Video Game Rating System - Useful or Useless

Welcome back to another installment to "Video Games and More", the blog where we dicuss..well video games and more. This week's topic is the Video Game Rating System.

The Video Game Rating System is a system developed by the entertainment software rating board (ESRB). Accoding to ESRB.com, The ESRB is a non profit self regulatory body established by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). It's mission is to empower consumers, especially parents with the abilitity to make informed decisions about computer and video games they choose for their families.

But is the system making an impact to the 21st Century family or the industry? That is the question which in many ways has stark my perception of this system. So lets briefly explore this system....

The ESRB System is a rating system....so every game which is produced in the United States must hold this rating somewhere on its packing. The 6 ratings are as follows:

The ratings are "suppose" to guide parents and in many ways they do give them some control over what their kids are exposed to. But despite this there is still a big loop hole to this system. Companies and individuals who sell these games are not required to follow the ESRB Rating System. It is highly recommended that they do, but it is really optional for them. Some companies that follow this system would be Gamestop/EB Games, Gamefly, Blockbuster, Gamerush, Best Buy...just to name a few. However, in todays society, sheliding children from forms of violence is hard. In addition many parents would now simply purchase T and M rated games for their kids, ignoring the rating.

Kids today are becoming more and more desentized to forms of violence. Good or Bad thing....?

Therefore is this system really working or is it time to make a change?
We as a society need to decide.

References:

Video Games Rating System, http://hubpages.com/hub/Video-Game-Rating-System, accessed 9/24/10

Entertainment Sofware Rating Board: http://www.esrb.org/ratings/faq.jsp, accessed 9/24/10