Once upon a time the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) System was a system developed in order to regulate the sales of violent and crude video games to minors. Over time, however, the rating system became heavily criticized because it had various loopholes and issues with it. In the past 18 years, the video game industry has evolved so much that some critics argue whether or not the system is still useful. Over the past 2 decades the video game industry has evolved tremendously. Not only has it evolved when it comes to game play and graphics, but the content in Video Games has certainly become more graphic, more violent and certainly rawer. The original rating system was developed in order to protect minors from certain video games, but now since times have change and the content in games has certainly change. The question is: Do we still need to protect our kids and if so is out current system adequate enough to do so?
During the early 1990’s, video gaming progressed into the 16 bit-era where graphics and sound capabilities were dramatically increased. Things such as blood and gore were clearer. And the release of games such as Mortal Kombat and Doom, made parents feel that video games during that time were too violent and graphic. Ultimately, these concerns were lobbied to members of congress, where Senator Herb Kohl from Wisconsin and Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut lead various hearings to deal with these new games and their potential impact they could have on children. They handed an ultimatum to the Entertainment Software Association, either develop a system to rate games or the federal government would. This resulted in the development of the ESRB Rating System. According to esrb.org,
“The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a non-profit, self regulatory body established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).”
The ESRB Rating System consists of a 2-part equal rating system. Ratings, which can be found usually in the front lower left hand corner of a game or the back lower right hand corner, consists of a letter grade and a small statement which indicates something about the nature of the game, eg. violence or crude language. There are currently 6 different ratings used within this system.
1. Early Childhood – (EC) – Titles that are rated EC are usually suited for Kids ages 3 and up. And usually contain no inappropriate content for kids.
2. Everyone – Titles that are rated for everyone are usually suited for children ages 6 and older. Titles in this category contain forms of cartoon violence (minimal) and minimal suggestive themes.
3. Everyone 10+ - Titles that are rated E10+ are usually suited for children 10 and older and contain more mild forms of cartoon violence and suggestive themes.
4. Teen – Titles rated T (Teen) have content that is only suitable for kids ages 13 and up. Titles rated in this category usually contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood and/or usage of strong infrequent language.
5. Mature – Titles rated Mature have content that are suited for individual ages 17 and up. Titles in this category contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
6. Adults Only – Titles rated Adults only have content that should only be played by persons 18 or older. Titles in this category contain prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or sexual content and nudity.
The ESRB Rating System is a highly recommended system but is strictly voluntary. Today major corporations such as GameStop and Best Buy work hard to follow the system (voluntarily) for the simple fact that most of these companies don’t want to have a law suit or a bad public image if they sell a controversial game to a minor. According to Gamestopcorp.com,
“In 2006, GameStop launched a nationwide public education and awareness campaign to assist parents in making informed decisions on video game purchases. The campaign is an extension of our ongoing corporate commitment, in concert with the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), to restrict Mature-rated video game sales to minors and to provide age-appropriate content information regarding video games.”
In addition, GameStop Corporation even went as far as to create a 2006 public awareness campaign for the voluntary rating system called “Respect the Rating.”
However, despite the efforts of these companies, many people argue that in today’s time most people, especially parents don’t care about the rating system. An example of this theory would be the one on one interaction between Scott Steinberg, an expert in Video Game theory and managing director of Embassy Multimedia Consultants, and Chang Liu a former employee of an independent game store. According to gametheoryonline.com,
“Chang Liu’s store had enforced the ESRB ratings during his time. (He) told me that his store would not sell, rent, or trade M-rated games to kids under 18…ID was necessary to do any kind of transaction at the store. Parents reacted to the store’s zero-tolerance…Apathetic at best, and hostile at worst. “I never once had a parent ask me about the ESRB rating…Nearly half of all parents didn’t care if what their kids were buying was mature or not. Most minors we turned away came back with a parent or relative…who made never made a fuss about the purchase, though in one extreme instance I saw a kid grab a random passerby heading inside the store.”
Surprisingly enough as a consumer, I find this to be a norm in both corporate stores and independents. More and more, parents are ignoring the rating system and kids (especially pre-teens) are looking for any way to get their hands on a mature rated game even going as far as asking random adults to buy these games for them.
But what does this example of the Rating System show us about today’s society? Well first, in today society, violence, crude language and humor exist in a more wide spread manner in our media. It can be found on TV, the internet and even in print media in which most kids today are exposed to on a regular basis. Does this mean that our kids are becoming more desensitized to these things because of this exposure? It’s hard to tell. A case, however, can be made that parents are no longer putting as much effort in shielding their kids from such games. Does this mean that the rating system is obsolete? Not necessarily. The purpose of this system is to inform parents about these games. Whether they care enough to ensure their kids are not exposed to this is their choice. In addition, since the rating system is voluntary, many independent stores have the option of following it or not. Many could simply choose not to follow it due to the fact that kids under the age of 17 have extendable income and it is simply profitable to sell these games regardless of the nature to them. Ultimately, the ESRB Rating System is a uniquely complex rating system, it isn’t perfect, but it is what we have at the moment and maybe with time, this system will be subject to change and hopefully for the better.
Esrb., By The. Entertainment Software Rating Board. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. <http://www.esrb.org/ratings/faq.jsp#1>.
James, Kevin T. "Video Game Rating System - Useful or Useless." Video Games and More. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. http://ktjvideo.blogspot.com/2010/09/video-game-rating-system-useful-or.html
GameStop Corporation. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. <http://www.gamestopcorp.com/esrb.aspx>.
"Do Video Game Ratings Work? ESRB System Reviewed." Game Industry News, Interviews and Videos | Game Theory. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. <http://gametheoryonline.com/2010/09/21/video-game-ratings-esrb-violence-mature/>.
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