As usual, there are some interesting points that need debating within the issue. The ‘M for Mature’ videogame rating is too vague in the States; Retailers allegedly don’t enforce ratings at point of sale as stringently as they should and marketing has targeted children younger than the age rating limit of the game it’s promoting in the past.

But, as usual, the important stuff gets muddied and confused by other irrelevant and schismatic factors, not least, as Stewart points out in the clip, that a tough stance on videogame violence is a popular voter-pleasing political riff for anybody of any party. Besides, it’s never as easy shouting at watchdogs as it is suspicious creatives.

Briefly, some facts:

Last year Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, jointly responsible for the regulation of the videogame industry, summed up the crux of the issue saying: “You wouldn’t let your child watch Texas Chain saw Massacre; you wouldn’t let them go to a strip club, so you shouldn’t let them play and 18-rated game.”

In the UK at least, last year only 1.6% of videogames released receive an 18+ ELSPA rating.

According to the Entertainment Software Association, 92% of parents say that they do monitor the content of interactive games their children play.

However, only 55% actually play a videogame with their child once a month.

Enjoy the clip – it’s fun satire and takes a healthy stab at both sides.

But, sheesh, wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear a sensible and considered US-based discussion of this issue outside of a satirical news round-up?