I was just wondering about this hypothetical question: what if all videogames were outlawed because they were too "dangerous" and the government put a permanent ban on them?

Bored Tomatoe:
I was just wondering about this hypothetical question: what if all videogames were outlawed because they were too "dangerous" and the government put a permanent ban on them?

Sounds like Australia.

People would make an underground videogame market like the drug market.

id die of extreme boredom and lack of kicking ass

I bet there are enough smart gamers to go underground with games.

And if some international government does decide games are too "dangerous", there are enough people that play games for them to decide to regulate/create their own rather than ban them entirely. Games could be good propaganda someday.

Either I move out of the country to, say, Australia or I would build an underground illegal gaming center and charge people to play games so I can use the money to "distract" the gaze of the government...or suicide. Depends on which one is easier to do.

I'd become a Criminal...

I'm going to Canada, thay have a good army (but never use it). And sense this would accompany a fachest government I might start up or join a rebelion.

The gamer army would rise to conquer the fascist government, Oh wait we would probably all get locked up and executed... nevermind.

well i would be pretty fucked. i guess i would try and see if the people watching me cared...

Jark212:
I'm going to Canada, thay have a good army (but never use it). And sense this would accompany a fachest government I might start up or join a rebelion.

We ARE using it. We're in Afghanistan trying to stop the Al Qaeda* from taking over after America forgot to put any form of democracy in there.

*Tell me if this is spelt wrong.

i would join the newly formed underground gaming circuit

Hypothetically, I don't think that the government's ban on them would last six months, much less be permanant, just because that it is an infringment on rights, not to mention a massive shutdown of USA-based game developers, laying off tens of thousands of workers with next to no jobs for their skills. Even if its because games get "too violent", that is why the ESRB is established in the first place. For the umpteenth time, it is not the fault of the game makers that little Timmy got his hands on a copy of Crusty Sewer Rapist 3; it is the parent's fault, who are supposed to check the 'M' rating in the first place. And the government banning violent games in the first place, like Australia, just proves the presence of ignorant fear in the government, and self-undermines their own credibility.

Completely off-topic, yet still related in a backwater way, it is about (sorry for lack of accuracy, mind is failing me tonight) a $500 fine for carrying a four-inch knife on a plane in Australia, but a several thousand dollar fine and possible jail time, up to 14 years, for carrying a laser pointer. Australia really is a laughingstock in some instances, nice beaches or not.

THEN I might turn violent. Given that I actually have access to radioactive materials, that's bad for everyone.

Until then, though, I won't be shooting up any high schools because of video games. They help keep my stress-addled mind together.

Impossible to enforce of course, besides it being a serious violation of our rights. But lets say it somehow is put into place and is being enforced.

Mafia would swoop in and would make billions. Supply and demand, it does wonders for the crime syndicates.

Regardless of enforcement, someone would die if this law ever was put into place. It's too much of a violation of free speech that if it ever got ratified it's a clear indicator that this country is about to go belly-up. May as well get in on the violence early.

I'd probably live a healthier, richer, more socially active life.

Piracy would fucking skyrocket to unfathomable numbers.

If video games are outlawed, only the outlaws will play video games...

Remember, laws don't apply to criminals. Most people forget that.

All the people with underground on their profiles would really be underground.

I'd still play, as long as it wasn't a too serious offense.

I'd read a lot more.

I'd sleep a lot more.

I would get a t-shirt of Che Guevara with the xbox logo in the background.

If games were outlawed, only outlaws would have games!

Eh, probably never happen, the government doesn't have the reasources to stop video gaming, just like prohibition.

It's been done in many places.

Free governments though wouldn't last long if they did this.

Reaperman Wompa:
I would get a t-shirt of Che Guevara with the xbox logo in the background.

Quite possibly the most ironic thing ever. I'm sure Ernesto is rolling in his mass grave at the thought. :p

I'd probably do even better in life than I'm currently doing.

ZenMonkey47:

Reaperman Wompa:
I would get a t-shirt of Che Guevara with the xbox logo in the background.

Quite possibly the most ironic thing ever. I'm sure Ernesto is rolling in his mass grave at the thought. :p

Thank you.

I'd go around shooting people, jacking cars and talking in a heavy eastern european accent.
Because i couldn't get my shooting fix.

You Do Not Talk About Game Club

shatnershaman:

Bored Tomatoe:
I was just wondering about this hypothetical question: what if all videogames were outlawed because they were too "dangerous" and the government put a permanent ban on them?

Sounds like Australia.

Tell me about it... Though, it would probably be sold underground, yeh... I'm pretty sure that it would be a very hard law to enforce though...

If video games were banned, then you can consider me a criminal because I will never give them up.