NZ Retailer bans violent games

[Purpelia]

Only this video game store can lose in this situation. People simply go to another store and it's simple as that. Lost revenue and I wonder how long they can go on. Biggest so called boxoffice games tend to be games like GTA and Call of Duty.

From what the Kiwis here are saying that sounds like it's not really an option.

We are discussing video games... on the internet... Just ...

[Monlyth]

I suppose its their choice whether or not they want to distribute certain things in their stores. On the flipside, they're also gonna lose customers and reputation as consequence. Although I don't live in New Zealand, I'm sure there are prenty of other ways to obtain R18 content. Mark Powell's moral dilemma will likely result in a massive loss of profit.

[Laerod]

From what the Kiwis here are saying that sounds like it's not really an option.

We are discussing video games... on the internet... Just ...

Hey, I've got no idea what it's like in NZ. At the same time I can understand people that don't want to or can't buy games over the internet.

[Costa Fierro]

From what the Kiwis here are saying that sounds like it's not really an option.

It is. The Warehouse isn't the only store that sells video games. In fact, the only reason people brought them from The Warehouse was because of price.

[Purpelia]

We are discussing video games... on the internet... Just ...

Hey, I've got no idea what it's like in NZ. At the same time I can understand people that don't want to or can't buy games over the internet.

I'll just censor my self here for safety sake.

[Forsher]

If you find a game offensive, you should just not buy it, not force everyone else to not buy it either.

The Warehouse decided that R18 games (and DVDs) do not fit with its image of itself. Essentially its the same reason why that fancy French restaurant down the road won't cook you a stir-fry.

Are they removing 18 rated movies?

Presumably that's what they mean by DVDs. Frankly, I never notice R18 DVDs there anyway so I'm not sure anyone will notice.

Say bye-bye to all that profit now, Mr. Retailer...

If it was substantial they probably wouldn't have done it. Their thought process is probably something like, "Will we get more revenue from our desired clientele than we do from these R18 products?"

You know, usually I don't believe that the free market will actually settle things, but I'm willing to believe in this case. Brick and mortar game stores are already dying. Literally the last thing they want to be doing is giving people any more reasons to go digital.

The Warehouse... 90% everything that isn't a game.

I'm not a gamer so it doesn't affect me too much, but I can understand the frustration. While they are within their right to not sell those games, it's certainly a very stupid business decision - and I would give it a year or two before "for some reason" they find their profit margins falling again.

Also frustrating because of how small New Zealand is, and how hard it is to buy things anyway. I guess it'll just be more money going to internet retailers, probably offshore and next time there's one of those "Buy Kiwi and we've got it made" campaigns we'll know why no one wants to shop at domestic retailers...

Kiwi Made = 100% markup and 50% quality.

The only places that are doing this are Kmart and The Warehouse. You can still get these sorts of games from EB Games, Dick Smith, Noel Leaming etc. or simply order them online or download them through Xbox Live/whatever they have for PS4 .

I think Noel Leeming is covered by this as well.

As a result the Warehouse Group will no longer be stocking R18 games and DVDs within The Warehouse and Noel Leeming stores and online, reinforcing its family-friendly brand values, it said.

But, to be honest, I'm not really convinced that many people go to the Warehouse to buy games specifically.

To recap, the Warehouse is the kind of place you go to when you can't be bothered going to a shop that specifies in certain areas whether it is clothes, toys, sports gear, (increasingly) gardening, DVDs, Books, etc. They probably lose more customers from parents keeping their children away from the shelves with R18 products instead of wandering pass than they gain from the sale of such things.

[Jetan]

Ridicilous bullshit. Luckily, the one they are hurting the most with this is themselves. If a store decided to act this condescending towards me I'd certainly take my business somewhere else.

The only problem is that there aren't many options in New Zealand. That's my attitude toward a lot of places here, but options are too limited for me to really be able to say "I'll go somewhere else".

That sounds a bit problematic. Is there legal problems like with Australia or is it simply that the markets are so small? The latter is what causes the relatively small number of options here.

[Republic of Coldwater]

Well I suppose this business is going DOWN given that the demand for video games largely comes from M Rated Games. GTA V, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Assassin's Creed, all of the games have violence and yet they are the largest benefactors to the substantial growth of the Video Gaming sector. GTA V grossed $1 Billion faster than any movie and was out of stock quickly for a lot of people, yet there hasn't been a non-violent video game that can do the same. I doubt the market will respond nicely to this company, and unless they sell the violent games again, empirical evidence will show that they will suffer quite some damage.

[Laerod]

The only problem is that there aren't many options in New Zealand. That's my attitude toward a lot of places here, but options are too limited for me to really be able to say "I'll go somewhere else".

That sounds a bit problematic. Is there legal problems like with Australia or is it simply that the markets are so small? The latter is what causes the relatively small number of options here.

Games are probitively expensive in Australia and the country also has some of the harshest censorship laws regarding violence in games aside from Germany.

[Luziyca]

Hrm. On the one hand, the oligopoly that this and the other store seem to have makes it a major concern for anyone that legitimately wants these games. On the other hand, I can't really fault someone for not wanting to sell things they aren't comfortable with if the reason for this is violence.

Ditto.

[Keyboard Warriors]

But what do you think NSG, while retailers certainly have the right to remove products they don't like despite consumer demand is it morally sound to be playing censor?

Once you establish the bolded, nothing else matters really. The only time I'd object to retailers choosing not to stock products due to a morality conflict would be if the product was vital and the retailer would otherwise stock the only available product in the nearby vicinity. For example, pharmacies choosing not to stock birth control products because they disagree with casual sex.

[Jetan]

That sounds a bit problematic. Is there legal problems like with Australia or is it simply that the markets are so small? The latter is what causes the relatively small number of options here.

Games are probitively expensive in Australia and the country also has some of the harshest censorship laws regarding violence in games aside from Germany.

I know, I was asking if that was the case in NZ aswell or if it was simply case of small population like it's in Finland.

[MLK]

I would have stopped selling violent video games if I were a retailer. The buyers of these video games could have siblings or children who see them play them, absorbing such wrong values. The buyers of these video games should make every decision to work towards a good world. More people should put time down boycotting violence wherever it's recognized.

[Wisconsin9]

I would have stopped selling violent video games if I were a retailer. The buyers of these video games could have siblings or children who see them play them, absorbing such wrong values. The buyers of these video games should make every decision to work towards a good world. More people should put time down boycotting violence wherever it's recognized.

Oh look, yet another moral guardian who thinks that video games make people psychotic.

[MLK]

I would have stopped selling violent video games if I were a retailer. The buyers of these video games could have siblings or children who see them play them, absorbing such wrong values. The buyers of these video games should make every decision to work towards a good world. More people should put time down boycotting violence wherever it's recognized.

Oh look, yet another moral guardian who thinks that video games make people psychotic.

It's not the video games that are violent. It's the ideas that are put into these video games that do affect people. We should work to make non-violent video games to realize world peace.

[Wisconsin9]

Oh look, yet another moral guardian who thinks that video games make people psychotic.

It's not the video games that are violent. It's the ideas that are put into these video games that do affect people. We should work to make non-violent video games to realize world peace.

I still see you saying that violent video games are a problem.

[Indira]

I would have stopped selling violent video games if I were a retailer. The buyers of these video games could have siblings or children who see them play them, absorbing such wrong values. The buyers of these video games should make every decision to work towards a good world. More people should put time down boycotting violence wherever it's recognized.

Video games don't make you violent. Violent video games don't make you violent. And of course, following that logic, we should boycott thousands of books (especially history books. People will insist on fighting bloody wars), films and plays. (Macbeth and Greek tragedies come to mind)

[Great Nepal]

Only this video game store can lose in this situation. People simply go to another store and it's simple as that. Lost revenue and I wonder how long they can go on. Biggest so called boxoffice games tend to be games like GTA and Call of Duty.

From what the Kiwis here are saying that sounds like it's not really an option.

Surely Amazon delivers there...

[Jetan]

From what the Kiwis here are saying that sounds like it's not really an option.

Surely Amazon delivers there...

Amazon often has downright asinine shipping prices though.

[Westerplatte]

It's up to parents to protect their children from what they deem unsuitable. This retailor doesn't need to nanny adults.

[Gaiserin]

Terrible business decision that doesn't help with anything.

Well, lost money for them so too bad.

[Great Nepal]

Surely Amazon delivers there...

Amazon often has downright asinine shipping prices though.

True, although they keep offering trial of prime membership so its not too bad. Plus now they offer downloads on most multimedia...

[Condunum]

If you find a game offensive, you should just not buy it, not force everyone else to not buy it either.

The Warehouse decided that R18 games (and DVDs) do not fit with its image of itself. Essentially its the same reason why that fancy French restaurant down the road won't cook you a stir-fry.

Are they removing 18 rated movies?

Presumably that's what they mean by DVDs. Frankly, I never notice R18 DVDs there anyway so I'm not sure anyone will notice.

Say bye-bye to all that profit now, Mr. Retailer...

If it was substantial they probably wouldn't have done it. Their thought process is probably something like, "Will we get more revenue from our desired clientele than we do from these R18 products?"

You know, usually I don't believe that the free market will actually settle things, but I'm willing to believe in this case. Brick and mortar game stores are already dying. Literally the last thing they want to be doing is giving people any more reasons to go digital.

The Warehouse... 90% everything that isn't a game.

I'm not a gamer so it doesn't affect me too much, but I can understand the frustration. While they are within their right to not sell those games, it's certainly a very stupid business decision - and I would give it a year or two before "for some reason" they find their profit margins falling again.

Also frustrating because of how small New Zealand is, and how hard it is to buy things anyway. I guess it'll just be more money going to internet retailers, probably offshore and next time there's one of those "Buy Kiwi and we've got it made" campaigns we'll know why no one wants to shop at domestic retailers...

Kiwi Made = 100% markup and 50% quality.

The only places that are doing this are Kmart and The Warehouse. You can still get these sorts of games from EB Games, Dick Smith, Noel Leaming etc. or simply order them online or download them through Xbox Live/whatever they have for PS4 .

I think Noel Leeming is covered by this as well.

As a result the Warehouse Group will no longer be stocking R18 games and DVDs within The Warehouse and Noel Leeming stores and online, reinforcing its family-friendly brand values, it said.

But, to be honest, I'm not really convinced that many people go to the Warehouse to buy games specifically.

To recap, the Warehouse is the kind of place you go to when you can't be bothered going to a shop that specifies in certain areas whether it is clothes, toys, sports gear, (increasingly) gardening, DVDs, Books, etc. They probably lose more customers from parents keeping their children away from the shelves with R18 products instead of wandering pass than they gain from the sale of such things.

I'm sure you're aware that some of the largest big budget games are R18. It's a huge loss of revenue for them, for nothing but sensibility. It's stupid.

[MLK]

It's not the video games that are violent. It's the ideas that are put into these video games that do affect people. We should work to make non-violent video games to realize world peace.

I still see you saying that violent video games are a problem.

When you take the violence out of video games they aren't a problem.

[Great Nepal]

I still see you saying that violent video games are a problem.

When you take the violence out of video games they aren't a problem.

You have any evidence to suggest violence in video games is harmful?