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ECA: Special Interest Groups "Don't Have A Leg To Stand On"
Posted by Kotaku US Edition at 5:40 AM on May 9, 2008
Nonprofit advocacy group The Entertainment Consumers' Association is hailing the results of a recent Federal Trade Commission study that showed 80 percent retailer compliance with the ESRB's ratings system, a continual year-over-year increase that puts games ahead of other media in self-regulating mature content.
ECA President Hal Halpin called the results, which improved significantly over 2007, "an extraordinary accomplishment," praising retailers' commitment to keep M-rated games out of kids' hands. "Perhaps most impressive is the incredible reversal in their failure rate over such a short period of time and with a comparatively new rating system," Halpin said.
"This is truly a vindication for video game merchants who have been falsely damned by anti-game advocates and special interest groups, who now don't have a leg to stand on. Our congratulations and thanks are extended to these retailers, who, above music and movie merchants, have proven their word, empowered parents and shown a commitment to corporate social responsibility."
The FTC survey, and Halpin's comments, come just on the heels of a bill in the U.S. House that would levy $US 5,000 fines for retailers who sell adult games to kids. The proposed legislation is similar to bills in states such as Oklahoma, Illinois and California, that were all ultimately ruled unconstitutional in 2007.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Genocyde
Posted 6:31 AM 9/5/08
@Billkwando:
No he's actually taking credit for it. It's fucking hilarious.
I'm more than happy to take credit for the improvement. The threat of legislation has improved performance, not some altruism on the part of the Strauss Zelnick's [or] the industry. To America's parents: Jack Thompson is delighted to have helped.
[gamepolitics.com]
Genocyde
Billkwando
Posted 6:24 AM 9/5/08
Jack Thompson is shitting all over himself today, I'm sure.
Billkwando
Figcoinc
Posted 6:04 AM 9/5/08
Even though I am very happy to hear this (wishing it was more like %95 compliance), this will not stop those groups. Why? They will find some fault in it. They really do not care about kids, they fundamentally believe that video games are bad regardless.
Just like to book burnings were like in the past. Anything that is not washed into their liking is automatically bad. So I believe this will not change a thing in their push to eradicate gaming, but will give the pro-gaming side great ammunition to cut short many of their arguments.
Figcoinc
Derigor
Posted 6:03 AM 9/5/08
@MonkeyBiz: Man when I was young, they wouldnt sell me Two Life Crew tapes. man I wanted that. I had to settle with like LL Cool J instead. Now I like to burn things because Beavis and Butthead made me do it.
- In my opinion special interest groups dont need a leg to stand on, the fuckers can levitate.
Derigor
MonkeyBiz
Posted 5:57 AM 9/5/08
Glad to see 80%. I never had problem buying R-Rated movies when I was 14. Although when I was 16 K-mart denied my purchase of Tenchu 2 for PS1, so I went next door to GameStop and bought it.
Not really sure where that post went, but it seems that things have gotten better.
MonkeyBiz
AndrewG009
Posted 5:54 AM 9/5/08
@Kazzahdrane:
I second that.
AndrewG009
Kazzahdrane
Posted 5:49 AM 9/5/08
A someone who until recently worked in games retail, I say this is how things should be, not something to be celebrated per se. 80% is still one in five. And that's way too many for my liking.
However, given that this is above other retail markets this should certainly be used where ever possible to shut up Mothers groups and their ilk who have nothing better to do than write letters of complaint when they can't raise their kids.
Kazzahdrane
RubyMars
Posted 7:23 AM 9/5/08
Retailers do take this seriously! Selling M-rated games to under-age customers is a firing offense in the EB/GameStop universe!
RubyMars
Jac21
Posted 9:55 AM 9/5/08
@DeeBG:
Well, you can always import it. I dunno about "picking" though.
Jac21
DeeBG
Posted 9:42 AM 9/5/08
I see kids buying R-rated and "unrated" versions of movies all the time at places like Best Buy. At that exact same though Best Buy they turn away kids who want to buy M-rated games and often call attention to the rating if a parent is obviously buying a game for their kid (to which I've only seen one mother put back the game and 5 other moms and dads give a "you trying to tell me how to raise my f'ing kid?" comment and/or look).
I think the ESRB has done most everything thinkable (within a legal and financial context) to inform parents/legal guardians about game ratings. It's just a matter of time before this dies out, but I can only hope it doesn't impact the game development/publishing communities (more than it already has).
Why German authorities think green blood is better than red is beyond me. BTW if anyone here is a gamer that lives in Germany (or just knows the answer to the question), do the current titles (COD4 for example) force green blood on you, or can you pick (or is it just like other regions)?
DeeBG
liquidnumb
Posted 10:12 AM 9/5/08
For crying out loud... How many of you got hold of "mature" material when you were a kid? I'm guessing somewhere near the figure of just about everyone here?
Now really, are any of you going to say it screwed you up?
liquidnumb
HatPerson
Posted 10:10 AM 9/5/08
Just for the sake of comparison take a look at fines for selling tobacco to minors in some parts of New England.
[www.cga.ct.gov]
$5000 for first offense of M-rated game sale to a minor.
$1500 maximum for sales of tobacco to a minor after the first offense in New York.
HatPerson
randlsa
Posted 12:25 PM 9/5/08
I appreciate what the ESRB does. I really like the fact that they go as far as to include simplistic descriptions of why a game is rated M too. I just don't understand why so many games with the obligitory sexuality or profanity couldn't drop them out and make them available via DLC? My older kids would have the God of War PSP game had it not been for the cheap sex content. I'm very surprised that with all the push to appeal to the broader "casual gamer" crowd that developers wouldn't want to make their games reach a broader market?
randlsa
JonSnow
Posted 7:56 AM 9/5/08
I'm sure these special interest groups will be all over the theatres and DVD retailers selling adult content to minors.
Did Tipper Gore see the music information? GASP! and such.
And finally, thank God video games are at 80% success rates; all we need is that last 20$%, and the youth of America will finally be safe!
JonSnow