As someone who doesn’t drink or smoke, I’m not used to being asked for my ID. Even when I was into Karaoke, the local bars rarely bothered to check my age. “Don’t worry about him. He’s just having French Fries and a Soda.” Yet today, I got a chance to feel young. I actually got carded to buy a video game. Call of Duty 4 is rated Mature!
I mean come on, I even have some gray hairs on my head. What is this about? When did the industry change? No one bothered me when I bought Mortal Kombat. If anything, I got more hassled when I wanted to return it for Mario Paint. I suppose it took a while, but the industry has matured. I did some research and I found this interesting paragraph, in a New York State Senate Press Release…
Rating System Labeling Requirement — under current State law, there is no requirement that retailers place labels on video games sold in New York. To address this shortcoming, would establish a new requirement that every video game sold in New York by a retailer or over the Internet, whether new or for resale, must have a clearly displayed rating indication on the game cover or elsewhere (such as on a website). Individuals who violate these provisions will face fines and penalties.
It looks like the new requirement is in effect. 
With photo realistic violence, a ratings system is important. It adds a sense of legitimacy and responsibility to the video game industry. Yet, I do not believe that video games or movies are as harmful as cigarettes or alcohol. If I drank or smoked as much as I played video games, I’d be a mess. Do video games truly deserve to be in the same league? Is there truly a link between violence and violent video games?
Eh, it’s not for me to judge the rating system or the enforcement of that system. I’m not here to get political. I’m just stating my surprise. As I purchased my game, I watched the computer screen display an ominous alert. Before the sale could be complete, I had to break out my driver’s license. Can video games really be that harmful to minors? Are they harmful to me?!
What do you think?! 
Ok personally I don’t think a violent video game is going to make you violent. I’ve never been a violent person and I play violent video games(other than GW). Now I wouldn’t hand Manhunt 2 to a kid only because of graphic images, not because of the violence. Well, ok, I wouldn’t hand it to someone under 12 somewhat because of violence too. I was 6 when i first got Diablo. I loved that game. It was my first game with fighting in it. Now back then that was considered a violent game. I never became violent because of it. It is only for harmless fun. Only harmful thing about video games for minors is that it will make them lazy. They will go home and sit in front of the computer or get on their consoles and play for hours (during the summer, this can be like 10 hours at a time). That was me all since i got GW to about this past July. Only reason I stopped doing that is because I’m getting bored with GW. I need something new to preoccupy my time lol. Hmmmmm, maybe Hellgate: London or Oblivion. (Oblivion will definitely occupy time for 2 years. That game is freaking huge!)
And no Photics they aren’t harmful to you (unless you are steadily getting lazy). LOL
YES! They are. My best friend, has a ps3, his little cousin, is very violent now, but cartoons also had that effect. Dumb ninja anime, Halo 2, and the godfather video game. >.< He is very violent. So there should be a 13 year age limit at least. Maybe 18 is too far.
I grew up in the age of Atari and Colecovision. And surprise surprise… people were still killing people, kids were still rebelling against their parents. Bombs were still going off, carjacking serial killers, terrorism.
What caused this? A little yellow ball that ate little yellow squares??
But there is a point to be had here. We also did a weird thing… called going outside to play. We played war, football, tag etc. When the little mindless children are left to rot in front of the box 24/7 they got indoctrinated into the surreal.
So no, I don’t think there should be an age limit on games… I think parents should grow the hell up and watch what their kids are playing.