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CTIA and ESRB team up on new rating system for mobile applications
Details are fairly light at the moment, but the CTIA has put out a press release today announcing that it has partnered with the Entertainment Software Rating Board (or ESRB) on a new rating system for mobile applications. That's the same ESRB that is responsible for the ratings on video games. Unfortunately, any word on the ratings themselves or their possible acceptance by app makers or distributors will have to wait until the press event on November 29th, but it sounds like there will be a fairly big push behind them when they are announced -- the presidents of both industry groups, along with US Senators Mark Pryor and Kelly Ayotte are slated to be on hand for the announcement.
Duck Hunt, others get ESRB's thumbs-up, zapper imminent
The ESRB has approved and rated another pile of Nintendo's Virtual Console throwbacks, including: Duck Hunt (E) Hogan's Alley (E) Kid Icarus (E) Kirby's Adventure (E) PilotWings (E) Pro Wrestling (E) Punch-Out (E) Wild Gunman (E) With Duck Hunt, Hogan's Alley, and Wild Gunman making appearances, the Zapper can't be far behind. Think the E3 prototype fits the bill?[Thanks, Spindash54]
104 violent deaths per hour in M-rated games, says Harvard study
A group of Harvard brainiacs recently put together a study that attempted to quantify violence, blood, sex, profanity, drugs, and gambling in M-rated games. To do this, the grad students compiled a database of M-rated games, selected a random sample, played each game for at least one hour, and quantified the "mature" content. Among other observations, the study found that gamers witness roughly 104 violent deaths per hour while playing M-rated titles.The report's conclusion: "Parents and physicians should recognize that popular M-rated video games contain a wide range of unlabeled content and may expose children and adolescents to messages that may negatively influence their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors." [via GameBrink]
Sales of M-rated games to kids declining, reveals undercover survey
According to an undercover survey conducted by the Federal Trade Commission between October 2005 and January 2006, sales of Mature-rated games to minors have decreased significantly since 2003. The results reveal that only 42% of the survey's shoppers (ages 13 to 16) were able to purchase an M-rated title without an adult — compared to 69% in 2003. In addition, only 35% of the survey's shoppers scored an M-rated game at a national retail outlet (e.g. GameStop, EBGames, etc.). Local sellers were less strict, selling to kids 69% of the time.The survey also found that 44% of stores posted ratings information, compared to a paltry 27% three years ago. And at half of the 406 stores involved in the survey, cashiers carded kids who attempted to buy M-rated games — up from 24%. Hal Halpin, president of the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association, concluded, "[With] the industry responding in such a visible and proactive fashion, it is clear that legislative efforts are simply not required." Amen.
