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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not buy my eleven-year old 16+ Xbox games

30 replies

AmyEaling · 04/02/2016 16:09

I am really struggling with something at the moment. My year 7 boy is desperate for a Star Wars game for his X-box but they are all 16+. He says that all his friends the same age have the 16+ ones and he is being excluded and teased at school by the other boys for not playing. He managed to find an old one on Amazon which was listed as a 12+ but it has just arrived and it too is 16+. I simply can't let an eleven year old play a 16+ game. To me if feels like a complete dereliction of parental duty. He is a really sensible and reasonable boy but I know he is going to be in floods of tears when he realizes he won't be able to play it. I just don't know what to do. Should I raise it with the school? How do other parents handle this?

OP posts:
PaulAnkaTheDog · 04/02/2016 16:12

I'd usually agree with your but if the game is Star Wars Battlefront the age rating is ludicrous. Even common sense media has parents saying 10 and up.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 04/02/2016 16:13

Also, I honestly can't understand what you think the school will do Confused

Terribleknitter · 04/02/2016 16:16

Agree with Paul about Battlefront, DS has it (15) and I've seen nothing that suggests it should have such a high rating. He says it's no more violent than the films tbh.

Terribleknitter · 04/02/2016 16:17

Should add his 10 year old sister has had a turn but she got a bit frustrated with it, it seems to be a slow game in parts.

rosebiggs · 04/02/2016 16:18

Let him play it - it's fine for Y7 age range.

lionheart · 04/02/2016 16:19

Depends on the game, depends on the 11 year old.

BrownAjah · 04/02/2016 16:20

I suppose it's about content. My boys are 7 and 5 but they went to see Star Wars and that's a 12A. It was absolutely fine (we went to see it first).

Do you know anything about the content of the game beyond the rating? Perhaps research it first and then decide

Original poster
AmyEaling · 04/02/2016 16:22

The school takes internet safety seriously generally, so I thought they might offer some parental guidance in that regard. I did research the game online. This is a typical review from Common Sense media:

SWB2 Perfect for older kids, but not for tweens
SWB2 is more violent than SWB1, as the body "flight" is more realistic, there are alien creatures than step on soldiers, and there is the use of a steroid-like drug known as "bacta serum". The game's storyline also requires that you kill innocent citizens (the game takes place after episode III, and thus the good clones turn into bad stormtroopers. there are a few missions as those troopers.) This game also rewards head shots and mass-killings with upgraded weapons, something SWB1 did not do. This is definitely a 13/14+ game.

Maybe I'm overly sensitive but it just doesn't seem very child friendly to me.

OP posts:
PaulAnkaTheDog · 04/02/2016 16:26

www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/star-wars-battlefront-0/user-reviews/adult

That's the actual parent user reviews. The majority saying ten or perhaps a bit younger.

The school will do nothing and even if they did, you would be setting your son up for a terrible time with his peers.

I'd honestly just back down. Ds(9) plays it, as do all his friends. It's fine.

Terribleknitter · 04/02/2016 16:29

Sorry OP I was talking about the Xbox one/ps4 game which according to common sense media appears to be a different game? No idea about any other game.

Terribleknitter · 04/02/2016 16:30

IT was in fact the one that Paul has just linked too... Blush

Original poster
AmyEaling · 04/02/2016 16:31

I don't understand then why it has a 16 rating. I know it would be easiest to back down, but you set yourself up then, for 'Oh now I'm thirteen I want to play 18 games' and it makes it harder to draw the line. It would be easiest to do everything kids want, but not necessarily in their interests.

OP posts:
PaulAnkaTheDog · 04/02/2016 16:36

I think in this case though you can explain. Show him the common sense media page and explain that's why you will allow it. Make it clear that it's an exception. I don't know any other games where I disagree with the age range but definitely this one.

Terribleknitter · 04/02/2016 17:08

I don't understand why it's got that rating either the more I look at it. The game seems to have a 13 rating elsewhere.
As for setting ourselves up for trouble, it's a game by game basis here. No flat rule where gaming is concerned, the kids can't afford to buy games themselves so if we decide that they're not getting a certain game then it's tough luck really!
Our reasoning gets explained to them, they argue the toss a bit then back down and accept it. Not always graciously but as I said, tough luck!

ZanyMobster · 04/02/2016 17:15

My 9 and 7 yo have it, I cannot see why the high rating other than it is quite difficult compared to some other games.

I think it is daft to have a blanket no 16+ games for an 11 year old. SUrely the best thing to do is check them out online etc. They also have WWE2k16 which is a 15 or 16. It really isn't worth the rating at all.

Surely it is for you to make the decision on what you believe is suitable for your child?

Tamirwen · 04/02/2016 17:23

That's... young. My 7 year old DS doesn't mention games at all - he's commented that 'a few' kids have iPads and Xboxes, but they play Ninjago games in the playground or police/chase games, certainly nothing as sophisticated as 'my friends all play grown-up games on the XBox AND now I'm being teased and excluded." All that at just 7? I wonder if maybe your son is having a bit of a fib to be honest. Excluding a child for not having the right XBox game seems a bit much for 7 year olds.

ZanyMobster · 04/02/2016 17:26

Most of my DS2s (7) friends have SWBF and the WWE2k16. Very few have older games than that but one or two have GTA which is awful fro kids that age. They aren't teased for not having games though but then 7 is very different to 11. Most of them have PS4s or XBOX 1s.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 04/02/2016 17:29

The kids 11 Tamirwen.

AveEldon · 04/02/2016 17:30

My 10 year old also wants it as some of his friends have it
However the online reviews say it's rubbish so I'm refusing on that basis!

dietcokeandwine · 04/02/2016 17:30

Tamiren the OP's ds is year 7 not aged 7. Mahoosive difference Smile

OP I also have an 11yo and would allow this. But explain your reasoning to him as a pp has outlined. I think consideration on a game by game basis is fine as long as your justifications are sound.

Terribleknitter · 04/02/2016 17:38

Ave DD1 found it slow going and it took ages to level up. DS however was happy as soon as he got Han Solo's gun!
She prefers games like terraria which simultaneously makes me think fondly of the zx spectrum while making my teeth itch.

AveEldon · 04/02/2016 18:25

Terribleknitter - did they play online or just the single player offline?

MuddlePuddle · 04/02/2016 19:16

My 18 year old has this game. He says that games are rated 16+ because they have an online element.

So it is possible that the game itself doesn't warrant a 16 rating but players might encounter bad language or behaviour if they play online with others.

Janeymoo50 · 04/02/2016 19:21

There are far, far worse games out there. My 12 year old nephew got it, I played the other night, it's really ok (but i wanted to watch Silent Witness instead so only played for 40 minutes). Honestly it's ok, i never thought of the age thing at all (compared to the gruesome, bloody GoT game I got my girlfriend for Christmas).

PaulAnkaTheDog · 04/02/2016 19:40

There are certain games where the age ratings are absolute. GTA being one. Some I see as more of a guideline.