Mexico’s government has moved another step closer to putting a tax on video games it deems to be violent. On Friday, Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies approved a financial package that includes an 8% tax on violent video games.
According to the proposal, the tax would apply to games rated “C” and “D” under the Mexican System of Equivalences of Video Game Content Classification. When comparing to the ESRB, a “C” rating is for players 18+ while a “D” rating is for games rated for “Adults Only”.
Back when it was first proposed in early September, the claim was that “recent studies have found a relationship between the use of violent video games and higher levels of aggression among adolescents, as well as negative social and psychological effects such as isolation and anxiety.” This was said without providing any examples of those studies.
This new tax would apply to all games, both physical and digital. For free-to-play titles, the 8% tax would apply to in-game purchases and microtransactions.
The bill hasn’t become law in the country yet, as it will now head to the Mexican Senate for debate. Should it continue to move forward and become law, games from popular series like Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat, and others will be subject to this new tax.
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Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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