ESRB Builds Its Rating Muscles

Just this summer, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) launched a new initiative that would definitely strengthen its video game ratings system: the “seal of approval” and its mystery shopping program were initiated.

Not only will these new programs strengthen the ratings system, it’s also supposed to boost public awareness regarding games and their ratings – or at least that’s what they’re hoping to happen.

Included in these new programs by the ESRB is dubbed “Commitment to Parents.” This will require retail stores who have signed up for the program to agree to train their sales staff about the board’s rating system, promote the said game rating system and set up a system for complaints made by consumers regarding sales violations.

ESRB’s programs may have been implemented during this crucial time that the gaming industry is under scrutiny by a lot of politicians and parent groups. Some people though are considering this move by the board a mere show as their rules regarding the sales of games are voluntarily being heeded by most retail stores.

Rocky Mountain News conducted its own mystery shopping experiment where they used a 15-year old kid to try and buy Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from five major stores – Wal-Mart, Best Buy, GameStop, Circuit City and Target. He wasn’t able to purchase the game, meaning these major retail stores are enforcing these ratings.

According to ESRB’s president, Patricia Vance, since most stores already respect the rating system for games, it’s up to the parents to respect (or voluntarily follow) the ratings. Vance said that most of the time, the parents are the reason how underage kids get their hands on games with a 17 and above rating – thus, the “Commitment to Parents” program.

Let’s just see if these new programs help in getting politicians’ and concerned groups’ eyes off the gaming industry soon.

Just this summer, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) launched a new initiative that would definitely strengthen its video game ratings system: the “seal of approval” and its mystery shopping program were initiated.

Not only will these new programs strengthen the ratings system, it’s also supposed to boost public awareness regarding games and their ratings – or at least that’s what they’re hoping to happen.

Included in these new programs by the ESRB is dubbed “Commitment to Parents.” This will require retail stores who have signed up for the program to agree to train their sales staff about the board’s rating system, promote the said game rating system and set up a system for complaints made by consumers regarding sales violations.

ESRB’s programs may have been implemented during this crucial time that the gaming industry is under scrutiny by a lot of politicians and parent groups. Some people though are considering this move by the board a mere show as their rules regarding the sales of games are voluntarily being heeded by most retail stores.

Rocky Mountain News conducted its own mystery shopping experiment where they used a 15-year old kid to try and buy Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from five major stores – Wal-Mart, Best Buy, GameStop, Circuit City and Target. He wasn’t able to purchase the game, meaning these major retail stores are enforcing these ratings.

According to ESRB’s president, Patricia Vance, since most stores already respect the rating system for games, it’s up to the parents to respect (or voluntarily follow) the ratings. Vance said that most of the time, the parents are the reason how underage kids get their hands on games with a 17 and above rating – thus, the “Commitment to Parents” program.

Let’s just see if these new programs help in getting politicians’ and concerned groups’ eyes off the gaming industry soon.