On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
Sure but to put it in real perspective you have to realize this was done while he was aged 13-19.
Dunno about you but when I was 13 I didn’t have $180/mo to spend on anything. I’m sure that the spend is curved and as he aged he spent more money, but a lot was spent as a minor.
That's why we have parents and our parents should teach us values. Buyers remorse is poor reason to blame others for your own stupidity.
Are you advocating that children of shitty parents are open season for exploitation?
I hear this excuse all the time.
I can be a predator and it's the parents fault if their kids fall prey.
I really wonder how many people remember what it was like to be a kid.
Not sure what the point of the article is - there are millions of people who are terrible at managing money and have addiction issues.
A 19 year old spends $13,000 on
booze, strippers, drugs
or
electronics, pimping out his car, guns, MTG cards etc, Justin Bieber autographed crap....
I mean you can waste money on just about anything, and in every case its the person who is the problem
I mean people pissing away money on stuff they shouldnt is newsworthy?
The point is that people (parents) need to understand that games are no longer just the one off purchase that they used to be, but now also push players to spend more and more on microtransactions.
People are generally already aware that booze and drugs are addictive and can cause various problems, there is plenty of information/education and warnings about those sort of things, but society is only just coming to terms with the issues surrounding loot boxes/microtransactions etc being pushed onto kids through games.
The thing is, this dollar amount is supposed to be shocking but I'm not impressed nor shocked. Any 19 year old with that much disposable income is most likely (family wise) well off, so 13k for Six years of entertainment for someone who is well off? yawn
Hell if I just added up the amount of money I spent on dates in the last 6 years I would be in the multiple thousands and I'm far from rich.
This is why all online games should have a "Health Warning" Clearly Displayed on the Retail Box, and in game this should be a requirement, and educate Teens & Adults on the Health Risks of spending too much time gaming, as well as Gambling Risks if "Micro Transactions" with Lootboxes are going to be used in the game.
I'll never understand gambling addiction, but it's clearly a real thing. I had a relative who was so addicted that he had actually gambled away all of children's tuition savings. Was crazy. I always knew this person to be a great father figure etc, so when the family heard about what had happened, nobody could believe it. I think he's still in therapy or something.
Also he reminds me of myself on Arche Age, having Several Accounts, even spending $3,000 in a F2P Game that close down within 3-4 year after due to cheaters, and stopped getting updates after 1 year, but after Arche Age I said Never Again, so now I never spend so much money in an online game especially if it requires multiple accounts to compete such as Arche Age, or Game OF War for that matter.
This whole article is facepalm worthy. "No one told me the stupid thing I was doing was stupid so that's why I kept doing it." cause telling smokers smoking is bad makes them all stop. Which they don't for those who don't know that.
But it is a struggle, the more success you have the less future success you will have because the hard core of smokers are the hardest to convince. So a campaign to stop gambling in games would help.
"Take-Two president Karl Slatoff yesterday: "The whole gambling regulator thing, we don't view that thing as gambling. Our view is the same as the ESA statement, for the most part. So that's going to play its course. In terms of the consumer noise you hear in the market right now, for me it's really all about content. It's about over-delivering on content. You can't force the consumer to do anything."
Apart from wondering what he was smoking when he rambled this, the "consumer noise" is actually the options of the people you sell to, he may not regard it as gambling but his customers are waking up to the fact it is.
All I hear is waa waa waa where is my safe room. Life doesnt have an instruction manual and you cant blame all of your problems on someone else. I swear this next generation....
On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
Sure but to put it in real perspective you have to realize this was done while he was aged 13-19.
Dunno about you but when I was 13 I didn’t have $180/mo to spend on anything. I’m sure that the spend is curved and as he aged he spent more money, but a lot was spent as a minor.
That's why we have parents and our parents should teach us values. Buyers remorse is poor reason to blame others for your own stupidity.
Are you advocating that children of shitty parents are open season for exploitation?
I hear this excuse all the time.
I can be a predator and it's the parents fault if their kids fall prey.
I really wonder how many people remember what it was like to be a kid.
Actually, yes! It is! There are parental responsibility acts in both US and Canada that place blame on the parent for the actions of their child.
If a kidnapper offers your kid candy and they take it and get kidnapped, is that your fault? YUP! Kinda is!
I'd flip this question on you and ask why you feel that this ISN'T a parent's responsibility. How does a parent allow their teenager to spend $180 a month and not notice? Fuck! My niece lives with me and we've had MULTIPLE conversations surrounding spending and saving and value and she's only lived with me for 8 months. The fact that in 6 years, 6 YEARS!, Nobody noticed that there was something going wrong here.... yeah, that's a problem.
This is why I've said since the beginning that the solution is one of education. The fact this guy is trying to do that is great. The answer is NOT placing the liability on the company, though. At all! Remember, there was some dude that died after laying WoW for 2 days or something? Should Blizzard be held accountable? How about that guy that got fired after playing Fallout for a week and not going to work? At least he accepts responsibility for his own actions, because it seems like there are plenty of people who want to make it about the industry, when it isn't. If it's not this isn't something else.
ESO had a company that would take a dollar out of your account right away to test it even though the debit was supposed to be weeks later. A lot of people complained about the dollar withdrawal and how their checks were bouncing because of it. At first I was shocked that people would have accounts that low without float but I know people who basically spend money just as soon as they get it right, down to the penny.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Maybe his parents are fine. I would've preferred my imaginary kid spent on games instead of booze and drugs.
Well, who am I kidding. Go for the liver and brain mate!
Constantine, The Console Poster
"One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others may despise it, is the invention of good games and it cannot be done by men out of touch with their instinctive selves." - Carl Jung
On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
Sure but to put it in real perspective you have to realize this was done while he was aged 13-19.
Dunno about you but when I was 13 I didn’t have $180/mo to spend on anything. I’m sure that the spend is curved and as he aged he spent more money, but a lot was spent as a minor.
That's why we have parents and our parents should teach us values. Buyers remorse is poor reason to blame others for your own stupidity.
Are you advocating that children of shitty parents are open season for exploitation?
I hear this excuse all the time.
I can be a predator and it's the parents fault if their kids fall prey.
I really wonder how many people remember what it was like to be a kid.
Actually, yes! It is! There are parental responsibility acts in both US and Canada that place blame on the parent for the actions of their child.
If a kidnapper offers your kid candy and they take it and get kidnapped, is that your fault? YUP! Kinda is!
I'd flip this question on you and ask why you feel that this ISN'T a parent's responsibility. How does a parent allow their teenager to spend $180 a month and not notice? Fuck! My niece lives with me and we've had MULTIPLE conversations surrounding spending and saving and value and she's only lived with me for 8 months. The fact that in 6 years, 6 YEARS!, Nobody noticed that there was something going wrong here.... yeah, that's a problem.
This is why I've said since the beginning that the solution is one of education. The fact this guy is trying to do that is great. The answer is NOT placing the liability on the company, though. At all! Remember, there was some dude that died after laying WoW for 2 days or something? Should Blizzard be held accountable? How about that guy that got fired after playing Fallout for a week and not going to work? At least he accepts responsibility for his own actions, because it seems like there are plenty of people who want to make it about the industry, when it isn't. If it's not this isn't something else.
That logic is also the root cause of victim blaming in things like rape "she was at a party drinking, what did she expect???" comes to mind.
It's a way to face only the reality you see from your perspective.
And no law in the US is going to automatically lay blame on parents for their kid getting kidnapped. The fact that you assert, in any general way, that parents would be responsible for such a thing is crazy.
I think many of you are missing the point, When you gamble you know it is dangerous. When you drink or smoke or start bad habits you have been warned. Loot boxes and predatory gaming practices are not something most people even know they can get addicted too. The victim blaming is strong with some of you people lol
On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
Sure but to put it in real perspective you have to realize this was done while he was aged 13-19.
Dunno about you but when I was 13 I didn’t have $180/mo to spend on anything. I’m sure that the spend is curved and as he aged he spent more money, but a lot was spent as a minor.
That's why we have parents and our parents should teach us values. Buyers remorse is poor reason to blame others for your own stupidity.
Are you advocating that children of shitty parents are open season for exploitation?
I hear this excuse all the time.
I can be a predator and it's the parents fault if their kids fall prey.
I really wonder how many people remember what it was like to be a kid.
Right? If your kid gets diddled by his coach, it must be your fault for allowing your kid to hang out with his or her coach without you. Shitty parenting!
Kyleran is right. That's less than 2 dinner and movie dates a month. Perspective.
Exactly why if you're not looking for a love based relationship, a prostitute is perfectly more economical. Like the old saying goes: A prostitute a month, keeps the... Or microtransactions...
On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
Sure but to put it in real perspective you have to realize this was done while he was aged 13-19.
Dunno about you but when I was 13 I didn’t have $180/mo to spend on anything. I’m sure that the spend is curved and as he aged he spent more money, but a lot was spent as a minor.
That's why we have parents and our parents should teach us values. Buyers remorse is poor reason to blame others for your own stupidity.
Are you advocating that children of shitty parents are open season for exploitation?
I hear this excuse all the time.
I can be a predator and it's the parents fault if their kids fall prey.
I really wonder how many people remember what it was like to be a kid.
Actually, yes! It is! There are parental responsibility acts in both US and Canada that place blame on the parent for the actions of their child.
If a kidnapper offers your kid candy and they take it and get kidnapped, is that your fault? YUP! Kinda is!
I'd flip this question on you and ask why you feel that this ISN'T a parent's responsibility. How does a parent allow their teenager to spend $180 a month and not notice? Fuck! My niece lives with me and we've had MULTIPLE conversations surrounding spending and saving and value and she's only lived with me for 8 months. The fact that in 6 years, 6 YEARS!, Nobody noticed that there was something going wrong here.... yeah, that's a problem.
This is why I've said since the beginning that the solution is one of education. The fact this guy is trying to do that is great. The answer is NOT placing the liability on the company, though. At all! Remember, there was some dude that died after laying WoW for 2 days or something? Should Blizzard be held accountable? How about that guy that got fired after playing Fallout for a week and not going to work? At least he accepts responsibility for his own actions, because it seems like there are plenty of people who want to make it about the industry, when it isn't. If it's not this isn't something else.
That logic is also the root cause of victim blaming in things like rape "she was at a party drinking, what did she expect???" comes to mind.
It's a way to face only the reality you see from your perspective.
And no law in the US is going to automatically lay blame on parents for their kid getting kidnapped. The fact that you assert, in any general way, that parents would be responsible for such a thing is crazy.
Ok, so you address the extreme and ignore the fact that parents ARE in fact responsible for their childs actions. It's law. Use google and stuff. Oh, and YES! If you haven't taught your kids not to take candy from strangers, then it IS your fault. There are plenty of good reasons that this education happens at home AND in school, and it's for safety. So why do you feel this is any different? Why is this not an education issue. Are you honestly saying that the parents should not be held responsible at all in this case? A case where their kid spent $20k on a game?
On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
I presume that you missed the point where the article talks about him being 19 years of age which means that 6 years back he was 13.
And i'll go on a limb here and say that you are much older than 19. With everything that implies in terms of occupational and financial status.
Unless you started paying for all the expenses you listed when you where still a teenager.
While I get he started at 13 I could have easily paid more than that at 14 where I had a job and nothing to spend my money on. Now, if he was using his mother's credit card that's a different thing. Though where were they to give him the talk?
But yeah, 14 years old, 180 per month? Wouldn't even break a sweat.
At 14, $180 would have been about 15% of my gross. I spent most of it on games, anime, D&D, and girls. Doesn't seem much different from what this guy did.
Is it just me or does it sound like I made up the "girls" part...
So glad the amount does not matter because is so low. Spending $180 on a game is something that is possible for me like every 6 months if being responsible. It would be a problem for me to be spending $180 a month because I would have to cut out other things including some food. Possible but at same time this was over multiple years with birthdays and holidays where money might have been given that allowed huge purchases at times.
I know I have been tempted to blow money on game shops but I generally stay away. The person also states that it was their actions and their addiction and not someone else that did it. They just wanted to share their story. Not everyone is the greatest writer and yet the person is being talked about in what I consider a negative way because was not a PR of huge company level of letter.
To me it doesn't matter if it is true or not as I know people who spend crazy amounts of money on their mobile games and I sit and don't understand how or why while also wishing I had that money since I think it is mostly a waste. It is their choice so it only really bothers me in that I know they help support such practices that I have never liked.
On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
Yeah this kid is a minnow in a sea of whales.
If I want a world in which people can purchase success and power with cash, I'll play Real Life. Keep Virtual Worlds Virtual!
Interesting little development since EA said that loot boxes couldn't be purely cosmetic because of disney, negating the fact that Battlefield in 2015 had cosmetic changes:
I mean, they had to know people would find them and post, or are they that stupid to think no one data mines pc titles.
On the surface it sounds shocking , but if evenly distributed across 6 years (probably was higher the past few as more disposable income was available) its roughly $180 per month.
Steep perhaps but I'll bet some folks here have spent that sort of caah, if not on gaming some other entertainment activity.
As I have paid for multiple accounts over the years it was not unusual to have $75 to $100 a month in active subs, plus the cost of initial box purchases, expansions and buying and maintaining 3 gaming capable PCs so all could play.
Heck, even now my media subs for cable TV, Netflix, XM radio (car and internet), and Slacker radio run me roughly $215 per month, not including On Demand fees and going out to the movies which adds easily $75 to $100 per month.
So yes, $13K is a lot for gaming MTs but my guess is some reading this would say I spend a foolish amount of money on monthly media.
But hey, much of that is to keep my wife entertained and happy so I can game in peace, money well spent in my book.
Alas I can't get her into gaming, probably be cheaper.
Sure but to put it in real perspective you have to realize this was done while he was aged 13-19.
Dunno about you but when I was 13 I didn’t have $180/mo to spend on anything. I’m sure that the spend is curved and as he aged he spent more money, but a lot was spent as a minor.
That's why we have parents and our parents should teach us values. Buyers remorse is poor reason to blame others for your own stupidity.
Are you advocating that children of shitty parents are open season for exploitation?
I hear this excuse all the time.
I can be a predator and it's the parents fault if their kids fall prey.
I really wonder how many people remember what it was like to be a kid.
Actually, yes! It is! There are parental responsibility acts in both US and Canada that place blame on the parent for the actions of their child.
If a kidnapper offers your kid candy and they take it and get kidnapped, is that your fault? YUP! Kinda is!
I'd flip this question on you and ask why you feel that this ISN'T a parent's responsibility. How does a parent allow their teenager to spend $180 a month and not notice? Fuck! My niece lives with me and we've had MULTIPLE conversations surrounding spending and saving and value and she's only lived with me for 8 months. The fact that in 6 years, 6 YEARS!, Nobody noticed that there was something going wrong here.... yeah, that's a problem.
This is why I've said since the beginning that the solution is one of education. The fact this guy is trying to do that is great. The answer is NOT placing the liability on the company, though. At all! Remember, there was some dude that died after laying WoW for 2 days or something? Should Blizzard be held accountable? How about that guy that got fired after playing Fallout for a week and not going to work? At least he accepts responsibility for his own actions, because it seems like there are plenty of people who want to make it about the industry, when it isn't. If it's not this isn't something else.
That logic is also the root cause of victim blaming in things like rape "she was at a party drinking, what did she expect???" comes to mind.
It's a way to face only the reality you see from your perspective.
And no law in the US is going to automatically lay blame on parents for their kid getting kidnapped. The fact that you assert, in any general way, that parents would be responsible for such a thing is crazy.
Ok, so you address the extreme and ignore the fact that parents ARE in fact responsible for their childs actions. It's law. Use google and stuff. Oh, and YES! If you haven't taught your kids not to take candy from strangers, then it IS your fault. There are plenty of good reasons that this education happens at home AND in school, and it's for safety. So why do you feel this is any different? Why is this not an education issue.
First off, your example is wholly irrelevant because that entire situation is silly. Kidnappers aren't hanging outta vans offering kids candy to jump in.
Kidnappers are much more intelligent than that, which is why kids become kidnapped DESPITE being told not to trust strangers. You're ignoring that to use the extreme to try and prove your own point, but you're just wrong about it, period.
The parents are not responsible for their kid being kidnapped, because the kidnapper is a predator who is consciously attempting to outwit or overpower a disadvantaged party who isn't aware of the techniques the predator uses. Sound familiar?
Do you think most consumers study the relevant psychology? Marketing consultants certainly study it. Do you think they (the consumers) study marketing and the tricks used to influence their buying decisions? If not, do you think it's effective for parents to attempt to coach their children on how to avoid marketing ploys? Do you think yourself immune because this specific instance of marketing psychology isn't as effective on you? Careful now, you should be prepared to back that statement up if you attempt to assert you are (HINT: nobody is immune, we just don't all fall for the same product marketing).
This whole article is facepalm worthy. "No one told me the stupid thing I was doing was stupid so that's why I kept doing it." cause telling smokers smoking is bad makes them all stop. Which they don't for those who don't know that.
I think its how it manifests from a young age that its not him using his intuition as an adult but trusting more in his environment as a 'child' to use what ever services available.
So may be games that have micro transactions should be age restricted to mature as well.
Write bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble
Comments
I hear this excuse all the time.
I can be a predator and it's the parents fault if their kids fall prey.
I really wonder how many people remember what it was like to be a kid.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
People are generally already aware that booze and drugs are addictive and can cause various problems, there is plenty of information/education and warnings about those sort of things, but society is only just coming to terms with the issues surrounding loot boxes/microtransactions etc being pushed onto kids through games.
Hell if I just added up the amount of money I spent on dates in the last 6 years I would be in the multiple thousands and I'm far from rich.
So yeah, such a non-story.
Oh.... wait a second.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Well telling smokers to stop, campaigns and the like do work: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31819352
But it is a struggle, the more success you have the less future success you will have because the hard core of smokers are the hardest to convince. So a campaign to stop gambling in games would help.
"Take-Two president Karl Slatoff yesterday: "The whole gambling regulator thing, we don't view that thing as gambling. Our view is the same as the ESA statement, for the most part. So that's going to play its course. In terms of the consumer noise you hear in the market right now, for me it's really all about content. It's about over-delivering on content. You can't force the consumer to do anything."
Apart from wondering what he was smoking when he rambled this, the "consumer noise" is actually the options of the people you sell to, he may not regard it as gambling but his customers are waking up to the fact it is.
Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.
Please do not respond to me
Actually, yes! It is! There are parental responsibility acts in both US and Canada that place blame on the parent for the actions of their child.
If a kidnapper offers your kid candy and they take it and get kidnapped, is that your fault? YUP! Kinda is!
I'd flip this question on you and ask why you feel that this ISN'T a parent's responsibility. How does a parent allow their teenager to spend $180 a month and not notice? Fuck! My niece lives with me and we've had MULTIPLE conversations surrounding spending and saving and value and she's only lived with me for 8 months. The fact that in 6 years, 6 YEARS!, Nobody noticed that there was something going wrong here.... yeah, that's a problem.
This is why I've said since the beginning that the solution is one of education. The fact this guy is trying to do that is great. The answer is NOT placing the liability on the company, though. At all! Remember, there was some dude that died after laying WoW for 2 days or something? Should Blizzard be held accountable? How about that guy that got fired after playing Fallout for a week and not going to work? At least he accepts responsibility for his own actions, because it seems like there are plenty of people who want to make it about the industry, when it isn't. If it's not this isn't something else.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Well, who am I kidding. Go for the liver and brain mate!
It's a way to face only the reality you see from your perspective.
And no law in the US is going to automatically lay blame on parents for their kid getting kidnapped. The fact that you assert, in any general way, that parents would be responsible for such a thing is crazy.
Exactly why if you're not looking for a love based relationship, a prostitute is perfectly more economical. Like the old saying goes: A prostitute a month, keeps the... Or microtransactions...
Ok, so you address the extreme and ignore the fact that parents ARE in fact responsible for their childs actions. It's law. Use google and stuff. Oh, and YES! If you haven't taught your kids not to take candy from strangers, then it IS your fault. There are plenty of good reasons that this education happens at home AND in school, and it's for safety. So why do you feel this is any different? Why is this not an education issue. Are you honestly saying that the parents should not be held responsible at all in this case? A case where their kid spent $20k on a game?
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
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Is it just me or does it sound like I made up the "girls" part...
I know I have been tempted to blow money on game shops but I generally stay away. The person also states that it was their actions and their addiction and not someone else that did it. They just wanted to share their story. Not everyone is the greatest writer and yet the person is being talked about in what I consider a negative way because was not a PR of huge company level of letter.
To me it doesn't matter if it is true or not as I know people who spend crazy amounts of money on their mobile games and I sit and don't understand how or why while also wishing I had that money since I think it is mostly a waste. It is their choice so it only really bothers me in that I know they help support such practices that I have never liked.
Yeah this kid is a minnow in a sea of whales.
If I want a world in which people can purchase success and power with cash, I'll play Real Life. Keep Virtual Worlds Virtual!
I mean, they had to know people would find them and post, or are they that stupid to think no one data mines pc titles.
Kidnappers are much more intelligent than that, which is why kids become kidnapped DESPITE being told not to trust strangers. You're ignoring that to use the extreme to try and prove your own point, but you're just wrong about it, period.
The parents are not responsible for their kid being kidnapped, because the kidnapper is a predator who is consciously attempting to outwit or overpower a disadvantaged party who isn't aware of the techniques the predator uses. Sound familiar?
Do you think most consumers study the relevant psychology? Marketing consultants certainly study it. Do you think they (the consumers) study marketing and the tricks used to influence their buying decisions? If not, do you think it's effective for parents to attempt to coach their children on how to avoid marketing ploys? Do you think yourself immune because this specific instance of marketing psychology isn't as effective on you? Careful now, you should be prepared to back that statement up if you attempt to assert you are (HINT: nobody is immune, we just don't all fall for the same product marketing).
So may be games that have micro transactions should be age restricted to mature as well.
Write bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble