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Parenting a preteen can be a minefield. Find support here.

Preteens

CoD Black ops - suitable for nearly 12yr old DS

12 replies

Dotty342kids · 12/02/2015 11:11

Hello all,

My son got an Xbox for Christmas and currently has things like Minecraft, James Bond and a couple of 12/15 cert driving games. All his friends, of course, have various Modern Warfare, Call of Duty games and he's desperate for one too.
He's just text me to ask to buy Black Ops from a friend who's selling it. I've read lots of reviews and I know you can change the options to reduce the blood / gore / language. Plus he's pretty sensible and only links up online with his actual friends, so won't be talking to lots of adult players.
However, it's still an 18 rated game......... and I feel that once we open those floodgates it'll be hard to say no to another one. Also, whilst we can sort out the blood, gore and language I'm not sure I'm ok with the general themes of torture and violence.
Would love to hear your opinions, particularly if you've got children of a similar age who play or want to play it

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HowardTJMoon · 12/02/2015 12:01

An 18-rated game for an 11 year old? Nope. Not a chance. My DS tried the "All my friends are getting them" line on me as well but, after I talked to some of the parents, that turned out to not be exactly true.

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gamerchick · 12/02/2015 12:08

It's not the game itself I have a problem with. It's xbox live when they all get together on it... friends or strangers.

They scream, swear, insult each other and it can put them in a vile mood.
What about blur? It's a driving game with a kick and brilliant fun if he doesn't have it.

It'd also a good way to see how he reacts to being beaten on a game.

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Dotty342kids · 12/02/2015 12:30

When he uses X box live he only plays with real life friends. And he plays downstairs where we can hear / see him so any behaviour like that and it'd get stamped on sharpish

I do agree that many kids may not have those games, but many of his friends do. They're decent kids, who behave and achieve well, so I'm not overly worried about him getting into a world of bad attitude........
Oh, I don't know - it's so hard!

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PeteCampbellsRecedingHairline · 12/02/2015 12:34

We've had this since the age of 9 with DS1 who is now 12. And yes, his friends do all have it.

I don't like the games; it puts him in a foul mood when he plays them, whether he is online or not. At the end of the day, I don't let him watch 18 films so he doesn't get 18 games.

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ArcheryAnnie · 12/02/2015 12:41

Nope. They are 18 for a reason. My DS is 13, and most of his friends have had CoD, GTA, etc etc for several years, but I haven't, and won't cave. There are still plenty of other games that they can play together online.

Does he have Civ V? That's quite a good one, and suitably grown-up without having any "shoot a prostitute in the head and then drive over her corpse" options.

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gallicgirl · 12/02/2015 12:44

Would you let him do anything else that was 18 rated?
Like watch 18 films or drink or smoke?

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gamerchick · 12/02/2015 12:45

It doesn't matter. Even real life friends do the insults.

It does put them in a vile mood. Having a game interrupted gives me a flash of irritation but controllable. Young developing brains can't control it and really does affect them.

It's your call but you've been warned

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Dotty342kids · 12/02/2015 12:50

Thanks for all the useful advice, it really is good to hear from others facing similar struggles with their kids.
I have said to him that I'd be happy to consider, on an individual basis, 15 games but it does feel like an 18 is going too far.
Will also discuss with DH when he gets home tonight. Have told him he can agree with friend to buy the game but if his dad and I don't think it's suitable, he'll be selling it straight on again

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SLW19324 · 14/03/2015 16:02

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GahBuggerit · 14/03/2015 16:08

CoD with the filters on arent much different to James Bond tbh which are mostly rated 16 iirc

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GahBuggerit · 14/03/2015 16:09

oh ffs, fledgling zombie thread

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Dotty342kids · 17/03/2015 15:31

Yes, after much debating between myself and DH we agreed with him that he could have it. DS was understandably thrilled!
He plays it with the filters on, and only with his rl friendship group, and as buggerit says, it's not that different to James Bond games. He still plays Minecraft and plants vs zombies and it hasn't taken him over or turned him into a vile, misogynistic lunatic so all is well

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