Judge nixes Minnesota game law

News via Gamespot

Another proposed bill to restrict the rental or sale of games to minors has been stricken down today. US Chief District Judge James M. Rosenbaum upheld a suit filed by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) to block a Minnesota law today, deeming it unconstitutional.

In May, Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law a bill that would fine minors $25 for purchasing or renting games rated M for Mature or AO for Adults Only and required retailers to post appropriate signage detailing the law in stores, much like alcohol warnings in liquor stores. The law was scheduled to go into effect tomorrow until today's ruling shot it down.

Like other game laws that were blocked before it, Judge Rosenbaum said the Minnesota law invalidly violates the First Amendment, which protects games as a form of free speech.

The state argued that the law would protect "the psychological well-being of minors" and foster "children's moral and ethical development." However, the judge's decision stated that the state failed to provide "empirical support for its belief that 'violent' video games cause psychological harm to minors."

Oh please! Are you serious? I'm so glad this got cut down. Thats just what I want to see at my local game stores. A big sign saying "WE CARD" lol.

The anger this awakens inside me is enormous. Out of all the ways to make a country better, this garbage gets proposed? What a joke.

Pretty soon the U.S.A. will be like China. There are so many bills in place to restrict our freedoms more and more its sick.

The first Amendment considers games to be a form of free speech? Awesome! I doubted anything like that could happen, but I like it! First Amendment, you never let me down!

I've been playing Quake since I was 9 and I haven't murdered anyone or anything. What they should really do is take it out on murderers who use video games as an excuse!

Hear Hear superfrenzy. im 15, and ive been playing the entire doom,wolf3d, and quake series since they came out. what people dont seem to understand is that only some gamers are psychos that go out and shoot up a school or kill their little brothers. those kids shouldnt be allowed to play games. i think, that if a kid has a history of violence or is extremly bipolar, he or she shouldnt play violent games. but who decides?

AHhh, no not my state, I was so happy not being hassled about video games in MN, hopefully this stops after this one law being stricken.

hey wstguy where in MN do you live? I live in the south. Anyways this sucks, is this for MN only or all states? I hate how MN makes all these rules like we cant have fireworks that leave the ground

I may be way too old to be affected by this law (age 26) but I still resent the idea of restricting video game sales. All this business about video games and tv being bad for kids and warping them into cold hearted killers or criminals is nothing more than a lame excuse, what really makes the difference here is good parenting and there is no substitute for that. Also, violent people have existed long before video games so one can not say that video games are going to make much of a difference.

If there are any parents protesting violent games or other media who happen to read this, please spend more time talking to kids and discussing any issues they may have or asking them about why they behave the way they do, that will help a hell of a lot more than simply taking away violent forms of media.