The Entertainment Software Rating Board. Where would uninformed parents be without it? Well, probably in the same place they are now. You see, even though the group posts letter-based age ratings on all game software, many children still find a way to play titles like “Grand Theft Auto IV” and “Gears of War 2.” Though kids have many ways to procure uber-violent releases, much of the blame falls squarely on parents/guardians.
Not content to stand idly by, the ESRB has added rating summaries to its official web site. These are pretty self explanatory, but hit the jump if you want to dig a little deeper.
This supplemental information, which is situated directly below the corresponding game listing, provides parents with a paragraph-long explanation of why a certain title received a certain rating. You know, just in case “partial nudity,” “blood and gore,” “strong language” and “drug reference” are too ambiguous.
According to a report from Gamasutra, Patricia Vance, the president of the ESRB, said:
With our new rating summaries, which provide exclusive and unprecedented insight into the nature of the content that triggered a given rating assignment, parents will be that much more empowered in making those choices.
Personally, I have no problem with the ESRB’s new initiative, but I doubt it will result in any radical changes. Kids will continue to play mature games; parents will continue to bitch at GameStop employees because little Johnny caught a glimpse of an animated breast.
The ESRB’s current system is pretty easy to understand. For instance, the “Mature 17+” rating slapped on “Resistance 2″ is pretty clear that the game is not intended to be played by a seven year old. While some might proclaim that many parents are too dense to understand big letters, I think the problem is sheer laziness. The ESRB prints content descriptors, such as “intense violence,” on the back of each title’s box art. Does anyone seriously think that someone could misinterpret that? I refuse to believe it. How could an individual be that moronic and find a way to mate?
In my opinion, some parents are just too lazy or too distracted to care about the software that goes into their child’s gaming console. Thus, these rating summaries are completely unnecessary. Most parents won’t ever see this information because they won’t set aside the time to visit the ESRB’s web site. Hell, is the average parent even aware of the group’s existence? According to the group’s president, the answer is yes.
“Research shows that the vast majority of parents who purchase games for their kids are aware of and regularly check ESRB ratings,” Vance said. Yea, I will believe that when Activision CEO Bobby Kotick announces that the “Guitar Hero” franchise is dead.
Source: Gamasutra
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If parents don’t use the tools provided to them, we need to blame THE PARENTS, not the tools when bad things happen.
Well no kid, (at least over 10) should be denied the right to play an epic game like Gears of War 2, so there’s those spontaneous chainsaw duels that turn into a bloody mess but its all for good fun.
It’s hard enough to tell a parent that their kid has done something wrong… NOW IMAGINE TRYING TO TELL THEM THEY DID SOMETHING WRONG!?!
However if I were a parent I’d let my kids play whatever video game they’d want with the exclusion of porn video games…
I swear, there are more annoying kids on GoW2 multiplayer than any other game.. I may just have to mute everyone except people in my party again.
I find it amusing how the ESRB will classify some games that don’t really need a 17+ rating anyway.
In the UK and Europe the PEGI and BBFC system have made this possible by using the 15+ rating, which Call of Duty 4 and 5 can get away with.
I also find it funny that 17+ is M, but AO is 18+…and console manufactures won’t even allow AO on a console, yet in the UK we have an 18 rating and yet its allowed…makes no sense.
in Australia we have G8+, PG, M15+, MA15+ (im not kidding we have 2 15+ ratings) and R18+ but no game including gears of war 2 goes above MA15+ as there is no R18+ video game rating
My kids would only be allowed to play mature games if they themselves are mature. They could be sixteen but if they still aren’t mature then they can’t play M games.
i think silvertorch got the write idea
Me being a younger reader of this website (14), I have to disagree on this one. I think it would be useful in that a game like Halo (minor blood when shot) and Left 4 Dead (exploding bloody zombies, body parts blown off) are both rated M for language, blood, and violence. but one is significantly worse than the other.
Furthermore it can be used as a useful tool for people like me to get permission from their parents to buy a game in that the ESRB is a trusted way of video game ratings.
Lol, I just realized two things:
1. My parents don’t know these ratings exist.
2. I pay for my own video games so it really doesn’t matter… NEWEGG.COM FTW!!! (I mean seriously I don’t have to go to the store and deal with BS “you must be age X to buy”). Also Steam functions in the same manner… I can say I’m 18 but really I’m 15… so yeah… BUYING YOUR OWN GAMES FOR THE WIN!