Has Nintendo found the perfect way to 1-up game content critics?

nintendo parental controlsSome comments made by Nintendo Sr. Director of Communication, Beth Llewelyn in an interview with GamePolitics.com shed some new insight on the Manhunt 2 Wii release debate. When asked how the game will affect the family friendly image Nintendo has developed over the years Ms. Llewelyn made a comment that pretty well summed up the controversy in a single swift blow.

“If parents are concerned about kids having access to inappropriate Wii games, we encourage them to utilize the PIN-operated Parental Control features built into Wii.�

I’ve read tons about the controversy already surrounding Manhunt 2’s release on on the Wii but this is the first time I considered this or seen anyone else comment on it. Now parents have to do even less to monitor what their children see and hear.

Forget having to worry about your children buying games you find inappropriate, just turn on the “v-chip� like parental feature built right into the Wii. How simple but ingenious!

If all consoles were to adopt parental controls of this nature, we could safely keep the relentless censorship advocates like Jack Thompson at bay. Well actually I take that back. Jack Thompson cares more about restricting 1st amendment rights than he does the well being children.

Anyone else have this premonition before I just did?

Source: GoNintendo & Gamepolitics.com



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  • JOe

    y 18 i thought M games were 17. if this is an Ao is it the first in history? ( not counting san adraes that was a mod)

  • JOe

    y 18 i thought M games were 17. if this is an Ao is it the first in history? ( not counting san adraes that was a mod)

  • DesignerKid

    All of the new consoles have parental controls.

  • DesignerKid

    All of the new consoles have parental controls.

  • http://www.shanoboy.com/ shanoboy

    Sorry, I didn’t realize the xbox 360 and ps3 had parental controls too. I never really got to play those very much.

  • http://www.shanoboy.com/ shanoboy

    Sorry, I didn’t realize the xbox 360 and ps3 had parental controls too. I never really got to play those very much.

  • http://www.shanoboy.com/ shanoboy

    Sorry, I didn’t realize the xbox 360 and ps3 had parental controls too. I never really got to play those very much.

  • http://www.shanoboy.com shanoboy

    Sorry, I didn’t realize the xbox 360 and ps3 had parental controls too. I never really got to play those very much.

  • http://www.zombiefood.com/ whitey

    I never would have bought a Wii if I had known that Nintendo was going to purposefully avoid all non-family games. I hope this lets more developers breath a little easier.

  • http://www.zombiefood.com whitey

    I never would have bought a Wii if I had known that Nintendo was going to purposefully avoid all non-family games. I hope this lets more developers breath a little easier.

  • gamestop employee

    it wouldn’t be the first, the second, or even the fourth, ao games have been around for years, most people don’t hear about them because most retailers just don’t carry those games

  • gamestop employee

    it wouldn’t be the first, the second, or even the fourth, ao games have been around for years, most people don’t hear about them because most retailers just don’t carry those games

  • http://reefinyateef.blogspot.com/ reefinyateef

    Wow, I forgot all about the parental controls. Nintendo is very smart. Parents have no one to blame but themselves if they are upset at little Jimmy playing Manhunt 2 in their house.

  • http://reefinyateef.blogspot.com reefinyateef

    Wow, I forgot all about the parental controls. Nintendo is very smart. Parents have no one to blame but themselves if they are upset at little Jimmy playing Manhunt 2 in their house.

  • http://www.xanga.com/relaxing_roth Roth

    You mean Timmy? ^
    Well, unless for those who got their Wiis at launch and doesn’t have internet access means they haven’t updated their firmware to download the Parental Controls feature for the Wii Options. I already thought the Parental Controls were to censor blood and sexual images as such in GTA. Well, let’s see how it does its job. There better not be any TV news about how games are getting too violent and sexy for children.

    // Roth

  • http://www.xanga.com/relaxing_roth Roth

    You mean Timmy? ^
    Well, unless for those who got their Wiis at launch and doesn’t have internet access means they haven’t updated their firmware to download the Parental Controls feature for the Wii Options. I already thought the Parental Controls were to censor blood and sexual images as such in GTA. Well, let’s see how it does its job. There better not be any TV news about how games are getting too violent and sexy for children.

    // Roth