New videogame rating system?

[kai123]

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/7289/New-Ratings-System-Proposed-for-Videogames/



What do you think of this? The current rating system seems to work fine. It even lists everything in the game on the back of the box. This new system seems to take a step back from the ESRB rating system. So what is the point?

[Anexanhume]

You can read my post as feel_the_payne for my thoughts :D
"If it actually includes the detailed information as to why they gave the ratings, it could be a good system. However, if all it contains are colors, it's practically useless. Besides, where's the adult-themed topics? You'd think that you'd want to notify people that the game focuses on satan-worshipping or religious wars, don't you think?"

[Oobgarm]

Why not combine that with the current system? Extra information can't be all bad. At least it would help ease up on the bithcing about people being mis- or uninformed.

[atomicthumbs]

What would be the God-damned point?! Parents are just going to ignore them anyway. Working in retail and renting games, I'm absolutely amazed at how few parents are even aware of the fact that videogames nowadays have not only realistic violence, but sex and profanity as well.

When they think of videogames, they think of Joust and Mappy, not fucking a hooker in the back of your car, then slitting her throat afterward to get your money back.

It seems that no amount of signage, commercials or news broadcasts will inform parents of the content of videogames. Parents are still going to let their eight-year-olds play GTA and Manhunt, oblivious of the content. And, no, I don't think that games turn kids violent. I just think that common-sense should kick in that it may not be a wonderful idea to expose young kids to that sort of thing.... But that dog has been beaten to death.

[jdc]

Yep...I second that one.

I used to get tired of the overwhelming number of parents that would disregard the ratings and rent the games for their minors....and get nasty on me for bringing the content of the games to their attention.

"oh, that's okay...he sees more than that on television."

[petewhitley]

Actually that rating system makes more sense than the one in place now. Not that it probably matters.

[Oobgarm]

What would be the God-damned point?! Parents are just going to ignore them anyway.

I too have been in games retail for a good while now. But the point of making the ratings system stronger is simply due to the fact that game companies and retailers alike have to start covering their asses.

A parent buys his 8-year old kid Grand Theft Auto: Bloody Mess. Kid maims sister soon afterward. Parent blames it on the game, gets upset and attempts to sue game companies/retailers for the incident. We've all seen it before.

It's like a disclaimer of sorts. The stronger the system is, the easier it would be to show the ignorant parent that they should pay attention to the rating and consider the content of the game, and also to show everyone that game companies/etc. are taking proactive measures to ensure that people are educated. Of course, not everyone is going to look at it as it is intended (or not at all), but you're going to have those exceptions in anything, not just game ratings. The ESRB needs to be more widely seen as a standard, like the MPAA, before folks take more notice. The more information, the better, I say.

[Graham Mitchell]

What would be the God-damned point?! Parents are just going to ignore them anyway.

I too have been in games retail for a good while now. But the point of making the ratings system stronger is simply due to the fact that game companies and retailers alike have to start covering their asses.

A parent buys his 8-year old kid Grand Theft Auto: Bloody Mess. Kid maims sister soon afterward. Parent blames it on the game, gets upset and attempts to sue game companies/retailers for the incident. We've all seen it before.

It's like a disclaimer of sorts. The stronger the system is, the easier it would be to show the ignorant parent that they should pay attention to the rating and consider the content of the game, and also to show everyone that game companies/etc. are taking proactive measures to ensure that people are educated. Of course, not everyone is going to look at it as it is intended (or not at all), but you're going to have those exceptions in anything, not just game ratings. The ESRB needs to be more widely seen as a standard, like the MPAA, before folks take more notice. The more information, the better, I say.

You know, on that note, I saw something last year on the Today show or something that had some guy, who was some kind of independent activist, taking the responsibility for "informing America" about all the nasty content in the games. I don't know what the game was because I don't play the X-box, but they repeatedly showed this clip of some chick in the shower (it was probably DOA:Beach Volleyball or something) and they were complaining about some drunken frat boys in Tony Hawk's Underground (which the ESRB rating described as "comic mischief"; for some reason they felt it should have said something about evil satan worship that will destroy your child's mind). Not that I'm huge on these games, but DOA volleyball clearly states what that game's about on the box, yet parents were ignoring it. We don't need a new rating system, we need people to wake the fuck up.

[thehistorian]

The ESRB is only classified as "Good"..

http://www.kidsrisk.harvard.edu/faqs4.htm
http://www.kidsrisk.harvard.edu/faqs5.htm

So if the sky were the limit how would you design a game ratings system?