Sam Holt, Michael Cooper, and Samantha Kelly

A Critique of the Rating System

As a new media in the 1980s, video games and the industry that developed

them were subject to intense scrutiny. Criticisms made over content control

were dealt with by individual companies. However, as graphics advanced in

sophistication, it soon became clear that a single organization would be needed

to ensure that content could be withheld from certain audiences. The largest

game publishers of the day felt that if no action was taken to regulate content

the United States government would step in and form a regulatory body. To

prevent this, the ESRB was founded in 1994 with a mission statement to ensure

that games displaying inappropriate content would be restricted to certain

ages. The Electronic Software Rating Board is a non-profit, self regulating entity

that issues content ratings. Its edicts are accepted by almost every major retailor

and publisher.

History of content ratings and the ESRB

Timeline of Content Ratings

The Software Publisher’s Association declares that it is infeasible to issue a universal ratings system

The advent of full motion video capture allows for more realistic violence in virtual media

Senators Joseph Lieberman and Herb Kohl hold a hearing on excessive violence in video games

The “Great Powers,” Nintendo, Sega, and EA meet and establish the Interactive Digital Software Association to regulate internal ratings boards

The Recreational Software Advisory Council is founded, with the goal of issuing consumer warnings about graphic content on PC games

The Electronic Software Rating Board is founded and immediately accepted by most of the video game industry. This silences calls for federal oversight

1987

1990 1992 April 1994

July 1994

1st of September 1994

?

The rating system hasn’t evolved with society.

The last major change to the rating system was in 2005

In a survey on debate.org, 76% of people said children over the age of 13 should be allowed to play M rated games. Why?• The M rating covers way too many games. For example, Call of Duty

should not be in the same realm as GTA.

What’s the Issue?

Strange rating categories• Too many types of violence without any definition.

• Cartoon Violence and Fantasy Violence: Is there a difference?

• Crude Humor, Adult Humor, and Comic Mischief: Are they the same?

What’s the Issue?

The feasibility of enforcement

• ESRB ratings are easily bypassed online

• Steam, Amazon, and Origin ask for age but no identification

• Does regulation prevent games from getting into the hands of an audience deemed underage?

• Can a regulatory agency prevent the sale of products without the support of the vendor?

What’s the issue? (3)

A new rating system based off of a point system

Our Solution

K• 5 points or below

K+• 10 - 15

T• 20 – 35

M• 40 - 60

A• 65+

Point System

http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-teens-over-13-be-allowed-to-buy-and-play-m-rated-games

http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp

References