Will the UK Byron Review dictate Star Fox's future?

[MrShowtime]

Recently in the UK, the Byron Review launched its finding on new technology and the effects it has on children.

While the Internet was let off the hook, video games were not. As of now, it appears the British Government has all the ammunition it needs to slap the official BBFC stickers on video games that are recommended for 12 years and over.

For non-UK people, here's what it looks like: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:BBFC_12_2002_onwards.png

So what does that mean for Nintendo and the Star Fox series? Well since fans have been calling for the storylines and gameplay to get darker, there's a chance that such themes would push the age limit up to the dreaded red and white sticker. Thus meaning that Nintendo would probably only be able to market the game to the "hardcore" Nintendo/Star Fox audiences and alienate younger gamers in the UK. Keeping in mind that Nintendo presents itself as a family company, that would be a dreadful thing to do since it relies somewhat on its younger fan base.

On the other hand, the younger generation losing one franchise may not actually be all that bad since Star Fox dates back to the early 90s and most of the Star Fox faithful are way beyond the age of 12. Plus with the arrival of newer games on the Wii and DS scene marketed to the lower ages, it could be a chance to cement Star Fox as a game for the mature audience block. However, it will be competing with a wide range of game in this sector of the gaming universe. Games such as Halo, Starcraft, Half-Life and other sci-fis would probably be hard to compete with but this maybe cancelled out by the Wiis and the DSs unique platforms.

Though the last argument would be that this review will do nothing at all and Star Fox will either live with the sticker or live under that sticker since no Star Fox game has ever got that high of a rating. The records currently stands at 7+ by the European PEGI system and T for Teen by the ESRB. Both held by Star Fox Assault on the GameCube.

The Byron Review: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/byronreview/

[DZComposer]

So, how is this rating different than the ESRB's T?

I doubt it will affect SF development much.

But really, this stuff is generational. First it was comic books, then television, then metal music, and now it is video games. If someone shoots up a room full of people, there is something wrong with that person that likely existed without the video game the may or may not have been playing.

[Sabre]

So what does that mean for Nintendo and the Star Fox series? Well since fans have been calling for the storylines and gameplay to get darker, there's a chance that such themes would push the age limit up to the dreaded red and white sticker.

Erm, it already does.

The only game post 15 bit era that I think slipped through the net was rachet gladiator. I think it should have been rated 7 or 12, not 3+

The british goverment is genrally more relaxed about censorship then most. Some countries you can get arrested for holding certain games, which is funny. Jailed for owning a game. The exception is when it become a bandwagon issue like Manhunt and GTA. Polatitions believe banning it will win them votes. Shops also like to play the PC card by banning them also. Lucky we have the internet, so buying banned games is not a problem provided they are released somewhere in Europe uncensored. I think it's the netherland that has a common sence 'dont like it dont buy' approch.

To pretty much close this argument. A little while ago, when knife crime was big in the news, they banned all knifes in games. A few weeks later God of War 2 came out. Pretty much says it all really.