Nah, those are concepts born in the "capitalist empire", so we should probably ignore them. BAH!

At least Jack0 got the attention he wanted for a while. These morons are simply pissed because nobody gave a rat's ass about being able to explode stuff up in Mercenaries 2.