GTA 6 Will Cost More In Mexico If A Violent Video Game Tax Bill Goes Into Effect
There is speculation that Grand Theft Auto VI could cost as much $100 for the standard edition when it comes out next year, and when given the opportunity to squash the rumor, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick opted to keep gamers in suspense. Whatever it ends up costing, though, gamers in Mexico may have to pony up even more to cover a proposed tax on violent video games.
The proposed tax is part of a broader financial package introduced by Mexico's Chamber of Deputies. It includes an 8% tax on violent video games in both physical and digital form. Free-to-play titles would be exempt from an upfront tax, though the 8% levy would still apply to in-game purchases, which could add up to a massive sum, depending on the title. Some estimates forecast that in-game purchases will reach and exceed $200 billion this year.
Obviously not all of those are violent video games, but it's still a big business even if narrowing down the focus. Mexico's tax would apply to games with a 'C' or 'D' rating by the Mexican System of Equivalencies of Video Game Content Classification.
The ratings system is similar to the ESRB ratings in the U.S. A game with a C rating is intended for players who are at least 18 years old. These titles may have extreme violence and bloodshed, moderate sexual content, strong language, and so forth. A game with a D rating is intended for adults only and may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and sexual content.
When the legislation was proposed last month, lawmakers claimed that a 2012 study "found a relationship between the use of violet video games and higher levels of aggression among adolescents, as well as negative social and psychological effects such as isolation and anxiety."
Violence in video games has always been a hot topic, particularly among politicians hoping to curry favor among constituents. However, there has never a definitive study directly attributing real-world violence to violent video games.
In any event, the bill (PDF) as spotted by Insider Gaming is not yet a law in Mexico. The next step is to head to Mexico's Senate for a discussion. Should it become a law, however, games like GTA 6 will undoubtedly be hit with the 8% tax.
