Recently, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board changed the rating for the hit game “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” from a ‘Mature’ rating to ‘Adults Only.’

The rating was changed as a result of an investigation showing a hidden pornographic scene.

With the sudden change in rating policy, the Northern Star set out to ask if video games and movies should be treated equally?

“Yes. You would give the same rating system for movies as for video games. Since there are different sub-ratings for TV shows, it [ratings] would be more universal and easier.”

Dan Sherrill

DeKalb Resident

Local Author

“Yes, because the games are accessible, and if kids had access to a game like “Grand Theft Auto,” it’s wrong because of the content. The categorizing needs to be more strict.”

Obaid Baig

Graduate Student

Engineering

“I think so. I used to work at a company who saw …eight or 10 [year olds]

buy inappropriate games.

I laughed at first, but realized that now it is more serious, and if I had kids, I wouldn’t allow them to buy it.”

Tim Wilkinson

Senior

Psychology

“The problem is that despite the fact that ‘Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ was given an ‘AO’ rating, an underage kid will still get it despite a lack of enforcement. If a kid has the ability to buy the game, he will buy it.”

Sheldia Burrell

Sophomore

Sociology

“It would not matter because as far as movies go, a parent would bring a thirteen-year-old into an R-rated movie and as long as the parent is over 18, the kid can still watch the movie. It wouldn’t accomplish anything.”

Iyana Taylor

Sophomore

Business

“No. Movies are more realistic than video games, and [are] more graphic.”

Frederic Henderson

Freshman

Business

“Video games should be different since they are in a different genre, as opposed to movies, since they are more realistic.”

Sarah Fatigati

Freshman

Undecided