Laws of Play

British Push for Mandatory Photosensitivity Testing for Games

The Weston & Somerset Mercury reports that parents, public officials, and a “major video games manufacturer” are pushing for a new law that will require games to be screened for photosensitivity compliance before being sold.

Support for the new law comes following an epileptic seizure triggered in a ten year old boy by Ubisoft’s Rayman Raving Rabbids on the Nintendo DS. The seizure was a result of the boy’s dormant photosensitive epilepsy, an incurable life-long condition that afflicts thousands and is triggered by bright flashing lights and colors.

While most games currently provide warnings about potential epileptic seizures as a result of play, Parliament Member John Penrose argues that these warnings are insufficient because those suffering from dormant photosensitive epilepsy do not realize that the warnings even apply to them until it is too late.