CA gov to battle game-law ruling

The fight over California's restriction on the sale of violent games to children isn't over yet. While the Entertainment Software Association and the Entertainment Merchants Association claimed victory in a protracted court battle over the law when a federal judge declared it unconstitutional yesterday, elected state representatives aren't going to call it quits without a fight.

The bill's author, California Senator Leland Yee, decried the ruling and implored Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to appeal the decision all the way to the Supreme Court if need be. Shortly afterward, the governor announced his intention to appeal.

"I signed this important measure to ensure that parents are involved in determining which video games are appropriate for their children," Schwarzenegger said in a brief statement. "The bill I signed would require that violent video games be clearly labeled and not be sold to children under 18 years old. Many of these games are made for adults and choosing games that are appropriate for kids should be a decision made by their parents. I will vigorously defend this law and appeal it to the next level."

Schwarzenegger's advocacy for game restriction is somewhat ironic, given his show-business pedigree. The Austrian-born former movie star made his Hollywood bones in such ultraviolent action films as Predator and The Terminator. However, his game efforts, such as Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, have been relegated to the T-for-Teen-rated realm.