<P> Video game consoles were banned in Mainland China in June 2000 . This ban was finally lifted in January 2014 . However, the Chinese would still police video games which would be "hostile to China or not in conformity with the outlook of China's government". Reported by Bloomberg, metaphorically speaking, Cai Wu, head of China's Ministry of Culture, said "We want to open the window a crack to get some fresh air, but we still need a screen to block the flies and mosquitoes .". </P> <P> Voluntary rating systems adopted by the video game industry, such as the ESRB rating system in the United States and Canada (established in 1994), and the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) rating system in Europe (established in 2003), are aimed at informing parents about the types of games their children are playing (or are asking to play). Some ratings of controversial games indicate they are not targeted at young children ("Mature" (M) or "Adults Only" (AO) in the US, or 15 or 18 in the UK). The packaging warns such games should not be sold to children . In the US, ESRB ratings are not legally binding, but many retailers take it upon themselves to refuse the sale of these games to minors . In the United Kingdom (UK), the BBFC ratings are legally binding . UK retailers also enforce the PEGI ratings, which are not legally binding . </P> <P> No video game console manufacturer has allowed any game marked AO to be published in North America; however, the PC gaming service Steam has allowed AO titles such as Hatred to be published on its platform . No major retailers are willing to sell AO - rated games . However, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was rated AO after the presence of the Hot Coffee add - on became evident . The add - on was later removed and the game rated M. In the 109th Congress and 110th Congress, the Video Games Enforcement Act was introduced to the US House of Representatives . The act required an identification check for the purchase of M and AO rated games . The bill and others like it did not succeed because of likely First Amendment violations . Although no law mandates identification checking for games with adult content, a 2008 survey by the Federal Trade Commission showed that video game retailers have voluntarily increased ID verification for M - and AO - rated games, and sales of those games to underage potential buyers decreased from 83% in 2000 to 20% in 2008 . A further survey in April 2011, found that video game retailers continued to enforce the ratings by allowing only 13% of underage teenage shoppers to buy M - rated video games, a statistically significant decrease from the 20% purchase rate in 2009 . </P> <P> On 7 January 2009, Joe Baca, representative of California's 43rd District, introduced H.R. 231, the Video game health labelling act . This bill called for a label to be placed in a "clear and conspicuous location on the packaging" on all video games with an ESRB rating of T (Teen) or higher stating, "WARNING: Excessive exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior ." The proposed legislation was referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection . On 24 January 2011, Joe Baca reintroduced the Video game health labelling act as H.R. 400 of the 112th Congress . The bill was once again passed onto the subcommittee . </P>

When did the first violent game come out