What about violent movies or the internet?

What about the news, there always showing violents?

You just need to watch TV for 10 min and you'll see violence.

Its all a big joke.

Bullshit.

This exact same parliament, AFTER the last general elections, DENIED similar legislation two years ago. There where TWO motions passed, one that asks for legislation that prohibits the sale of violent games to minors, and one that asks for legislation (DRAFT legislation) that imposes a complete ban, the last one being passed with a much smaller majority.

This does not main that the radical proposal will be accepted by the parliament.

And then there is something much more important: in Swiss, ANY new law can be vetoed by the people. You can demand a binding referendum if you get 100.000 support votes. So, 100.000 gamers sign an internet petition, and there will be a referendum. Only 30% of the voting population has to show up to make the results legally binding. Gamers are going to vote for their hobby in massive numbers, meaning that even if this law is enacted, it will practically certainly be dead withing a month of it being accepted by parliament. IF it gets passed by parliament, that is.

Socialist liberal re-tards.

Better ban the whole internet. Lots of bad things happening there.

Even an inferior country to the United States is started to advance farther than us. How come it's so hard to pass a great piece of legislation such as this over here? I don't want my children to be cold hearted killers and our government should prevent that!

Raising a child is the responsibility of its PARENT(S), not the government FFS. This is why the US isn't advancing, because parents don't want to take responsibility for disciplining and properly raising their children. I just wunna sit 'n wach muh reality TV while tha gubment waches my baybe. hurr durrrrrrrr drool

I've already commented with irony to this WOULD BE law (and been censored) in swiss blogs. The law has not passed yet the upper swiss chamber. And I don't think it will, the upper chamber being a little bit wiser. In anyway, this franzy of so called morality laws anywhere in the world just make me very angry! Let's fight back for our liberties, guys!

So they are also going to ban all violence from the streets, which will never succeed anyway?
ROFL, what a stupid law, the only thing they archive is that peeps will buy the game outside switzerland.
Killers are made by what they have experienced in they childhood, and then im not talking about games they have played.

What about Movies, Music, books, the bible, quran, history books?

Lets ban breathing, or atleast tax it.

Well I hope Pac-Man is banned too, that is a really violent 'game', not do ghosts try to kill you, it also promotes hallucinogenic drug use and even encourages cannibalism... it is pure evil and sick... will not someone think of the children!!

Don't know, I'm not a gamer and.. but ... how come they've come to this rule, is there any study on the subject... do the violent games do something to your brain...? something else maybe then movies or other violent images... stronger, because your not a spectator but much more involved into the action...
and where a movie stops a gamer can go on and on...

I am a 30 year old American male, and I hate violent video games! I applaud this decision. Good!

Kirk, I've got no problem with you hating violent video games. Just turn the switch off.

..... oh wait you want to stop other people from playing them. Well there are these studies see that link playing these games to increased feelings of agression.....

The thing is the level of raised agression etc is pretty minor. If you want to ban such games based on those studies, driving in city traffic and competitive sports might be the next to go.

On things that you hate that should be banned.... I've got a list of things I hate. Some of those you might actually like. No matter, where do I send my hate list to stop other people from doing things I don't like.

Governments carry the responsibility to decide what should be let into a country and what is acceptable for the community and social standards. All part of being in government, and is not always easy. The Swiss government and system has shown high levels of common sense and balanced judgements, notwithstanding the simple human fact that no one is perfect.
I lived in Switzerland for two years and worked with Swiss companies for another 8 years. They run their country well. Thus have little patience with crap, and many violence focused video and computer games are nothing more than crap.
The add nothing to the standards of society and are predominantly there for people to live out their aggressive or competitive urges, and naturally that is not always bad...

But! The whoile shebang has taken on a scope and focus that is mostly not healthy for most teenagers and many adults today, thus the Swiss are fully within their rights and good judgement to ban the violence end ofthe games segment, and good o0n them for having the courage to do so...
What is really sad are the losers who somehow think this is an important human issue...

So im quessing the Swiss goverment are going to ban Violent movies in the future, o'wait no they wouldnt dare.

What brain washed, ignorrant fools. Games have a age rating for a purpose, there parents should be watching over there kids.

But having said that NO game is going to turn you into a maniac.

Parenting is the word.....

To kirk...
you may hate violent games, but please don't force you moral views onto everyone in the world.... I am 39 and I want to play them... And the government wants to tell me know.... And what about people working or owning games shops...
Broaden you horizon before making statements like this

I agree that this action doesn't stop people from watching violent media. At the same time, violent video games are different from movies and television because the participant is actively participating in the violence. I think this is an important distinction that is often lost in the discussion.

@Eragon In order to oppose new legislation, a referundum only needs 50'000 signatures. 100'000 is only necessary to introduce new legislation for vote.

I know the swiss system is complicated. But there is NO ban and there won't be anytime soon. The lower chamber asked the government to recommend a law. The government has long said a ban was not applicable. They will come up with a draft law that will be discussed, anyway, long process, and the young representatives from right to left have already spoken against a ban. This won't happen. Games +18 will be completely forbidden to younger players (much like porn magazines), that's the only visible outcome.

First off countries have no right to tell the people what they are allowed to do with the money they earn. Second i understand if people do not want kids playing violent video games, and they are not allowed to buy them because they are to young, but how do they still have the games......Parents. You can not say your against violent video games and than for Christmas or another holiday buy your kids grand theft auto, that just stupid. Not everyone has to like video games but you can not take it away from those who do like it.

What about violent books, such as the Bible?

The problem lies in who educates children while playing video games? No one. Video games only have a recommendation on which age should the player have when they play the video game. But who regulates the parents that buy videos games for their children. I agree that stricter measures on who plays certain types of video games are needed. But there is also some facts to think about like the Army, DoD investing in these video games, as a means of predisposing certain attitudes in our youth. The same idea applies for movies, books, and other types of media. Good parenting, education and a regulated observance from the government are a good combination to solve these media related issues.

Where has all the logic gone?

Can't wait for the anarchy that will ensue after the great oil war of 2050.

Looks like it is Hello Kitty Island Adventure for them. ; )~

Oh well, Switzerland's still a better country than the imperialistic nation of USA.

i really think this is stupid i mean i play airsoft thats not violent just beacause were using fake guns video games are like a kind of speech and im pretty sure everyone has a right to speak

This is getting to the point of retardation. How hard are we going to try to hide our true human nature.

We are human. We are violent. We are many other things. Trying to hide from what we are will only make things worse, not better. Human instinct is to want what we are denied.

Besides, if I want real violence, I'll just read the Old Testament. Nothing out yet that is bloodier than that.

Never mind banning games... let's invent a device that makes the entire human race impotent and infertile. Time to give the other animals / plants a chance to rule the earth.

Makes me remember Demolition Man movie... JAJAJA

I'm with Kirk, but it's not that I hate them. Hate is a counterproductive emotion. I don't think you all understand that the violence that you immerse yourself in is apparent in your aura, your actions IRL, etc. I work with a lot of violent gamers. They are great people, but there is nothing healthy about these habits. Grow up! The violence that we are taught is "just human nature" isn't. It doesn't have to be. We CAN all love. This constant violence only breeds hate. Let it go. Let us evolve into something better.

I see this as the first logical step to true world peace.

I could accept that law... As long as you don't differentiate games from other forms of any entertainment or media. If the f-cking government can pass the law that bans EVERYTHING that contains ANY form of violence against humanlike creatures, I'm fine with it... This means no news, no books, no movies, no theater, no internet. But the parliment should know what they are voting for: Putting their entire country in a grey cell with no windows and soft walls.

i dont want to open a can of worms, but i think banning these games should be a last resort.

but the governments need to make a stronger attack on parents supplying these games to children. maybe the age laws are just not strong enough, look at the under age drinking and smoking laws in the UK, they are a joke, 16 year old caught drinking cider or cheap plonk on the street nothing happens.

its time parents were punished for supplying there children with inappropriate material, because that's what it is. you wouldn't show a 12 year old an 18 rated hardcore porn without legal ramifications. so why can parents get away with letting them play an 18 rated game.

once stronger measures have been put in place to punish parents for this crime, if its still out of control, thats when you ban the games.

there is gonna be 1 true outcome out of this story.

the swiss xbox 360 piracy rate is going to jump through the roof

..So nobody has heard of any study done on the subject...?
Wich I think is really relevant to form an opinion..
The defensive reactions from gamers I understand...It feels/sounds like Kids lovin' there candy and don't know it can make 'm hyperactive or damage the teeth...

I juzz heard today of a game that's called rapeplay (I think) in wich you must rape to score big points.... How sick!!!
...or does someone thinks it's a good thing or fun...
Is there a line to be drawn?
Will it just be OK if we keep on brushin' our teeth?
But how do you brush the badness/fuckedupness away from your mind caused by playing violent games (all the time...)

Guezz that got everyone quiet........

is not true the video games dont make the people more violent