Go Alone When Buying M-Rated Video-Games

Posted by Cal Holiday 01/15/2008 6:23 pm

This is a ridiculoous story. I have had similar problems with Best Buy so I stopped buying there.

Posted by Allan Gabriel 01/15/2008 7:26 pm

Yeah, I agree, nobody should go through the red tape of these brainless sales-persons.

Posted by Akrid 03/16/2008 1:50 am

....Its not even illegal for a minor to buy it as long as they have permission from an adult.....

Posted by Chris 03/16/2008 6:07 am

It's like the story I saw a while back about a cashier not taking 2-dollar bills because he thought they were fake, until he was told (and humiliated) by the security guard he called that they were, indeed, real. Most cashiers are intelligent and nice, but there are enough stupid and arrogant ones that it really ruins the experience of buying at actual stores versus buying things online.

Posted by Anon 03/16/2008 6:34 am

What an outrage. In no way is it illegal to buy a minor an M rated game. It isn't even illegal for a minor to buy a game. The only reason why retailers like Best Buy don't sell M rated games to minors is because it's store policy. No police officer can legally arrest you for buying your little brother a game.

Posted by R3unbreakable 03/16/2008 12:41 pm

I am a responsible, well spoken, well mannered 16 year old (hard to believe i know) the only place i have ever been treated like this was gamestop. Since it was in a mall where a target was also located, i wandered over to the target and bought my game with nothing other than a thank you. I walked away a victorious boy, and target was now 50 dollars fatter.

Posted by Jon Davis 03/17/2008 1:02 am

It's illegal (in some places) to sell 'M' rated games to minors. It's not illegal to sell an'M' rated game to an adult who wants to give it to a minor.

Posted by Sean 03/18/2008 12:48 am

It isnt illegal to buy an M rated game for a minor....people above 18 can bring minors into r rated movies, this is pretty much the same thing. And i would have told that lady what she could go do with herself.

Posted by Nathan 03/21/2008 3:03 am

I'd have flipped out if I was this guy! I'd have gone completely Altair on that cashier man! What a buncha hooey! Big Box stores are so damned annoying sometimes. The nice experiences you have there are always obliterated and peed on by some rule-following arsehole like the aforementioned cashier.

Posted by god 03/22/2008 3:12 am

I'mma go kill these dumb fucks.

Posted by w00temon 03/22/2008 7:05 am

That's horrid.

I'm not one to cause a scene and it doesn't sound like you are either, but I could easily have seen you provoking them into calling the police, which would have failed miserably. You could also write an official complaint up at headquarters level about the incident. Including the manager will get their attention.

Posted by mc2w 03/28/2008 8:40 am

This happened to me as well, except I was the 15 year old person who was supposed to be receiving the game. Eventually we found a random person to get the game for us.

Posted by Shinobi 03/30/2008 10:54 pm

Since none of you are apparently in the customer service industry, I guess I'll have to dispense with a bit of education. Barring the original writer of the article, outrage that the store wouldn't sell him the game is unwarranted. Outrage at how the staff at the store handled the situation is, however, appropriate.

Most if not all stores, at a corporate level, have a policy in place regarding how they deal with the sales of "M" and "AO" games. This policy usually goes farther than local law, especially when the store in question is part of a regional or nationwide chain (i.e. Wal-Mart, GameStop). The company polices these stores, holding their employees accountable for upholding these policies. The effect on the industry is palpable (Manhunt 2 edited down to make it "M" rated instead of "Adults Only" because retailers like Wal-Mart wouldn't sell it). Can the retailers sell these games legally? Probably (though many places DO have local laws forbidding the sales of AO materials to minors, and some may even go as far as banning "M" titles too). But the employees have a responsibility to their jobs, and must follow those policies. This can also include forbidding sales to an adult who intends to give the material to a minor unless that adult is the legal guardian or parent of the minor. As the author is not the legal guardian, the employee was correct to not sell the game if she believed you were buying it explicitly for him, according to company policy. This falls in line with what I know of retail procedure at mega-chains.

Now, was this handled appropriately? Not at all. The customer service sounds like it was extremely poor and inconsiderate, even offensive. At no retailer is this allowed or encouraged. They should have handled it differently, certainly. But any retailer reserves the right to choose not to sell you their merchandise (as long as it's not doctor-prescribed medication, but that's another issue). Just as you have the option to go to another store with your business, they have the right to not sell you games as their company directs. If you choose to make a scene, this is a bad stand to take, as you can be ejected from the store by the police or store security. That isn't illegal either, chummer.

Posted by jagfan 04/05/2008 7:33 am

Wow. Just wow. I am my self a mild mannered 16 year old and apparently renting M rated games is "illegal" also. I've had similar experiences with blockbuster when doing the same thing. But this story just takes the cake of cakes imo.

Posted by Brad 04/05/2008 7:52 am

This seems not far from illegal on their part. If anybody has worked in Loss Prevention before they might know what I mean.

To announce that you have done something illegal in front of other customers, without making a charge against you is tantamount to slander. They can be sued for this, and you may even receive a nice settlement to keep this quiet.

Same reason why you cant tackle a shoplifter until he actually leaves the store.

Posted by CG 04/07/2008 5:55 am

re: Shinobi's post

well written reply is well written.

Posted by Frank Grimes 11/26/2008 4:47 pm

A few years back my cousin bought my younger brother and I some walmart cards. I went in to pick up all the evil dead ficks. They carded me, but when I said I had no id with me, they just sold it to me anyway. Even with the obvious minor beside me.

Posted by Stak 11/27/2008 9:48 am

Just to clear something up....Games are not censored down to make it to an M rating so big box stores will carry them (although that may have something to do with it for some PC games) but are dumbed down because all major console manufacturer's have policies stating that AO games are not allowed on their systems. Kind of hard to sell a console game if it isnt allowed on xbox, playstation or a nintendo console.

Posted by EL Calamari 11/27/2008 4:11 pm

I agree with Stak.

Aside from that, Best Buy doesn't seem to have a great track record for customer service.

A teacher of mine told me the story of his brother returning a broken plasma television. The service reps said he couldn't bring the tv inside the store himself, but that they had no one to help him bring it in (therefore implying he go home). After 30 minutes of waiting, he dragged the tv in in a shopping cart. The customer service rep chewed him out saying he was not allowed, and he replied something to the effect of 'who the F else am I supposed to get this done?'
The security guards escorted him back out. He's banned from shopping at that best buy ever again.

Posted by Shane 11/28/2008 8:20 pm

It's not like this sort of behavior stops anything. The customer either goes to another store and purchases the item or leaves his little brother in the car next time.

Another problem is the fact that this is age discrimination. You could be certain that if this man was 40 instead of 21, the cashier wouldn't stop him from buying the product if he was with a child.

Posted by JB 11/29/2008 9:19 am

Shinobi's response is spot on. While in most places selling M rated games to minors is not illegal, company policies prevent associates from selling these games to minors. In fact, at our company, we have to scan a customer's drivers license in order to sell M rated games to anyone (regardless of how old they appear to be).

Posted by Jason 12/01/2008 2:34 am

I don't get carded when buying alcohol in most places even if i have a minor with me. But this person buys a video game with a minor around and they deny him the purchase so the younger brother wont play it. Thanks to the right wing religious idiots who flip out about any violent video game because they once bought a violent game that they thought would be a good babysitter based on the box cover.


some people ruin the world for the rest of us.

Posted by Shazback 12/01/2008 7:54 am

Shinobi, although I can understand store policy, there is no legal reason to deny a customer purchase for alleged future motives (i.e. a person refused the right to purchase said video-game whilst being over 21 would have every right to report Best Buy to the ESRB and possibly any relevant US Federal Trade Bureau).

Best Buy has committed itself, via the ESRB to "enforce store policies not to sell or rent M (Mature) rated computer and video games to customers under the age of 17 without permission from a parent or guardian". Why would Best Buy allege that a 21 year-old is purchasing material for an under-17? It is illegal (not merely store policy) for stores to sell alcoholic beverages to people who are under-age, and yet Walmart would never dream of refusing to sell beverage to a thirty-odd year-old mother with a ten year-old child, even without requiring proof that the child is her own.

As much as I respect Best Buy and other ESRB-compliant stores for their choice to not retail games that are M or AO rated to certain age groups, I find it very disappointing that they believe they have the right to act like vigilantes. If I (20) go and buy a video game with my brother (14) and said game is M, I would be outraged at the idea that they are refusing to sell me the game, even with proof of my age (and of course, my money).

In the end it all comes down to said shops trying to act in lieu of the parents, and doing it extremely clumsily.

Posted by spikyface 12/01/2008 6:23 pm

This is ridiculous, the whole idea of deciding for parents what is and isn't appropriate for their children is obscene

It's up to the parents to decide what they want their kids to watch/play/listen to

And refusing a person a sale on the basis that he MIGHT have been buying it for his little brother? C'mon, it's like they want to go out of their way to pick a fight

Ask him if it's for his little brother, if he says no, even if he's lying, you're in the clear, you've done your job and can find some other way to vent your frustrations

Posted by Kevin 12/01/2008 8:24 pm

Interesting, I remember buying a Devil May Cry 3-pack (3 M-rated games) from a Best Buy when I was 16 and no one said anything.

Posted by Confused 12/02/2008 11:30 pm

Wait.... let me get this straight. Some retard at Best Buy refuses to sell you the game so you drive "miles away" to... another Best Buy? What, is there no competition where you live? The first thing I would do is go to their closest competitor and buy two copies out of spite.

Posted by DrCapitalism 12/03/2008 2:06 am

Gift cards. He had gift cards.

Best Buy gift cards

Posted by chris 12/08/2008 3:25 pm

Whoa, that's really messed up. You should complain to their headquarters. That's really stupid what they did they should get a brain also you're 21 which means your a legal guardian of your brother which in turn enables you to purchase M rated games for him if you give consent. They are RETARDED. Just go to a Gamestop or Target or something because I'm only 15 and they didn't card me or ask me for my age. All we did was chat and have a few laughs while he bagged my copy of Gears of War 2. Although I do have quite a reputation at my local Gamestop for I know all their employees and am a frequent shopper, but they usually call me Rise Against for all the Rise Against shirts I own haha.

Posted by Masterson 12/27/2008 11:55 pm

If an adult is buying the game, it doesnt matter if he has ten year olds outside the store to get the copy of grand theft auto AO version.

I HAVE worked in the gaming industry for many years, and that's the way it works.

@Stak
AND it is not illegal to play M or AO games you retard.

First off ALL video games are protected by the first amendment. The reason why there are no AO games is because RETAILERS refuse to carry it, and if ALL retailers refuse to carry it, well where are you going to get it at, and that is how they sidestep that rule.

They are DUMBED down because people who rate them force the company to dumb them down and rate them against what children are allowed to see.

The game designers make movies and photos of "the worst parts" of a video game, and they get rated, now if it's too bad they are told they cannot release it under M it would be AO. So the designers are forced to change the game to lessen it into an M rating. BECAUSE if it is AO no retailer will buy it, and so they make NO MONEY off the video game.

That is the way it works, and that's how they force the censorship.

BUT as far as this conversation goes. They have no right to not sell it as long as it is an adult purchasing it. They cannot discriminate you on INTENT.

You cannot buy beer because you might intend to give it to children, you cannot buy a gun because you intend to shoot someone.

It does not work that way.

They cannot do that, and as one of the previous posts had stated that is slander to bring it out in the open like that discrediting you.

Good luck.

Posted by Z3RO 01/07/2009 6:15 pm

Look... Here is the thing. Stop shopping at Best Buy or Wal-mart or even Target for electronics. They don't care about the tech community. In fact they make moves to hurt us, constantly. Shop at Newegg, Tiger Direct or Overstocks. You can find coupons online and get a way better deal. Plus they value you.

Posted by Shinobi 03/19/2009 4:21 am

Hmm, stumbled back on this site. How odd...

One thing I've noticed is that a lot of you are hung up on the legality of what happened in this scenario. Only one thing may have happened that might have been illegal (since we are viewing this tale through the biased lens of the person attempting the purchase) is possible misdemeanor slander for accusing him of wrongdoing in a public fashion. That probably won't hold up in court, so please stop suggesting legal action, it'll never happen.

The store has the right to withhold the sale of any merchandise for any reason it wants. The Almighty Store Policy in most retailers who want to remain respectable and credible is to not allow minors to buy M-rated games, and many stores stretch that to denying sales to an adult in the company of a minor; if you watch the lawmakers, they observe the stores like hawks to ensure this. There's no morality involved; the employee wants to keep their job, so they (sometimes) follow the policies which keep their companies able to sell these games without further expensive oversight. If you want the cost of games to go up, by the way, push the politicians to enact stricter policy than letting the stores monitor it. Go ahead, I dare you.

As far as honoring their gift card and denying a purchase to be made with them, the store is still in its rights to deny the sale. Having credit with the store does not entitle you to break their policies. This situation is easily avoided if he bought the game on his own, and his cards are still valid.

RE: Masterson, Of course stores can deny you a sale based on intent! It happens all the time. Unless it's a staple or a medicine you need, no store has to sell you anything, especially if there are negative consequences to selling it to you. If a person is acting in a way that appears to be mentally unstable, for instance, like blubbering about how his girl cheated on him, selling him a gun would be a BAD idea. Is the clerk a psychiatrist qualified to analyze the situation? No, but a responsible retailer can and will make those judgments and get away with doing it every time. So if a clerk sees a person standing with a boy who is of age to be interested in an M-rated game who is not his legal guardian (and no, being 21 and his brother DOES NOT make him the guardian), the clerk can attempt to avoid the negative consequences, like an outraged parent coming in later, for instance (and yes, that happens too).

Retail stores will not change their policies because of the occasional outrage. In fact, stories like the one above may actually make some politicians happy that the system is working as intended. But really, is it that hard to play by the rules, or at least find a store without a reputation for following the same rules?

Posted by ESRB sucks!!!! 04/01/2009 10:12 pm

SCREW the god damn ESRB !!!!!!

Posted by Colton 06/19/2009 11:30 pm

Better Business Bureau. Enough said.

Posted by Colton 06/19/2009 11:33 pm

I forgot to say this as well.

Yes they have a right to not sell it to you but they dont have a right to make a scene like they did. Again, Better Business Bureau. The employees who did this will get penalized especially since its on their security tapes.

Posted by bear 06/20/2009 9:25 am

I don't think it matters who you are buying a game for anyway I admit I'm sixteen and my older brother buys M rated games for me and I'm right there and sometimes my mom has bought them for me.

Posted by The Paul 06/27/2009 4:35 am

This is why it should be legal to shoot people in the face :D

Posted by Justin 07/04/2009 6:55 am

I agree this is complete bull crap, wen i was 16 i tried to purchase an M rated game, they said i couldnt so wen my mom came over they had no problem selling her the game, hell she didnt even buy it, they just wanted to kno she was ok with it, Any of these stupid cashiers that dont sell m games to an adult bcuz they are afraid they might give it to a minor needs to get fired and shut the hell up. It is completely legal for any one to play a M rated game, it is jsut not suggested for some ages.

Posted by SteveW 07/04/2009 9:57 am

My friend and I were at a local wal-mart buying Clerks 2, he was 16 and I was 17 but i didn't have my i.d., so we asked the lady behind us to vouch for us. She agreed, we were shocked. I could proudly say we were the happiest teenagers that day. MLIA

Posted by Simple 07/04/2009 9:18 pm

what the fuck
just reading this makes me so fucking angry..

Posted by Crash 07/04/2009 11:27 pm

Dude just call the police.

Posted by Frodo 07/05/2009 4:52 am

The best thing to do would be to politely tell the person who gave the cards "I'm *really* sorry but I cannot shop at Best Buy. I have had some horrible experiences with them, and I can't rightly feel good about going in and spending money." That said, the only flaw with my comment is that the money has been spent, and I seriously doubt that BB would refund a gift card. However, you'll feel a little bit better that you're not going in and completing said purchase. The most I ever buy there is small things, like a DVD if anything. I typically go there to see a TV or a big ticket item up close - and then go purchase it online where I won't get hassled and I will get a better price. There are entire sites devoted to BB's awful and horrible business practices, go check some out.

Posted by Highlander 07/05/2009 5:42 pm

@ Shinobi, actually "doctor-prescribed medication" can be refused to be filled by a qualified pharmacist (and even their technicians). We have the right to refuse any script for any reason.

Also, I see what BB wanted to do, but they handled it wrong. If I was this 21 year old, I would have escalated this up management until something is done.

Shinobi is right, any retailer has the right to refuse service for any reason. On the other hand, customers have rights too. To talk to a manager, corp, or even if they feel battered talk to the BBB. It works both ways.

Posted by Tim 07/06/2009 8:34 pm

Defamation of character=Lawsuit=Manager and Clerk fired and probably homeless in this economy..

Sweet justice.

Posted by kjinx 07/06/2009 9:48 pm

We live in a litigious society. Companies set up "policies" to minimize exposure to law suits. Zealous employees who are trying to comply with those polices AND doing everything they can to cover their own asses at the same time may go overboard in their compliance -- as was the case here. Fact is -- rarely does someone get fired for going overboard in trying to comply with policy --- more often (especially if a scapegoat is needed) it would be for failing to comply. Don't blame the company .. ultimately blame lawyers and their lobbyists for fighting tort reform at every term. What's tort reform? The fact you don't know means they are winning and giggling all the way to the bank.

Posted by microwaveb 07/17/2009 3:13 am

A little off topic I know, but I have a policy when buying alcohol with my groceries ( I'm 28) I always put the alcohol on the belt last so everything gets scanned through, and a nice queue builds up behind me, if the cashier has the temerity to card me I just shrug and walk off., leaving 75 bucks of assorted groceries to void off and an angry crowd to deal with.

Posted by Dan 07/18/2009 3:51 am

Strange, there is no law banning the selling of M rated games to minors, it is merely a store policy in many places but some people are misinformed into thinking its a legal issue.

so next time this happens tell them to shut the hell up and sell you the game, because you are of "legal" age and that is all their policy requires, if they go further than that boycott them.

Posted by Rafi 07/19/2009 11:10 am

I would be careful around Walmart if you want to buy something rated R or M for a minor also...even if you're the parent.

A few years ago, I wanted to buy "Thirteen" on DVD with my Walmart gift card. My mom took me and we tried to buy the DVD. The issue came up when I forgot that I could not actually purchase it. Of course the cashier tried to turn me away. My mom then took the gift card out of my hand, showed her ID and mine to show that she is in fact my mother, and tried to purchase the DVD herself. She even offered to go to the end of the line without me or go to another cashier in order to make the purchase. The cashier turned her away and stached the DVD wherever they put items that were not sold saying that it was against company policy because the DVD was being bought for a minor. She only restated this when my mom reiterated that she was my mother and legal guardian and was consenting that I could have the DVD.

I can see how the employee was trying to stay out of trouble but it was really annoying to find out that Walmart's policy wouldn't even let my mother purchase the DVD if her intent was to buy it for a minor only a couple years away from being able to buy the movie herself. It's even more annoying since my mom could have taken me to see the movie when I was 12 (that's about how old I was when the movie came out) at our base and local theatres as long as she was there for the entire movie. It's the same movie and has the same rating...so why could my mom no longer give her consent for me to buy it?

Posted by BKY 07/19/2009 12:27 pm

I'd definitely say that is slander, and perhaps more. IANAL, but I'd say you have a good chance of getting a large settlement, just to keep that out of court.

Don't listen to the apologists and shills here who tell you that there is no case, or that they were right. They broke the law, and I'd suggest that you discuss it with a lawyer.

Posted by Andrew 07/27/2009 1:13 am

That's outrageous i'm 17 and i an walk into any stoe that sells m rated games and be able to to but it with my 15 year old sister and still buy the games fo me i've been able to do that since march of last year i just recently moved to Texas and i don't if theres a law that prevents m rated games to be sold to minors but im trying to find out...

Posted by stuffandjunk 08/13/2009 7:19 am

Posted by microwaveb 07/17/2009 3:13 am


A little off topic I know, but I have a policy when buying alcohol with my groceries ( I'm 28) I always put the alcohol on the belt last so everything gets scanned through, and a nice queue builds up behind me, if the cashier has the temerity to card me I just shrug and walk off., leaving 75 bucks of assorted groceries to void off and an angry crowd to deal with.


are you that much of an ass? your 28, the cashier has to card you, and anyone else that looks under 35 (at least in most stores). If he/she was to sell alcohol to a person under the age of 21 the store and the clerk would be fined, have you ever done something to keep your job? that's all they are doing and your being a dick cause some one wants to keep their job..... wow... just wow... how about you thank them next time for the compliment, that being that they think you look a bit younger then you are.

Posted by CrabbiestAcorn 08/13/2009 3:17 pm

Jesus christ, that's ridiculous. Never even heard of something like that happening before.
I work at a Gamestop and we get people who come in all the time buying games for their kids, we just make the parent hand over the money instead of the child lol How can you deny a kid from playing such a great game like Assasins Creed? :P

Posted by thedfactor 08/16/2009 9:39 am

As long as someone purchasing an age sensitive product lives at the same address as the underaged individual it is completely legal to sell them the product. if it worked, the way they seem to think it does in this story, it would be impossible for anyone with children to ever purchase alcohol as they could be buying it for their children.

Posted by kman 08/20/2009 7:20 am

umm i work at best buy and we really don't care that much about stuff like that. As long as the person buying the game is clearly old enough to buy it

Posted by lolwowreally 08/23/2009 8:58 pm

Wow this story is fucking fake, you're allowed to purchase M-rated games for a minor, as long as the one buying it is over 17.

EVERYONE fucking knows that. What a stupid story, nice try on making it up.

Posted by Harlowe Thrombey 08/26/2009 3:15 am

Piss on people who voluntarily do the Government's Dirty Work.

If Government Goons want violent games banned from kids, they should do the enforcement themselves.

It's a victimless "crime" anyway.

Any Best Buy Employee who voluntarily and enjoyably enforces the Government's Stupid Rules... is an idiot.

Posted by hittman627 09/01/2009 8:27 am

two main things wrong here:
One, it is not illegal to purchase an M-Rated video game under the age of 17. There is no law against it. The ratings are merely a suggestion of the age one should be to purchase it. However, it IS store policy in most stores to abide by the recommendations set down by the ESRB, but its still not a law, although Hillary Clinton was pushing for it.
Two, it is a generally acceptable to have a person over the age of 17 purchase an M-Rated game for someone under the age of 17. In fact, most cashiers will tell someone under the age of 17 to come back with an older relative such as a parent and then will sell the minor the game, as long as the parent is made aware of the rating and what it means.
Trust me on these, I've looked long and hard into this injustice, even though I no longer have to go through the hassle of this system in order to get my fix of blood, violence, and sexually suggestive themes.... If you read all that, thanks, and have fun being informed. FIGHT THE POWA!!! or play more video games, thats what i do. Good day!

Posted by August 09/13/2009 9:06 pm

Wow, that story makes me a little sad. I feel for you.

Posted by jason 09/21/2009 10:56 am

f**k,

Posted by Jeremiah 12/17/2009 11:26 pm

Yeah. Alot of places do that. Its just stupid.