The ESRB is dead.

[keepithowitis]

Really. There's really no arguing it. All over the place now, there are kids playing games they, legally, shouldn't be playing. There's no doubt about it there are thousands of kids still in elementary school that are playing Halo and Call Of Duty regularly, hell, there are probably a bunch on right now. Just yesterday I saw a Walmart commercial of a couple kids (I'm guessing ages 6 and 8) playing Guitar Hero, which, although this isn't much of a stretch, rated T. That's not too bad. But then there's the other kids, also that age, that are in playing things like CoD and even Gears of War and Fallout 3 regularly. I was helping out at my sister's birthday party last year, around the holiday video game season when Fallout, Gears 2, and CoD 5 were coming out, and I was sitting talking with some of the guys there, mind you, they're in 4th grade. Every single one has Call of Duty on their Xbox, and three of 'em had Gears 2.

What I'm saying here is that the ESRB is becoming defunct. To get a game, all it really takes is a trip to Gamestop with your parents, or if that doesn't work, enough money to buy a copy from a friend whose parents already got it for 'em. After that, all it takes is an Internet connection and a deceptively aged Live account, and you're good to go. And it's become pretty obvious that game companies are giving up trying to stop them. I remember a poster De-Ting (i think) posted a while back about a Call of Duty tournament. He noted that the minimum age to enter was 13, whereas the game itself is rated M. If this is happening to the point that the ESRB doesn't even care anymore, then why does it still exist? Should they just give up altogether, or try and alter their plan so it'll actually keep kids away from this stuff? Is it too late already?

 

[UghRochester]

It's not ESRB's fault, it's more about whether a parent will find enough reasons to buy a rated game for his/her child
ESRB does care, that's why theres that "Rated___for___" logo. It helps inform the parent.

So it's not too late, it's just parents are getting less strict with their children

 

[De-Ting]

Maybe we should just go all Metal Gear and use nanomachines to stop kids from being able to even use the control while a game rated above their age limit is being played. But then an underground "controller laundering" business would open up and Liquid and Solid Noob would just end up destroying all of the the network and we'd be back to square one.

3nd of zee w0rlds is the only way to go.

 

[Warlock]

ESRB's in a tough situation here, they can't actually make sure that the correct people purchase the game, unless something like what DeTng says happens XD. Anyway, maybe they have given up a little according to this

He noted that the minimum age to enter was 13, whereas the game itself is rated M.

Although, they still do bother to put up a warning ......

To get a game, all it really takes is a trip to Gamestop with your parents, or if that doesn't work, enough money to buy a copy from a friend whose parents already got it for 'em. After that, all it takes is an Internet connection and a deceptively aged Live account, and you're good to go.

In this situation it's clearly the guardian's fault for not watching over their kids. Geeze how stupid are these parents -_-

 

[Ted_Wolff]

The ratings are recommendations, not requirements, and certainly not legal requirements (and we should hope they never are).

So I don't think you've made your point. Now, if you had a pretty pie chart that showed a drop in education of or consideration for the ESRB, I might buy what you're sellin'.

PS, I worked at a computer camp last summer and our policy was that no camper could play a game he/she didn't meet the recommendation for. The older kids that could play Mature games couldn't even play them if a younger camper were in the same room.

Now, I'm sure this policy didn't carry outside of camp, so guardians can only do so much. In any event, is this a bad thing?

 

[truncheon5000]

You guys don't realise how good you've got it in the states. here in Australia if it isn't suitable for a 15 year old it's simply outright banned for sale within Australian and illegal to own

there is even discussion here of filtering websites which stock illegal games making it near impossible to import games from any where

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/06/aust-g ... eb-filter/

aside from that i have personally had games and movies (manhunt 2 and murder set pieces) withheld at customs and now am on the "offenders list" with paedophiles and convicted drug smugglers

 

[Bretimus_v2]

I shouldn't laugh but I can't stop.

Also, you have to realize that the proper upbringing of a child is the responsibility of his guardians. No agency or government can be blamed for children ignoring the ratings, and let's face it, kids are going to play what's cool (GTA, COD4). But it also has a lot to do with the kid, some kids handle it better than others.

I actually like the ESRB rating system, it's clear, concise, and needed. If you want to know why a game is Teen, you don't have to search and the rating is clearly marked.

ESRB > Movie Ratings

 

[JCvgluvr]

Also, you have to realize that the proper upbringing of a child is the responsibility of his guardians. No agency or government can be blamed for children ignoring the ratings, and let's face it, kids are going to play what's cool (GTA, COD4). But it also has a lot to do with the kid, some kids handle it better than others.

I actually like the ESRB rating system, it's clear, concise, and needed. If you want to know why a game is Teen, you don't have to search and the rating is clearly marked.

ESRB > Movie Ratings

Yeah, this pretty much ends the thread. Heck, younglings can easily get access to cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, etc, and they've been able to do such for a long, long time. It's parent's responsibility to protect their kids, and nobody else's.

 

[Trippysmurf]

1) Those warning labels on CDs didn't stop anyone from listening to music with Explicit Lyrics in the 90s.

2) My friends and I were watching Cinemassacre, and James brought up a very good point when addressing action movies of the 80s and 90s compared to today.

Back then, the action movies were rated R for pushing the envelope in over the top violence. Today, comedies are the films receiving R ratings for male nudity and adult language, like Funny People. A lot of action movies are rated Pg-13, like GI Joe.

When you can watch any news channel and hear about someone getting shot both domestically and internationally, violence becomes common place.

3) As has probably been said, control lies on the parent, and if the parent is a moron, they are going to let their kid play whatever they want.

I used to work in a Lan center, where we kept all the games behind the counter. One day a kid younger than 10 comes in with his mother; he supposedly came by the day before and still had time on his account. He looks at the game list and says "I want to play Vampire Bloodlines". I look at my boss and say "Uhh, that's a Mature game." The kid responds "I played it yesterday." I give him that 'you're so full of shit' look; my boss tells me to let him play it.

Fortunately there is a common factor to a lot of Mature games: they have a plot and require thinking, which usually has youngins give up after 3 minutes and not having killed a single person.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

That reminded me of the other day. I was at a store checking out the used PS3 games and this kid is trying to buy a Mature game. The clerk says sorry, you're like 12 and the kid storms out of the store. A couple minutes later the kid with a parent-in-tow goes back and the parent just starts unloading on this 16 year-old. The manager tried to tell them, we card just like R-rated movies and the parent said, "it's a f'ing videogame."

Out of curiosity, are there penalties for not carding at stores like GameStop or Wal-Mart? Anyone know?

 

[letusprey]

I work at Gamestop. If they send in a secret shopper kid and you don't card them. you get fired. Hands down, no questions asked.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

Wow, that's harsh. Even some corner stores give you a second shot with alcohol and smokes.

Also, any good deals you could offer us GRians?

 

[miak757]

The ratings are recommendations, not requirements, and certainly not legal requirements (and we should hope they never are).

 

[letusprey]

Wow, that's harsh. Even some corner stores give you a second shot with alcohol and smokes.

Also, any good deals you could offer us GRians?

Yeah, they make a pretty big deal out of it, if a sales associate fucks up he/she gets fired, the manager on duty is written up and put up for termination and teh store manager is written up. The last thing Gamestop wants to feel is the wrath of an angry parent.

As far as good deals.....no...I don't even get them

 

[KoalaRainbowPoop]

esrb hasn't failed us. no, instead what has failed us is lazy parenting from parents that don't want to hear their kids whine.

 

[TheDiesel]

Yeah, they make a pretty big deal out of it, if a sales associate fucks up he/she gets fired, the manager on duty is written up and put up for termination and teh store manager is written up. The last thing Gamestop wants to feel is the wrath of an angry parent.

I'm 19 and have been shopping at my local Gamestop for years and they still card me, it's just store policy like prey said.

 

[letusprey]

My faviorite thing is when a 8-10 year old comes in with his mom and I am like this game is rated M for the following reasons, then I list off the 30 reasons this game is Rated M, and then tell the parents quietly you can actually watch sex with hookers and then kick them out of the car and gun them down and take there money.

The parent almost always is like...O hehehhehehehehehehe if he doesn't play it at my house hehehehehehehehe then he will find somewhere else to play it ohahahahahah.............

I even once had a mom tell her kid that the game was Mature and he shouldn't get it, and then the kid preceded to lay on the floor kicking,screaming and crying " I'M Matoore! I'm Matoore!" until the mom told me to just ring it out and give it to him...way to go mom!

It gives me a whole new level of respect for the few parents who still come in and ask me advice on games and let their 8 year olds know that they can not pick out any M rated games and have to ask abotu the Teen rated games, and all those kids seem way more mature and more well behaved then any of the "Mature enough to play GTA" kids.

 

[BigTruckSeries]

I hate the ESRB cause it turns developers into punks and keeps them from putting in content they want to put in in fear of alienating audiences.

games like Duke Nukem would be heavily censored if these morons had their way - even if it had an ADULTS rating.

And none of this stops kids from buying the games. They can buy on EBAY and nobody checks ID there.

 

[Ted_Wolff]

Even if the ESRB has failed, what has been the result? Are there more underage gamers who are now delinquent as a result? I'd say no.

 

[TheDiesel]

I hate the ESRB cause it turns developers into punks and keeps them from putting in content they want to put in in fear of alienating audiences.

The only game in recent times to have content removed because of the ESRB system was Manhunt 2. What other games are you talking about?