No more fining illegal game purchases in Minnesota

Good news to all of us living in Minnesota. A state judge recently delivered a backhanded smack of aggravation to a video game regulation law enacted the previous year. What was the law? Minors caught purchasing a game rated M (for Mature... not that we don't know, but the one letter always seems to come with "for mature" afterwards. Why not just say "rated Mature?" Why "M for Mature?" ...V for Vendetta! Ahem.) would have to pay a fine of $25 big ones. How appropriate?

Does anyone remember another post that included this quote about the ESRB ratings system: "the video game rating system is purely voluntary and carries no force of law"? Needless to say, the Entertainment Software Association knew this and filed suit against the state of Minnesota unless the ridiculous law was shot down. It was. Besides, Minnesota Judge Rosenbaum said, there wasn't enough evidence to say M-rated games hurt children. Awesome. So little kiddies, go out and buy those crazy M-games! You only have to pay around $50 for them now -- not $75. Try God of War, you get a nice version of the birds and the bees. Two birds and one bee, even.