I was thinking about the Entertainment Software Rating Board the other day. It seems like the ratings are VERY inconsistent. For instance, Halo got an M when SOCOM got a T, although it's way more realistic and bloody. Who rates the games, and how? Any ideas on how accurate they are?

Who rates the games, and how?

 

 

Actually, that's a tad bit insulting to chimpanzees. I apologize.

See some of the FAQs here: http://www.esrb.org/ratings/faq.jsp

 

Also I think ratings kind of change over time. Something which would have been an 18+ ten years ago is probably now only 15+, that's society for you. Halo, being an 8 year old game, is probably affected by this. I don't really know much about SOCOM to comment on it specifically.

Incidentally, I expect the subject of replacing the ESRB with a government-regulated ratings system to come up again in Congress soon, especially if Hillary Clinton (by some miracle) wins the nomination.

 

Did you all catch the underlying subtext about video game influence in that story last week about the 3rd graders planning an attack on their teacher? It got quite a bit of news attention. Here's one story about it (video games mentioned on page 2):

 

http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/DougGiles/2008/04/05/children_of_the_damned_when_third_graders_attack

 

Stuff like that comes up fairly regularly, and I've made the point over on our Politics board a few times that this is an area that national Democrats have identified as useful for regaining lost ground with the red states, which is why there's so much bipartisan support for the idea.

That's pretty disturbing stuff, Pangloss, I actually hadn't even heard that particular story, though events similar to that have happened before.

 

I really don't think video games have all that much to do with it though, some kids are born with an overly-aggressive mindset, and some kids are pushovers who're willing to join those kids.

My personal opinion is that there is some impact, and parents do have valid concerns, but I'm opposed to government regulation in this area. I would like to see the industry do a better job policing the stricter ESRB ratings, coming up with some way to at least ostracize violating companies that resonates with the buying public (which I DO think is possible), and providing more resources for parents who do make the effort to check game content before buying.

 

I bring this up with my Game Design program students (I teach in an IT program but I'm sometimes asked to take classes on game design and storytelling) and I enjoy getting them to talk about this issue. Usually by the time we're done they're screaming at ME for the immediate enactment of strict government censorship. But we look at all aspects of the problem.

Of course, parents might take some small interest in what games little Johnny is playing. Or is that a silly idea?