Video Game Content Rating Systems
Video game content rating systems are designed to be standardized systems serving the purpose of classifying video games based on their suitability for target audiences. The body responsible for the regulation varies from country to country and follows standards set by that specific region. Some of these regulatory systems are independent, while others are run or guided by their government. Given the vast amount of national rating boards, some developers have called for an international regulatory body to be formed to standardize these ratings on a global scale. [1] In response, the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), was introduced seeking to become the sole rating board globally, while still reflecting the unique cultural differences among nations and regions. [2] However, it is important to note that only countries and regions that are not represented by a participating rating authority recognize the legitimacy of this system.[3]
Contents
History
In 1993 Sen. Joseph Lieberman sponsored legislation that would force the video game industry to create a rating system to inform parents of game content.[4] Lieberman would take a strong stance saying in a news conference, “We’re talking about video games that glorify violence and teach children to enjoy inflicting the most gruesome forms of cruelty imaginable.”[5] He pushed further, going as far as to argue that these games lead to real crimes. [6] Consequently, representatives of the video game industry were called to a congressional hearing of the issue in December of 1993.[7] However, prior to the hearing, Sega decided to create its own rating system called the Videogame Rating Council. Officially launching in May 1993, it was the first rating system used by a major publisher in the United States and was heavily influenced by the motion picture industry rating system.[8] The eventual hearing would result in the formation of the Video Game Ratings Act of 1994, which would have been a federal game rating commission. However, the video game industry instead chose to create its own rating system, thus killing the need for the bill. The Interactive Digital Software Association, later known as the Entertainment Software Association, was formed to tackle the matter. Later in 1994, a coalition of game publishers, under the Interactive Digital Software Association, proposed to the United States Congress their idea for the national game rating board to be created. It was accepted and the ESRB was made official on Sept. 1, 1994. The rating system launched with 5 ratings: EC(Early Childhood), K-A(Kids to Adults), T(Teen), M(Mature), and AO(Adults Only).[7] Other countries followed suit, with the Pan-European Game Information rating system being created in Europe in 2003 [9] and the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization in Japan in 2002.[10]
Criticism and Ethical Concerns
Popular Rating Systems
Computer Entertainment Rating Organization
The Computer Entertainment Rating Organization was introduced as Japan's new rating system on October 1, 2002. Unlike North America's Entertainment Software Rating Board, the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization's raters/judges are not members of the video game industry. They are instead members of the public between the ages of 20 and 60 in various occupations.[10]
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| Games with a rating of Cero A are meant for all ages. Any content that could lead to an age restriction is avoided in these games.[10] | |
| Games with a rating of Cero B are meant for ages 12 and above. Only content suitable for the 12+ demographic is included in these games.[10] | |
| Games with a rating of Cero C are meant for ages 15 and above. Only content suitable for the 15+ demographic is included in these games.[10] | |
| Games with a rating of Cero D are meant for ages 17 and above. This typically indicates adult content is present.[10] | |
| Games with a rating of Cero Z are meant for ages 18 and above. Adult-only content is present and this game can not be sold or distributed to anyone under the age of 18.[10] |
Entertainment Software Rating Board
The Entertainment Software Rating Board serves as the video game content rating system of The United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Entertainment Software Rating Board was officially founded on September 16, 1994. It contained members of all the largest game companies of the time and introduced a regulatory body to the North American video game industry. Its primary function is to rate games and reveal what kind of content is present in them. In doing so, it theoretically allows parents to make decisions on what kinds of games their children play and keep certain games out of younger audiences' hands.[11] However, its effectiveness is heavily debated. The Entertainment Software Rating Board claims they have the highest rating enforcement of any industry and stop 87% of underage individuals from purchasing mature games.[12] However, others argue that the ratings actually encourages young kids to want those games since they view it as forbidden. A study published in the Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics supports this claim and found that an 18+ rating increases desire to play the game in children younger than the age rating.[13] In 2020, the Entertainment Software Rating Board became the first rating organization to start labeling when in-game purchases (loot boxes) appear in games. The Pan-European Game Information Board announced they would do the same immediately after.[14] [15]
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| Rated E for everyone denotes a game that is suitable for all age groups. Such a game may include minimum cartoon, fantasy, and mild violence. Only minimum mild language can be used.[16] | |
| Rated E 10+ denotes a game that is suitable for ages 10 and up. Such a game may include more cartoon, fantasy, and mild violence than a rated E game. Mild language and some suggestive themes can also be present.[16] | |
| Rated T for teen denotes a game that is suitable for ages 13 and up. Such a game may include violence, crude humor, and suggestive themes. Minimal blood and infrequent strong language are also allowed.[16] | |
| Rated M for mature denotes a game that is suitable for ages 17 and up. Such a game may include intense violence, sexual content, and strong language. Blood and gore can also be present.[16] | |
| Rated AO denotes a game that is only suitable for adults. Such a game may include prolonged intense violence, graphic sexual content, and gambling with real currency.[16] Some have described this rating as a "kiss of death" as retailers refuse to stock games with this rating, and due to this, developers typically avoid receiving this rating.[17] |
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International Age Rating Coalition
The International Age Rating Coalition was established in 2013. It stands alone as the only international rating system and is typically endorsed in countries without their own rating system in place.[3] Additionally, the IARC seeks to reflect cultural differences in its ratings, seeking to address a common point of contention when international regulation is mentioned.[2]
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| Games with a rating of IARC 3+ are meant for ages 3 and above.[18] | |
| Games with a rating of IARC 7+ are meant for ages 3 and above.[18] | |
| Games with a rating of IARC 12+ are meant for ages 12 and above.[18] | |
| Games with a rating of IARC 16+ are meant for ages 16 and above.[18] | |
| Games with a rating of IARC 18+ are meant for ages 18 and above.[18] |
Pan European Game Information
The Pan European Game Information age rating system serves as Europe's rating system for video games. Pan European Game Information (PEGI) was founded in 2003 to replace the various national systems in European countries.[9] Officially PEGI operates under Belgian law, but it services the countries of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldavia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.[9]
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| Games with a rating of PEGI 3 are meant for all ages. No images that could scare young children should be present or any language that could be considered bad.[19] | |
| Games with a rating of PEGI 7 are meant for ages 7 and above. Contains only very mild forms of violence and may have images that could scare young children.[19] | |
| Games with a rating of PEGI 12 are meant for ages 12 and above. Might include mild bad language. Mild graphic violence towards fantasy characters and non-realistic violence towards human characters is allowed.[19] | |
| Games with a rating of PEGI 16 are meant for ages 16 and above. Violence or sexual activity is realistic. Bad language is allowed, and drug use can be shown.[19] | |
| Games with a rating of PEGI 17 are meant for ages 18 and above. Graphic and gross depictions of violence can be present. Explicit sexual activity, glorified depictions of illegal drugs, and gambling simulations are included in this category.[19] |
References
- ↑ Polygon https://https://www.polygon.com/2012/11/15/3648978/head-of-ea-calls-for-single-universal-rating-system-across-all
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 IARC Website https://www.globalratings.com/
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 IARC Website Rating Guide https://www.globalratings.com/ratings-guide.aspx
- ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/12/02/senator-calls-for-warnings-on-video-games/74450503-ed9a-4084-9910-b8e65ac6f0cb/
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/08/business/video-games-violence.html
- ↑ https://reason.com/2014/05/07/a-short-history-of-game-panics/
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://www.wired.com/2009/07/dayintech-0729/#:~:text=The%20initial%20ratings%20were%3A,unsuitable%20for%20players%20under%2013
- ↑ Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-05-25-fi-39461-story.html
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 PEGI About Page https://pegi.info/page/pegi-organisation
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 CERO About Page https://www.cero.gr.jp/en/publics/index/17/
- ↑ Polygon https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/3/17068788/esrb-ratings-changes-history-loot-boxes
- ↑ https://www.esrb.org/blog/federal-trade-commission-finds-that-esrb-has-most-effective-ratings-enforcement/#:~:text=According%20a%202013%20study%20the,in%20its%20mystery%20shopper%20audit.
- ↑ American Academy of Pediatrics Journal https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/123/3/870/71714/Age-and-Violent-Content-Labels-Make-Video-Games?redirectedFrom=fulltext
- ↑ ESRB Lootbox Article https://www.esrb.org/blog/in-game-purchases-includes-random-items/
- ↑ PEGI Loot Boxes https://pegi.info/news/pegi-introduces-feature-notice
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 https://www.esrb.org/ratings-guide/#rating_cat
- ↑ Polygon https://www.polygon.com/2014/2/10/5362502/adults-only-rating-pointless-and-harmful-games-as-art-form
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 https://www.globalratings.com/ratings-guide.aspx
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 https://pegi.info/what-do-the-labels-mean
