YouTube clip hosted on Kotaku from a segment on the ABC’s Q&A.
The program allows regular citizens to ask a panel made up of Politicians, Journalists and the like almost any question.

This particular segment was about the lack of R18+ ratings for games.

View the Video at Kotaku

Take-Two CEO Ben Feder thinks that the social view of videogames is changing – something he credits the gaming press for.

“It’s interesting, and I credit some of the magazines with respect to GTA – in the United States anyway – about setting the tone early on in the GTA discussion,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.

Read the Full Story at gamesindustry.biz

The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia (IEAA) has announced that Australia’s videoand computer game industry has recorded sales of 1.57 billion dollars over the last financial year. The figures indicate an increase of 52.9 per cent on sales of games software, consoles, peripherals and PC games for the previous corresponding period.
The statistics, compiled by an independent market research group GfK Australia, show that the sales of games software increased 55 per cent from the previous year and games console salesincreased by 74 per cent

According to Ron Curry, CEO of the IEAA, these figures highlight the increasing popularity of interactive entertainment enjoyed by a wider range of people.“Today video and computer games have highly advanced technology that supports sophisticated plot lines and rich interactive experiences. Interactive entertainment is no longer marketed towards a niche audience but rather caters to a broad range of tastes and interests.”

“With sales of video and computer games increasing over 50 per cent over the last financial year, it is clear that interactive entertainment is now firmly entrenched as a mainstream activity. More people of all ages and all walks of life are now choosing video and computer games as a regular form of home entertainment.”

Fast Facts

* 60 per cent of players are male and 40 per cent are female
* 8 per cent of gamers are seniors (over 60 years of age
* Women and older Australians are the fastest growing audiences for interactive games
* 35 per cent of gamers are parents

Last month, the IEAA and the Games Development Association of Australia (GDAA) announced an alliance to urge the Australian Government to offer tax incentives for the local interactive entertainment industry, support intellectual property protection and the introduction of an R18+ classification for video games.

The IEAA will be announcing next sales figures in January 2009. For more information about the IEAA and the Australian gaming industry, visit www.ieaa.com.au