Marketing Ethics Essay

Chapter 3: Case #5- The Ethics of Selling Violent Video Games.

Case facts:

* Take- Two Interactive Software designs, manufactures, and markets video games for both personal computers and home gaming consoles, such as the Sony Play Station 2 and the Microsoft X- Box. * Take- Two’s 10 largest video game titles make up 75 percent of their principal products sales. * Their two current top games, Grand Theft Auto 3 and State of Emergency, make up over 50 percent of the company’s total sales. * The company has successfully marketed several genres of games, ranging from bass fishing simulations to role- playing games. * With each new title, the violence becomes more realistic, the criticism grows louder, and sales increase. * Take- Two’s mature audience argument also relies on the fact that over 70 percent of Play Station 2 owners are over the age of 18. * Take- Two has slated the release of GTA: Vice City, the latest in the line of GTA games, on October 25. Four million copies of the game have already been presold by retailers, and the projections indicate that sales could top 10 million copies. * Certain consumer and antiviolence groups have demanded the postponement of the game’s release. * The Australian government actually refused to allow the sale of GTA 3 in the country. * Statistics say “By the time a typical child reaches the age of 18, that child will have seen 200,000 dramatized acts of violence and 40,000 dramatized murders, which advocates say can lead to a blurring of the line between fantasy and reality violence for vulnerable children”. * A recent government study, 85 percent of children aged 13 to 16 years were able to purchase violent video games that were ESRB rated “ Mature” ( only available for purchase to those over 17 years old).

Problem statement:

To what degree should retailers define the content of music and video recordings?

Primary stakeholders:
Retailers: They are the ones who wish to have changes made.
Consumers:
* Parents : they are the ones who purchase the products for their children, they will be affected by the restrictions when trying to meet the demands of their kids * Children (under the age)- will have less content available. * Persons over the age: may have restrictions on content

Violent Movie Makers: may have restrictions on content

Employees of retailers: They ultimately are

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