NEW YORK, NY -- 12/01/09 --
Just in time for the holiday shopping season,
the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) -- which assigns age and
content ratings for computer and video games -- has developed a free iPhone app giving parents instant,
on-the-spot access to its new 'rating summaries' right at
the store when making decisions about which games to give as gifts. To
educate parents about ratings, rating summaries and the new rating search
app, ESRB developed a new series of TV and radio Public Service
Announcement (PSA) ads that will begin airing nationwide in the coming
days. Major video game retailers will also air the PSAs in their stores
throughout the coming year.
Rating summaries, which are provided by ESRB but are not displayed on game
boxes as are the ESRB ratings and
content descriptors, give parents a detailed, straight-forward
explanation of the context and relevant content that factored into a game's
rating. They go beyond a game's rating by elaborating on its content
descriptors and explaining its context, helping parents make truly informed
game choices for their children.
"Rating summaries provide just the kind of specific, descriptive
information that parents find useful when having to make decisions about
whether a game is suitable for their child," said ESRB president Patricia
Vance. "This new rating search app puts all this information at parents'
fingertips when they need it most, right at the store. It's a powerful
tool that will help assure parents that the games they give as gifts are
not only fun but also appropriate for their children."
The new rating search app is available for free via the iTunes App Store and offers access to ESRB rating
information for over 18,000 titles. Rating summaries are available for all
games rated since July 1, 2008, which means that many of the games likely
to appear on kids' wish lists this year will have rating summaries.
"The holidays are an ideal time to reach parents about the importance of
using the ratings and making sure they are bringing home age-appropriate
games for their children," added Vance. "ESRB provides resources like
ratings and rating summaries to make a parent's job a little easier."
While many video game websites provide in-depth reviews and other helpful
content, ESRB rating summaries are unique in that they focus specifically
on the content in a game that parents would likely want to know about --
such as violence, sexual or suggestive themes, profanity, depictions or use
of drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and gambling, among others. In addition to
being accessible via this new mobile app, rating summaries can be found by
searching game titles on ESRB's website at ESRB.org as well as via a rating search widget and customizable
ParenTools newsletter.
"This mobile app is exactly the kind of thing we parents need. It gives us
more information about a game's content which allows us to make a good,
informed decision right on the spot. It's very easy to use, and it's also
free!" said Monica Vila, Chief Technology Mom and co-founder of The Online Mom. "Rating summaries
take all of the guesswork out of picking games for the kids and serve as a
valuable tool for informing the conversations we need to have with them
about our decisions regarding what we deem appropriate."
The ESRB video game ratings employ a two-part system. Rating
symbols on the front of virtually every game package sold at retail
provide an age recommendation, and content
descriptors, listed on the back next to the rating symbol, provide
information about what's in the game that may have triggered the rating or
may be of interest or concern to parents.
Since their inception in 1994, the ESRB ratings have become a trusted
resource for parents when choosing computer and video games. In April
2007, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report(1) which found
that nine in ten parents are aware of the ESRB ratings, 87% expressed
satisfaction, and nearly three quarters use them regularly when choosing
games for their children.
A complete list of ratings, content descriptors and their definitions can
be found on the ESRB website at www.esrb.org.
About Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
The ESRB is a non-profit, self-regulatory body established in 1994 by the
Entertainment Software Association (ESA). ESRB independently assigns
computer and video game content ratings, enforces advertising guidelines,
and helps ensure responsible online privacy practices for the interactive
entertainment software industry. Visit www.esrb.org for more information.
(1) Federal Trade Commission Report to Congress on the Marketing of Violent
Entertainment to Children, April 2007
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Contact:
Eliot Mizrachi
Email Contact
917.522.3235
