to not let my 10 year old son play an Xbox 360 game with an age 15 classification?

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Please help! Feedback/opinions needed.

My 10 year son is desperate to buy WWE Smackdown -v- Raw 2011, an Xbox 360 wrestling game. It has an age classification as 15 so I have refused to let him buy it. He was given money for Christmas and knew immediately that he wanted to spend his money on this game. I have said "no" as he is not old enough. It's causing so many tears as his friends at school all play this game.

I have viewed some gameplay footage on youtube and, whilst there's no blood or anything, there is definitely an element of, as Xbox quote, "sporting violence". What disturbs me most is that they not only wrestle in the ring, they also hit their opponents with ladders etc! My son's argument is that he knows it's not real life, he knows he's not to do that in real life, it's just a game! Argh, what do I do??? Do I give in and let him buy the game??

Advice please.....

Thanks

Do you allow him to watch WWE wrestling on TV?

Not particularly but he has watched it a few times. I was shocked to see the use of objects such as step ladders! on the gameplay footage!

I wouldn't give in, but then I'm a meanie and happy to be one .

but they show it on the WWE wrestling on tv as well... things like people being 'hit' with chairs

I think they use objects too in the show , ds got some figures for xmas and they came with ladders , steps etc. Didn't actually think about what they were for tbh

I've just had a similar situation with my DS, also 10. He has an Xbox and all his friends have COD, Assassins Creed etc. DS likes Fifa 10, cricket games, golf,baseball, but is becoming swayed by his friends who have these other games. DH allowed DS to buy Halo Reach with Xmas money (a 16 cert)as a colleague of his plays it with his son and deems it ok for that age. DS is a sensible but squeamish child and wouldn't like COD etc, but Halo Reach seems ok as far as these things go - it's 'killing' but not materially different to Star Wars-type 'killing' in that there's no person that you see die, no blood and no army scenario or back-story as with COD.

I'm monitoring the situation, but I think it'll be flavour of the month for a while and he'll be back to sports.

OMG really?! I had no idea. I've only ever seen wrestling (which all looks very staged anyway). My son play-wrestles with his younger brother (8) and I'd be HORRIFIED if he ever threw a big object at him (thankfully, I keep the stepladders out of reach!)

WWE is probably worse than COD etc because kids can copy wrestling moves, they can't shoot each other with guns.

Thank you all so much for your thoughts. Still think I'll stick with "no, you can't have it".