Gamers' Voice slams Keith Vaz

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 23 May, 2011

Attacks "amateurish" early day motion.

UK gamer rights group Gamers' Voice has attacked notorious anti-video game MP Keith Vaz for tabling an "amateurish" early day motion.

Vaz's early day motion, titled "Video games and young people", reads:

"That this House welcomes the call by Shigero [sic] Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario, for people to drop their joypads and venture out into the sunlight once in a while; recognises that video games have addictive properties; notes that children flourish when they undertake a variety of extra-curricular experience; further notes the current Hungarian EU Presidency priority of protecting minors from harmful audiovisual media content in media legislation; is concerned about the potential impact of violent video games on those under 18; and calls on the Government to ensure the purchase of video games by those under 18 is carefully controlled and that parents are encouraged to limit the amount of time children spend on video games."

"Our issue with the EDM is its amateurish delivery and reactionary tone," Gamers' Voice said in a statement issued this morning.

"To declare that the people who play video games are all pale skinned recluses who shun social interaction is both absurd and insulting.

"It is also an outdated way of thinking and a view we at Gamers' Voice have done our utmost to eradicate.

"Besides, would Mr Vaz be equally as critical of children who spent their days pouring through poorly written fantasy books about boy wizards and teenage vampires? Probably not. After all, reading fiction is an acceptable pass time. Spending similar amounts of time playing of video games however can only lead to ruin. That is if Mr Vaz is to be believed, at any rate."

Vaz is no stranger to video game controversy, and has long been a strong anti-video game campaigner.

He has criticised a number of video games, including Manhunt, Manhunt 2, Bully and Counter-Strike.

But in January Vaz told Eurogamer: "I've never been against games".

"I've been against violent games that are able to fall into the hands of young people who are perhaps not able to understand the implications of what they're doing," he said.

Gamers' Voice calls on its members to support a motion calling for the research and development tax credits allowed for the games industry to be widened.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (67) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • streetmagix #1 1 year ago

    Ignore him and he MAY go away. Otherwise vote him out of office.

  • asphaltcowboy #2 1 year ago

    Here we go again...

  • agparrot #3 1 year ago

    Let's do that thing about calling him out on crushing that police investigation into his brown envelope activities, too.

  • RM2KMaster #4 1 year ago

    Stupid old cunt.

  • schnide #5 1 year ago

    "That this House welcomes [...] people to drop their joypads and venture out into the sunlight once in a while.."

    I love games, but he's right. It's important for kids to go outside and play. There's a real danger that letting kids stay indoors all the time to play on consoles because it's safer will damage their health as well as their social skills. Gamers' Voice, you don't speak for me, and I reject your all-too-commonplace reactionism.

    Edit: Just because you don't like Vaz for whatever reason (and there are plenty) doesn't mean there's no truth in what he's saying, whatever his motivation for saying it. You're no better than him if you kneejerk against it because you play games.
    Edited by schnide at 23/05/11 @ 12:37

  • Embra #6 1 year ago

    He's not even trying anymore, is he? That's the laziest piece Vaz has ever come up with. Poor boy. He's getting to be as old and tired as his rote rhetoric.

  • AaronTurner #7 1 year ago

    He's as corrupt as they come.

  • God_Octo #8 1 year ago

    Why does this even need to be discussed in Parliament. Apart from selling games to underage children, the rest of the stuff is things the parents should do. Tell your kids they've only got an hour on the Playstation etc.

  • actionfitz #9 1 year ago

    [link url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz
    ]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz
    [/link]

    Keith Vaz is a Moron. A rather shady one too.
    Oh and he has also signed several Early Day Motions in support of homeopathy...
    /sigh

  • silversun #10 1 year ago

    LOL this is just common sense why do they need make a motion , that is a bit insulting to be honest.

  • roquey Verified Lead Quality Assurance Tester and Compliance Specialist, Universally Speaking #11 1 year ago

    Gaming as a child helped me, its now my job. What about that?

  • oceanclub #12 1 year ago

    "I love games, but he's right. It's important for kids to go outside and play."

    Yes, but as someone has already said: if he tabled the exact same motion about reading, he'd be rightly condemned as an anti-intellectual, even if most kids are reading Harry Potter. When's the last time you heard a politician table a motion that kids should not spend all their time playing sport, but also devote time to intellectual pursuits?

    This is just Vaz jumping on his anti-gaming bandwagon again.

    P.

  • OrangesJoel #13 1 year ago

    In the interest of balance could you also add the [sic] annotation by the words "pouring through"? The word is "pore". Also "pastime".

    Still, doesn't change the fact that Vaz is a reactionary snob.

  • coolbritannia #14 1 year ago

    I see nothing wrong with what he said.

  • coolbritannia #15 1 year ago

    Taking what Keith said here, and reading this: [link url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/may/21/children-weaker-computers-replace-activity
    ]http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/m...[/link]

    I think it's a valid concern.

    None of this takes away from his previous cuntish behaviour however.

  • ZizouFC #16 1 year ago

    What is "sunlight"???

  • coojam #17 1 year ago

    For once, that quote from EDM is mostly spot on, there's some good points in there. It's talking mostly about things being balanced. If anything, Gamers Voice are the ones being all reactionary and defensive.

  • schnide #18 1 year ago

    @oceanclub

    When was the last time you heard about kids being as addicted to Harry Potter or tennis as much as World of Warcraft or Call of Duty?

  • Eraysor #19 1 year ago

    I thought he was an idiot even before I saw his support for homeopathy. Anyone who believes that homeopathy works really needs their sanity tested.

  • CaptainQuint #20 1 year ago

    Both sides have a point.

  • Bigglesworth #21 1 year ago

    +1 schnide & coolbritannia (edit: & coojam, whose comment I didn't see)

    I dislike Keith Vaz's practices and politics, but this particular motion sounds generally on the money. To me, it seems its 'Gamer's Voice' (and a number of people commenting above) coming across as reactionary and amateurish.
    Edited by Bigglesworth at 23/05/11 @ 12:00

  • lucky_jim #22 1 year ago

    I agree with Eraysor.

    And with Gamers' Voice. Although I do wish they'd used the correct word "pastime" rather "pass time". They'll be calling him a "looser" next.

    Edit: Two other points. Anyone who know anything about EU politics knows the Hungarian government is batshit crazy and insanely reactionary (they want to give extra votes to mothers based on how many children they have, ffs!). Vaz either knows this and is ignoring it, or he's so effing stupid that he doesn't even know about politics, his job.

    Secondly, props to whoever decided to put a Manhunt 2 ad next to this article!
    Edited by lucky_jim at 23/05/11 @ 12:03

  • Murton #23 1 year ago

    Thankfully Labour are out so this is the very most that Vaz could hope to do and while he may get a few dinosaurs on side he won't get enough signatures to actually trigger a commons debate. Even if he somehow did get a debate The Coalition would likely send in Ed Vaizey to counter and Vaz simply doesn't have the intelligence to go toe to toe with Ed on this matter and that would be the end of it.

    It's a shame that AV didn't go though, it was our best chance to end the safe seat nonsense that's kept Vaz in Parliament all these years and will keep him in until he either retires or dies, whichever comes first.

  • DiamondIce #24 1 year ago

    I would rather be called a c**t online than being called one outside my own house. As far as I am concerned some kids are better off kept inside.

  • Dr_Wookiee #25 1 year ago

    Keith Vaz is a toilet ... no doubt. All the 11 year olds playing Black Ops does disturb me a bit though. I personally think that MS or Sony should look at your gamer profile and block games that are unsuitable.

    Also, it clearly depends what kids are playing. Playing Sim City or Civilisations or Final Fantasy or Portal is so very different to mindlessly ploughing 12 hours a day getting to Prestige level 15 on Black Ops.

  • Zombie-Hamster #26 1 year ago

    I largely agree with what's said here but surely it's down to the parents, not the government, to determine what their child is playing as well as how long for. As long as parents are willing to buy games for their kids that are completely inappropriate, what's the government supposed to do about it?

  • The12thMonkey #27 1 year ago

    True to his form, old Vaz

    Also, I'd like to start a motion that EG will stop using amateurish language in headlines. "slammed?" can't we just say criticised?

  • Bigglesworth #28 1 year ago

    I personally think that MS or Sony should look at your gamer profile and block games that are unsuitable.

    They do, its called Parental Controls.

  • Seoh #29 1 year ago

    Actually i thought it seemed quite sensible, the selling of games does need to be controlled better and parents do need to get more involved.

    Its not saying grand theft auto should be banned, just not sold to 12 year olds.

  • oceanclub #30 1 year ago

    @schnide: The salient point being that noone refers to sports "addiction". I know people who spend every day watching football, reading about it online, then following their team around to see matches. Yet, if someone else spent the same amount of time dedicated to video games, they'd get snide remarks about "addiction". As a kid I probably spent 3 hours a day reading; was that "addiction"?

  • Captain_Jono #31 1 year ago

    Would anyone represented by the following MP's mind sending them a letter asking them not to waste precious legislative time with this nonsense?

    Campbell, Ronnie, Labour Party, Blyth Valley
    Caton, Martin, Labour Party, Gower
    Clark, Katy, Labour Party, North Ayrshire and Arran
    Corbyn, Jeremy, Labour Party, Islington North
    Dobbin, Jim, Labour Party, Heywood and Middleton
    Hancock, Mike, Liberal Democrats, Portsmouth South
    Hopkins, Kelvin, Labour Party, Luton North
    Meale, Alan, Labour Party, Mansfield
    Simpson, David, Democratic Unionist Party, Upper Bann
    Tredinnick, David, Conservative Party, Bosworth
    Vaz, Keith, Labour Party, Leicester East

    Thankfully my own MP isn't listed for once!
    Edited by Captain_Jono at 23/05/11 @ 12:33

  • Markusdragon #32 1 year ago

    That this house believes that Mr Keith Vaz, the reputably dodgy honourable gentleman and member for Leicester East should shut his cake-hole.

  • overcorpse #33 1 year ago

    'I love games, but he's right. It's important for kids to go outside and play. There's a real danger that letting kids stay indoors all the time to play on consoles because it's safer will damage their health as well as their social skills. Gamers' Voice, you don't speak for me, and I reject your all-too-commonplace reactionism.'

    This.

  • Bigglesworth #34 1 year ago

    I tabled an Early Day Motion today too, by the way.

    In my bathroom, whilst reading the paper.

  • schnide #35 1 year ago

    @oceanclub

    Following a football team can at least be more social and gets you out the house. Online gaming is very, very rarely social in any real sense anymore than Facebook is social. And if you genuinely don't think that gaming has a far higher potential for people to get addicted than following a football team, you and I are just going to have to agree to disagree.

  • sega #36 1 year ago

    "Besides, would Mr Vaz be equally as critical of children who spent their days pouring through poorly written fantasy books about boy wizards and teenage vampires?"

    Hey, Gamer's Voice - I think that those books happen to be particularly well written I'll have you know. I hope you're not trying to put a negative spin on them - we don't want politicians burning books again as we all know where that leads...
    Edited by sega at 23/05/11 @ 12:44

  • Stuz359 #37 1 year ago

    But the media have convinced me the outside world isn't safe. Terrorists, muggers, rapists, paedophiles, teenage gangs and the possibility of being hit by an asteroid mean I cannot go outside.

  • TitusCrow #38 1 year ago

    There is an upside to this tomfoolery; If they enforce the 18 ratings COD / MW2 etc... are history! No more getting owned by raging 11 year old's who curse your mother, question your sexuality and at then end of every round play some dreadful "rap" music down the mic to prove how "street" they are.

  • O11Y #39 1 year ago

    I agree with some of the sentiment behind his argument, it isn't healthy or constructive for a child to be stuck in front of a TV / monitor all day - which is increasingly becoming the case in this country. However in my opinion this is a parenting / cultural issue, and any kind of Parliamentary motion would obviously be unwelcome and an intrusion on civil liberties.
    Edited by O11Y at 23/05/11 @ 13:17

  • Ryze #40 1 year ago

    Vaz is a fucking idiot. Case closed.

  • Inmediasress #41 1 year ago

    @lucky_jim

    We vetoed the extra votes nonsense a while back. It was more of a "bread and circus" move to keep peoples toughts from the real problem that is our non existent economy which will bite us in the ass, somewhere in the upcomming 5-10 years.

    As for the whole "sunlight" dilemma it's quite frankly the parents job to shove their childrens asses outdoors once in a while.
    Edited by Inmediasress at 23/05/11 @ 13:26

  • BigJonno #42 1 year ago

    Yes, it's true that parents should encourage their children to lead balanced lifestyles and engage in a wide range of activities. However, what Vaz said is out of order because it singles out video games as being this terrible thing that needs to be controlled.

  • jawapower #43 1 year ago

    Not wanton

  • razzastuta #44 1 year ago

    @schnide

    Doug Stanhope on Addiction: "Addiction is just things you enjoy better than life".

    Heck, I thought it was funny.

  • jawapower #45 1 year ago

    As much as he needs a slap, I do agree with him on young children playing 'adult' games. As a primary school deputy head, the vast majority of the children (boys) in my class all regularly play COD, GTA, Assassins Creed etc. Their parents don't have a clue with regards to content and, for some, it is their main past time. You recognise them by low attainment and doughy appearance. Parents see it as a cheap solution to child care and want them out of their hair.

  • FabricatedLunatic #46 1 year ago

    and calls on the Government to ensure the purchase of video games by those under 18 is carefully controlled

    What do you think those enormous, prominent, legally-bound BBFC certificates are for you fucking cretin?

  • nobloodyname #47 1 year ago

    I live in the Leicester East constituency and, believe me, the possibility of Vaz ever losing his seat is as remote as could be.

  • schnide #48 1 year ago

    @beemoh

    Oh really? Because Gamers' Voice's reply seems to be criticising what he said rather heavily. My knees remain unjerked :)

  • Softie2k #49 1 year ago

    "I've been against violent games that are able to fall into the hands of young people who are perhaps not able to understand the implications of what they're doing," he said.

    They should play the tutorial then...

  • desperado67 #50 1 year ago

    Wanker.

  • someidiot #51 1 year ago

    Yup fair point. You can read outside btw, books are good like that.

    He's still a Penfold-looking mofo mind.

  • Kendalf #52 1 year ago

    At the risk of becoming a Eurogamer pariah by agreeing with both Keith Vaz AND coolbritannia in one post (as well as schnide and Bigglesworth)…

    “That this House welcomes the call by Shigero [sic] Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario, for people to drop their joypads and venture out into the sunlight once in a while;”
    Who wouldn’t?

    “recognises that video games have addictive properties;”
    If we’re being totally honest, not one of us here would deny this either – it’s part of the appeal.

    “notes that children flourish when they undertake a variety of extra-curricular experience;”
    Another indisputable fact.

    “further notes the current Hungarian EU Presidency priority of protecting minors from harmful audiovisual media content in media legislation;”
    Not an expert here, but doesn’t sound like a bad priority (and doesn’t single out video games either), does it?

    “is concerned about the potential impact of violent video games on those under 18;”
    Who isn’t? Just as they are about violent TV, films and song lyrics.

    “and calls on the Government to ensure the purchase of video games by those under 18 is carefully controlled and that parents are encouraged to limit the amount of time children spend on video games.”
    Again, who here doesn’t think this is a good idea?

    And yet, rather than debate the points raised (or, horror of horrors, accept some of them), as a community we seem incapable of doing anything other than resort to (depressingly predictable) petulant personal insults, as if that somehow validates our position: Keith Vaz is a toilet / wanker / moron / stupid old cunt / fucking idiot etc etc.

    We’re not going to be taken seriously as a community until we can handle criticism or discussion of our preferred hobby in a much more mature, reflective manner.

    Sorry.
    Edited by Kendalf at 23/05/11 @ 16:53

  • lucky_jim #53 1 year ago

    Incidentally, what would happen to Keith Vaz if he saw a kid playing a DS or PSP... outside?! Someone has to make it happen, the shock would hopefully finish him off.

  • FortysixterUK #54 1 year ago

    lol...I read this:-
    "tabling an "amateurish" early day motion. "
    and immediately thought of someone taking a very un-professional shit on the table at the house of commons.

  • TRUTH #55 1 year ago

    Keith Vaz will use the race card to win - he always does this; all white people are racist, all Muslims are victims, the police are after me because I'm Asian not because of fraud and lies that I'm getting away with...Just another dumb lost weeping attention seeking Labour member who needs something to complain about to look busy..all talk, no action!

    Edited by TRUTH at 23/05/11 @ 18:10

  • schnide #56 1 year ago

    @Kendalf

    +100

  • Al_Swearengen #57 1 year ago

    Jack Thompson tried and failed. If the media would just ignore this Vaz guy and clueless politians like him then maybe they'll just go away and beat some other dead horse. That includes Eurogamer too... stop reporting this junk. Leave the Vaz's, Thompson's and Anne Diamonds of this world to play in their own irrelevant little sandboxes.
    Regardless of their beliefs and regardless or whether they have a point, the money made from this industry will trump anything they care to throw at it.
    Good night and good luck.

  • Climhazzard #58 1 year ago

    Young kids spend more time watching awful tv programmes than they do playing games. Videogames aren't responsible for making kids violent, if they were i'd have killed many people by now. People who commit murders or attempted murders are messed up in the head anyway, they have to be. People like that will commit these crimes wether they play games or not.
    Vaz is just looking for a scapegoat but unfortunately for him he's picking on the wrong crowd.

  • Kendalf #59 1 year ago

    Sorry, beemoh

    I’m going to have to disagree. Mr Vaz is not “spouting nonsense” here on this occasion, as you put it. Others certainly have in recent months, on this side of the Atlantic and the other, and he may have done so regularly in the past, but nothing in his Early Day Motion 1807 under discussion here seems outlandish, unreasonable or prejudiced to me.

    What does, in my opinion, is many Eurogamers’ reaction to it…
    Edited by Kendalf at 23/05/11 @ 19:38

  • GTFRoundsdown #60 1 year ago

    Quality MP there. Didn't he loose office for dodgy payments for his employees/family? Everything within reason.

  • bslsimes #61 1 year ago

    @Kendalf There's also nothing in it of any substance. We already know what causes the problem of 18-rated games getting into the hands of minors: their parents buy the games for them and ignore the ratings and then scream blue murder when they eventually wander back into the same room as the electronic babysitter and find out what it is they bought. The EDM is nothing but grandstanding.

  • Kendalf #62 1 year ago

    @bslsimes

    Yes, it quite possibly is “grandstanding” and there quite possibly is “nothing in it of any substance”. After all, to me, it’s a list of truisms that should be plain as day to anyone remotely interested in the videogame industry and the fact that it’s garnered only 11 signatories in 10 days should probably tell Mr Vaz the same.

    But I’m in danger of being drawn into something here that I have no wish whatsoever to do: defending Mr Vaz, a man whose “indiscretions” during his political career are well-documented and whose assaults on the videogame industry in the past have, unlike on this occasion, genuinely been tenuous or even baseless.

    I just wish we could have discussed this latest EDM in a less hysterical manner. Or, in fact, discussed it at all…
    Edited by Kendalf at 23/05/11 @ 23:22

  • meanmrmustard #63 1 year ago

    I'm a "pale skinned recluse who shuns social interaction" not because of video games but because there are so many Keith Vaz-like reactionary twunts in the world.

  • H_D_Swagger #64 1 year ago

    "God, when will they stop presecuting us bla bla bla" some of you people really need to grow up, this is a complete non-story.

  • Murton #65 1 year ago

    "I think that those books happen to be particularly well written"

    The original authors who's works were plaigarised to create them wouldn't agree. JK Rowling is the Apple of the literary world, her main character is completely ripped off of the main from The Books of Magic of Neil Gaiman, her monsters largely copied from Lord of the Rings and Harry Potters rise as a wizard is quite reminiscent of Luke Skywalker's becoming a Jedi Knight. In fact line up the scene where Harry is first told about his father with the scene where Obi Wan explains the same to Luke and the exact same tone and wording are used, merely swap Jedi for Wizard and you're done. The whole series is a sham, and not a particularly well written one at that.

  • MaybeLater #66 1 year ago

    It amazes me that Gaming still generates such ire, yet baying at virtual retards for their lack of talent (in the form of TV Talent shows), expressing one's own ill informed opinions on essentially fraudulent 'news' stories and stalking then dissecting every aspect of the lives of so called celebrities, whilst at the same time perpetuating a culture of ludicrous entitlement, are all positively encouraged.
    I'll happily spend less time gaming when society gets it's act together and is worth playing a more active role in.

  • schnide #67 1 year ago

    @beemoh

    "To declare that the people who play video games are all pale skinned recluses who shun social interaction is both absurd and insulting. It is also an outdated way of thinking and a view we at Gamers’ Voice have done our utmost to eradicate. Besides, would Mr Vaz be equally as critical of children who spent their days pouring through poorly written fantasy books about boy wizards and teenage vampires? Probably not. After all, reading fiction is an acceptable pass time. Spending similar amounts of time playing of video games however can only lead to ruin. That is if Mr Vaz is to be believed, at any rate."

    It seems to me that it's about both the delivery and thus the content, even if only implied. This adds to my personal opinion that Gamers' Voice are reactionary and speaking on behalf of those they can't speak for.
    Edited by schnide at 25/05/11 @ 13:21