TwitterWhy the ESRB doesn’t work.
July 18th, 2005
I read an article about how the ESRB rates games recently, I think it was in a print magazine, one of the too many that I read. Slashdot found me a similar online version that I can now share with you. I think the bottom line of the article is clear:
So, what’s the big deal if a game gets bumped up to the higher rating? Big retailers like Wal-Mart won’t stock AO-rated games; that means potentially huge revenue losses if you can’t eke out an M from the board.
Some game companies submit their product to the board repeatedly to ensure they get a desirable rating.
So, back to my ranting about GTA: San Andreas deserving to be rated Adults Only… Look at what the ESRB actually does when “reviewing” a game:
Most new games require 50 hours or more to complete, so the ESRB doesn’t play titles all the way through. For certain games, members of the board will perform a spot-check using manufacturer-provided cheat codes that allow access to higher or hidden levels.
Sounds like a simple way to rig yourself a favorable rating, no? Wonder why Rockstar didn’t submit their “Hot Coffee” cheat code to the ERSB in order to “expose” (hehe) the hidden mini-game. Oh wait… we all know the answer to that question.
I’m a huge gamer, HUGE, but I feel the ESRB is miserably flawed. It was a good idea when violent games like GTA didn’t exsist, back then, people were freaking out over Night Trap. Video games are a multi-billion dollar industry now and it’s only going to grow. I don’t think the government stepping in is a good idea, but something needs to change soon for that not to happen IMO. I think separating the ESRB from the ESA is a damn good start. Just read their own description:
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory body for the interactive entertainment software industry established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), formerly the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA). ESRB independently applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles adopted by the computer and video game industry.
Erm, conflict of interest perhaps? I’d say so.
Entry Filed under: gaming
