Ireland one of four states to ban violent game

Ireland is one of only four EU States to have banned violent video games such as Manhunt 2, according to a European Commission survey.

This is one of the main findings of a study by the Commission of how the Pan European Game Information (Pegi) rating is being implemented in member states.

Pegi ratings describe the the violence, sexual content and bad language within a game. The survey found that many EU nations are doing little or nothing to enforce the age limits on games identified by Pegi.

The Film Censor's Office (Ifco) banned Manhunt 2 last year after finding the "gross, unrelenting and gratuitous violence" unacceptable. It is the only video game banned in Ireland.

Deputy Irish censor, Ger Connolly told The Irish Timestoday that the ban on Manhunt 2 remains in place and that the publisher Rockstar Games has not sought to appeal the decision. 

The ban would remain in place "until such time as it was reviewed", he added. His office reviews all 18+ rated video games before their commercial release in Ireland, but he stressed that less than 5 per cent of games carried this release.

As part of the ban on Manhunt 2, Mr Connolly said Ifco officers checked games shops to see if it was being stocked. "To date we haven't seen copies of it."

Someone buying the game online or importing it from another country would be committing a criminal offence, he added. 

Apart from Ireland, only the UK, Germany and Italy have banned violent video games.

The European Commission wants videogame makers and retailers to come up with an industry code of conductt to better protect children from violent images by 2010.

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for the Information Society and Media said today the Pegi was an example of "industry self-regulation" and was the only such system with almost pan-European coverage.

"However, I believe it can be greatly improved by fully implementing Pegi online. I also call on member states and the industry to govern the sale of video games in shops to respect the fundamental need to protect minors."

At that stage the Commission expects worldwide revenues from video gaming to reach €30 billion, with the 27-nation EU accounting for a third.