Sam Holt, Michael Cooper, and
Samantha Kelly
History of content ratings and the ESRB
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.
Timeline of Content Ratings
1987
1990
1992
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
July 1994
The Recreational
Software Advisory
Council is founded, with
the goal of issuing
consumer warnings
about graphic content
on PC games
April 1994
The “Great Powers,” Nintendo,
Sega, and EA meet and
establish the Interactive Digital
Software Association to
regulate internal ratings boards
1st of September 1994
The Electronic Software
Rating Board is founded
and immediately
accepted by most of the
video game industry.
This silences calls for
federal oversight
?
What’s the Issue?
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? (3)
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?
Our Solution
A new rating system based off of a point system
Point System
K
• 5 points or below
K+
• 10 - 15
T
• 20 – 35
M
• 40 - 60
A
• 65+
References
http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-teens-over-13-be-allowed-to-buyand-play-m-rated-games
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp