Game Ratings: Part 2

Maybe I'm psychic. Ok. Probably not. Goodness knows that game ratings has been a hot topic for longer than I have been blogging. Of course, I did happen to blog about my opinion on game ratings and my poor brother's situation recently. It seems to happen in my life that shortly after I think about something random or talk about it some new information comes around and so is the case here.

The Federal Communication Commence will be conducting an inquiry after a report that will be delivered to Congress on Aug. 31, 2009. This report and inquiry is based on the usual fear that the media (television, games, etc.) are harmful to the youth of America. This is all leading to the possibility of a universal rating system.

Needless to say, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is not so happy about this idea.

Reached for comment by Kotaku:

"The ESA appreciates the FCC and its important role. However, the ESRB rating system is considered by parents, family advocates, the Federal Trade Commission, and elected officials as the gold standard in providing caregivers with the information they need to make the right choices for their families," said Rich Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs, at the ESA. "Universal ratings will, in the end, only serve to confuse consumers, violate the Constitution's first amendment, and are a solution in search of a problem."

Confuse consumers? Because two different systems that rate things differently for the same group of people isn't confusing? I am also wondering about this first amendment thing. It isn't like the government would be censoring them. If parents want to find out their opinion they can look it up online. Oh wait! Is this the ESA's way of saying, "Uh-oh! We might lose our jobs!"? I think so.

I do think that a more universal system should be considered. Have you heard the language that is on regular networks now-a-days? Hell! I actually saw a scene full of nipples from The Tudors on my regular cable channel. Ok, it was a Canadian station, but I am not in Canada and The Tudors is not the type of show I expect to see on anything other than Showtime!

I think it is silly that because of the differences in ratings my poor 13 year old brother can see all kinds of crazy stuff in movies and on television but can not play games that are not any worse. Seriously, is Halo 3 any worse than the Section 8 or Terminator movies? Parents that do not play video games tend to assume that the ratings are the same. So, maybe they should be. Sorry ESA, but I think you should probably find a better excuse than saying the public will be confused. Just admit that you are worried about yourselves.