Weekly Opinion - Game Ratings

Previously, I touched upon the game rating system by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, or ESRB. Mostly it was in relation to the Adults Only rating and how games with that label essentially become lepers to retailers.

Now, though, I wish to touch upon the ratings in general.

Favorable

For the most part, I don't mind the ratings. As I have been a gamer for most of my life, I've seen it grow and know most of it by heart. To me, they're as clear as the Motion Picture Association of America's ratings (G, PG, etc). If there is any rating system that is not really clear, the TV Parental Guideline are the confusing ones (TV-Y, TV-14 DLV, etc).

Enough of that, though. I feel that the ratings, for the most part, are apt. Generally, E games are good for everyone, T has action and some violence, but not as much as M, and so on. I do feel that AO ratings get a bad rap, and that they should be allowed (just through specific venues).

The problem is, it doesn't always seem as though people get it.

Parents

Parents, it seems, are often the ones who don't understand the ratings, and sadly, they are often the most vocal, complaining about how lil' Timmy bought Grand Theft Auto 4. The thing is, if anyone actually looks into it, they'll find that the parents didn't pay any attention to what game the kid was buying, and it is clearly rated M for mature.

I feel, as a society, people are becomming more prone to blame others for their own shortcomings. If something goes wrong, it isn't their fault, especially as a parent. If their kid messes up, the fault belongs to the teacher. If the kid kills someone, a violent video game warped their fragile little mind. If they buy a violent video game, its the fault of the retailer and not their own for just rubber stamping lil' Timmy's purchase.

It is really annoying.

Reaction

I'll grant you, I only started buying M games after I turned 18, and became more interested in them. I've only been carded once, which surprised me, but I felt it was a good thing. But it seems that many others don't. This does surprise me a bit, but at the same time it doesn't. I know I don't get carded often when I am supposed to (I was taught while working at Harris Teeter when I was 17 that a license needed to be seen when a credit card was used, yet I rarely see this happen).

Not much can be done, I think. Society can only do so much for the parents, though. The parents need to pick up the slack.