It's absolutely disgusting that something like this would even be discussed in 2008. "online interaction isn't rated because it's user generated"-yeah,no shit.
If you want to see what a game is like,look at the box-no shit.

Video games have been around since the seventies for Christ's sake. If you still have no idea video games have a "rating" in the form of a "letter" so you can see what's "age appropriate" you deserve to have to bail your kid out of jail.
Not that I think violent games make kids violent,but if you're that fucking ignorant of the world around you,if you're that much of a dinosaur zombie,then no doubt you're pretty ignorant of the rest of your kid's life.

kidnicky

Thank you ESRB, the flyer said it all on its own

Thorax

I like this, maybe the industry over here in the UK could try something similar...

CanaryWundaboy

I'm glad the ESRB is still trying to get the average age statistic out there.

The sooner parents and the media stop thinking that only kids play games, the sooner I don't have to watch my games get censored (or banned) because 'of the children'.

splines

@Siegeman: If I recall correctly, Gamestop associates who don't card for M games can get fired, GTA or not.

antialias02

I think Gamestop is ratcheting up for GTA as well, based solely on the fact that I got carded trying to buy Geist for the Gamecube. (M rated ... waste of $8)

Then again, the store was actually clean, well organized and the employees were super helpful. Perhaps the ID check was as much of a fluke as the rest of my shopping experience. I mean, a store in a small New Hampshire town shouldn't be better kept than ones in every major metropolitan area I visited, right? Right? *sigh*

Siegeman

WOW, that picture is creepy.
Props, ESRB. Nice to see some proactive...ness? Proactivity? Proactivization?

ZinkO: The Game (the kind you just lost)

It's awesome that they are being proactive with the information.

I remember shopping with my sister and I was showing her some kids games and she asked me what the 'E' meant on the box. My sister is a terrific parent, but I think when a parent is not a gamer, that sort of thing isn't in the forefront of their minds. To have an organization like the PTA bring it to the forefront in a very positive way is fantastic.

hikergirl

This is a refreshing thing to see.

As far as, 'why, every time a GTA game comes out?' Simply because, kids LOVE the forbidden fruit that is GTA. This is the game that kids beg their parents for and, for the most part, parents tend to swipe their credit cards first and ask questions later.

Eclectified

I think the most telling part of this article was simply in the numbers. Half of them don't regularly check ratings? 44 percent of them are COMPLETELY sure that their children don't play anything online? It's this strange mix of aggressive ignorance and naivete that has created the current view of gaming in the eyes of the mass media.

Way to go, ESRB. While the European rating system has been given a 2-year deadline to shape up, North America is taking a proactive step against the shitstorm that will inevitably follow the GTA IV launch.

Goddamn, though. Half don't regularly check. They should have asked how many of them check the rating of the movies their children watch. There seems to be a conflicting message, though; they say that games are not aimed at children, but then show that the majority of games are rated E 10+. That's true, because there's lots of licensed children's shovelware. I would be interested to see the ESRB ratings for the most bought/rented/played games of the past year, because it's not like the kids are going after stinkers; children being corrupted by GTA didn't become a problem until the series started printing money.

Miksho

@ShaggE: Well said. I am surprised that the ESRB is out in front of this one.

-----------------------------------

I think we need a pre-emptive strike on Canada. They have been quiet for far too long.....they are planning something.....

Mr.SithNinja

I don't think parents pay as much attention to the ratings as they say they do. It's good that many do and that ESRB teamed up with the PTA to finally tell parents, it's your job!
I have a little brother at home and I would have to educate my parents all the time on some of the games he was playing. I think they do a much better job now.

Great job ESRB/PTA and nice report Leigh.

truhuman

It's just scape goat for bad parents. All it really does is help market the game more.

TONYWONDER

@caffolote: Because it is GTA.

Mr.SithNinja

Y'know, it's funny. The ESRB have a similar goal to that of Jack Thompson. If only Jack had approached his cause in the way that the ESRB do, instead of spewing lies and chasing ambulances, he'd be our ally instead of our scapegoat.

ShaggE

This is definitely a good thing, I just have to wonder how many will take notice. Parents generally don't like taking the blame for things, and so the ESRB has a difficult job of basically reprimanding parents and saying "do better."

It's so much easier to just simultaneously blame "society" for every problem and expect society to clean it all up, right?

It would be great if they could just come out and said it simply and firmly: "Parents, it's your job to watch what your kid does. Your child is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY."

But that R word... it's scary for so many.

Huckleberry

"Parenting video games is exactly the same as parenting everything else."

This is more refreshing than a Zima. Major props to the ESRB and PTA. Thank you for opening up this dialog to people who may not be aware.

peAr_nectAr

Damn Kotau, rolling out the investigative press again.

Jac21

Why is GTA always a target every time a new GTA game releases?

caffolote

I like it when Smart people do smart things.
I hate it when Smart people do stupid things.
This one is smart...

StealthMaster86

woo! thanks for clearing up the myth that all games are for kids, esrb.

squidboy007

And we can all look forward to a day when those uninformed realize that everything we see in GTA games we already see in similarly rated movies and nobody gives two shits about those movies. (And those similarly rated movies are allowed to have nudity, on top of that!)

dowingba

Hilary clinton hates GTA
Hilary Clinton Enemy to gamers.
Hilary Clinton made an idiot out of herself(anybody watched WWE RAW, "Call me HilRod"...man I couldn't stop laughing)

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques

@VitFer2007:

Indeed, which A LOT of parents are severely lacking these days.

dead_red_eyes

If the ESRB gets attacked again even though they pulled off this informational event, then the accusers are missing something vitally important... something called common sense.

VitFer2007

Wow, the ESRB just stepped up. The lack of fear-mongering is quite refreshing.
Cheers, Filthy

Filthy_O_Bedlam

@jello44:

God.. another issue of "read before you hit submit"

What I should have said was, any parent that buys Grand Theft Auto for their 12 year old child should be slapped.

jello44

Any parent that buys a game titled "Grand Theft Auto" needs to be pimp slapped for their idiocy. What do they think that the object of the game is, planting flowers?

jello44

@kidnicky: I just really don't comprehend the aggressively defensive postures a lot of our community takes when stuff like this comes up. It's not too hard to think of situations where things like this could be really useful to parents. What about a parent who works two jobs and can't put in the hours being as hands-on as he or she might want-- wouldn't the ESRB's efforts benefit that parent, and that child? Or my own father, for example-- my father is forty-five years older than I am, and fifty-seven years older than my teenage brother. Gaming isn't something he gets on the level we do-- it's definitely not in his comfort zone. I'm really glad the ESRB is trying to put out this information, because even if you or I might not have use of it, someone might.

does it generally make sense to protest something that doesn't hurt you, and potentialy help someone else?

wild homes

PS I am really disappointed Rockstar, or Take-Two, I guess, didn't join the ESRB on this. I guess you could argue that because this push isn't EXPRESSLY about Grand Theft Auto, they couldn't be made to participate, but I would've had a lot more respect for them if they had willingly done so.

But money from all corners, I guess. Even if it comes from little kids. And I'm not trying to single out Take-Two, or Rockstar-- I think all developers should be more active trying to help our community grow in a healthy way.

wild homes

I hadn't really thought of it before, but maybe releasing a GTA game right before a presidential election is a bad idea. Here's to hoping the candidates have bigger fish to fry!

sohpi

"'Every family is different; we don't make assumptions about what's appropriate for you' Vance added."

I certainly approve of that sentiment. I'd never like to see the day where ratings are any more than simply helpful information for parents. I personally have no problem with certain things a ratings group may find objectionable, but equally I have problems with certain issues they may not. We don't prevent everyone from driving just because there's a risk of getting into an accident. Freedom of the mind brings with it risk and responsibility, and if we value it at all then we cannot simply brush the issues under the carpet using bans or other censorship.

MattB

There are three major ways to reach people, and unfortunately, webcasts aren't it. Many of the people who are part of the percentage that don't check or don't know about ratings don't even know what a webcast is.

To reach people, you gotta hit three things: radio, tv, and newspapers. Unfortunately, it costs money, but if the gov't is seeing fit to spend so much money paying so many senators to debate on entertainment for weeks on end, perhaps the gov't might help the ESRB be heard. Throw ads in the Times, or spots between segments of Walker Texas Ranger (or JAG... or Perry Mason...). Do an informative bit on talk radio.

It's totally wonderful that they are trying to be heard and they most definitely need to be heard. I'd honestly donate to a campaign to raise funds for taking the steps above. I really would. Gaming is, natch, my favorite hobby and I hardly watch TV anymore. I'd really like to contribute to the effort of protecting something I love dearly. Even though I'm in Canada, what happens in the US affects us, too.

Hell, maybe even Croal can help us out. We're not all psycho killers.

dunetiger : the mekuri master

Mark me impressed.

Snake726

Congratulations, ESRB. You've done a truly good thing, now only if you can get the message out everywhere about it.

As a Teenager of 15, I remember when my friend obsessed over GTA3 and Vice City. I just sat there and rolled my eyes. By San Andreas, he hated his parents because they realised what was RIGHT. I laughed on the inside, while I settled down to play excellent stuff that was appropriate for my age group like Legend Of Zelda. Hey, I came out right, I like to think.

PK2

Gasp!
Slap me around with perfectly acceptable and justifiable reasoning, will you?
Kudos.
I sense something, as if a million gamers just sighed out in relief and untensed their shoulders that tiny little bit.

StartRunning

@wild homes:

Looking at a box for five minutes is outside his comfort zone? Seriously,how long does it take and how knowledgable must you be to look at the cover of Saint's Row,look at the cover of Sonic the Hedgehog,and go "hmmmmm,difference."

kidnicky

@ShaggE: They don't have the same goals at all! The ESRB is trying to educate and inform so parents can decide if a game is appropriate, JT wants to scare parents into not allowing the games' creation or sale.

Go ESRB, that last line about responsibility should be a billboard

Wei

Great detailed article, Leigh.

The ESRB should have pushed partnering with the PTA a long time ago. PTA parents are already more involved with their children, so this is doubly effective. Also, PTA parents are also more vocal, so keeping this vocal group knowledgeable and way less prone to jumping to ignorant conclusions about games is a great move.

kftgr

@kidnicky: No offense, but I think you're missing my point. I'm not saying my father is unintelligent, but I believe he is largely unaware of how our industry and community continue to evolve. It's just not on his radar. So, I think it really is valuable that the ESRB have decided to approach parents with a dialogue about this-- we can't always rely on having information AVAILABLE, sometimes it's necessary to say, hey, read this.

That's what they're doing. Nothing more than that. Should we as gamers feel threatened by the actions of a group that works on the part of our hobby? They're on your side!

wild homes

@wild homes:

I'm not threatened,it's just silly. Does your Dad have a TV? It's almost impossible for him or anyone else to not know vidja gaims make the chitlens kill each other. It's a pretty popular issue. If it's "off your radar" your radar may not be wide enough. Especially if your kids spend a lot of time playing the very games you never think about!

(and no,I'm not insulting your dad,I'm continuing your hypothetical example)

kidnicky