ESA Thinks iPhone Games Should Be Rated

[Keane Ng]

ESA Thinks iPhone Games Should Be Rated

Michael Gallagher of the Entertainment Software Association thinks that the iPhone's App Store needs to implement some kind of ratings system, though how exactly it would work remains somewhat unclear.

There are literally thousands of applications of applications of the iPhone's App Store. A good number of them are harmless novelties (like the numerous fart apps) whereas some of them might be construed as inappropriate for youngsters (iBeer and its variants would probably raise a few eyebrows of concerned parents). Thus far, Apple hasn't implemented any kind of rating system like the ESRB, but the Entertainment Software Association thinks it needs to happen.

"We've been down this road before, the Entertainment Software industry, we know how this goes and it's wise for (Apple) to make steps in that direction so that this is addressed up front and there is an environment that is hospitable to children and families," ESA CEO Michael Gallagher said. "It would be wise to do that, we would welcome the opportunity to work with them, we are reaching out to encourage that."

So does the ESA propose that Apple have every single app that goes through its pipes put to some sort of rating system? Not exactly. "That doesn't mean that every entrepreneur, every software engine that is able to write code and put up an app on the App Store is going to go through this process, it simply says that if a game is rated it needs to pass through and be filtered appropriately by the controls that are on the iPhone," Gallagher said.

I can see how that would work. Parents would naturally start to gravitate toward the rated games while keeping their distance from unrated fare, which would encourage any app maker who wants to hit a family friendly audience to volunteer their game for rating, even if it's harmless, just to give it the label of something that's been authorized as safe.

Not that kids should even have iPhones or iPod Touches. I mean, really. Back in my day we were happy listening to the radio and playing with LEGOs. You didn't need rating systems for those.

[Via Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5281765/should-apple-iphone-games-be-rated-esa-says-yes]]


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[midpipps]

Funny thing is most LEGOs sets actually did have ratings on them for difficulty and approximate ages of what kids would be able to put them together.

Could be a good idea for apple though. Implementation I think would be the hard part of a system like this with how many apps come out every day.

 

[scotth266]

What a suprise: the head of the ESA wants to make more things have age-restrictive ratings.

I never could have seen that one coming. What a shocker.

And the age-based ratings thing only restricts what games can be made commercially: something that I feels violates the right to free speech.

 

[Nimbus]

Ugh. Ratings are already pointless. And now making ratings for an entirely digital store?

 

[Internet Kraken]

Good thing to.

The rating system is the only thing we gamers have to fend off the rabid game protesters. Iphone apps being released without ratings is something they can use against us.

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

What a suprise: the head of the ESA wants to make more things have age-restrictive ratings.

I never could have seen that one coming. What a shocker.

And the age-based ratings thing only restricts what games can be made commercially: something that I feels violates the right to free speech.

I think you might be confusing the ESA with the ESRB?

 

[scotth266]

I think you might be confusing the ESA with the ESRB?

Nope, I mean the ESA. It makes sense when you think about it. The head of the Entertainment Software Association would obviously want the stuff that he's supposed to lord over (Entertainment Software from the sound of it ) appear more family-friendly, right? Well, what better way than to force ratings onto the software, especially Apple's apps, which have attracted a strong stinkeye at times for featuring content that can (and has been) controversial?

One needs only remember the shaken baby app and the marijuana dealer app, and the malestroms that erupted from each of them, to see the reason for his concern.

 

[Keane Ng]

Funny thing is most LEGOs sets actually did have ratings on them for difficulty and approximate ages of what kids would be able to put them together.

Oh damn, you're right. That's hilarious.

 

[reaper_2k9]

Of COURSE the ESA wants ratings, it's the way they enforce their morals and beliefs on others. It's the entire reason groups like the ESRB and MPAA exist, and the ESA has had it's share of meddling in our lives of late.

How else are parents going to explain the poor supervision of their children when they go on rampages...it was all the i-phone apps fault if only it had been rated.

 

[shMerker]

Seems like this potentially could be used as a way to protect game developers from Apple's arbitrary censorship. If something is rated then Apple doesn't have to block it for being offensive since they have a way to give customers fair warning.

 

[Tech Team FTW!]

Of COURSE the ESA wants ratings, it's the way they enforce their morals and beliefs on others. It's the entire reason groups like the ESRB and MPAA exist, and the ESA has had it's share of meddling in our lives of late.

How else are parents going to explain the poor supervision of their children when they go on rampages...it was all the i-phone apps fault if only it had been rated.

Mah boy was playin these iPhone games, and he done off and...
[[font color=white]...[/font]] Knocked some girl up
[[font color=white]...[/font]] Had sex with his teacher
[[font color=white]...[/font]] Stole a car
[[font color=white]...[/font]] Joined a gang
[[font color=white]...[/font]] Shot the sheriff (but not the deputy)
[[font color=white]...[/font]] Killed himself
[sup](Check the one that applies)[/sup]

Shhh.
Don't make it so easy!
If too many people see this, Apple will be sued into the ground!

 

[Lonko]

Not that kids should even have iPhones or iPod Touches. I mean, really. Back in my day we were happy listening to the radio and playing with LEGOs. You didn't need rating systems for those.

Ahh, back when the only signs on a box were "WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD! KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF THREE"

 

[shadowcode]

Damn them!

1. Suggest that iPhone games need rating.
2. Have lobbyists convince politicians and hardware platforms.
3. iPhone Game Developers now need to pay a certification/rating fee to ESA
4. Profit!

 

[The Youth Counselor]

What parent would get a minor an iphone?

One who spoils his or her children and probably lets them play M rated games.

 

[Ewyx]

I hope they'll at least have the decency to filter the ratings system in the countries that don't apply to them. I'm getting tired of ESRB pushing it's ratings on the world market.

I find ratings to be redundant anyway. ^^

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

Pointless, a parent Should Know Enough to guide there children in what they Belive is the right Direction, if i Believe My child is ready for, say a Teen rated game, then a ratings Pointless, its what THEY think, not what you yourself think which always bothered me..

 

[IrrelevantTangent]

Because, as we all know, vidja games without ratings are the Devil's tools, and Jesus died for vidja gamers' many, many sins. *rolls eyes* This is just silly. Do games on the iPhone even count as full-fledged video games? They don't have enough content, and there's surely not enough bad stuff in them to justify ratings. Right?

 

[Erana]

Am I the only one who likes this idea?
Ratings are one of the industry's few ass-covering moves, dispite how little they do. As video games become a more accepted form of entertainment and art, the general public will start to shift the blame off the games themselves and to those irresponsible enough to let young people play games they weren't supposed to. At least I hope.
Still, I am a strong supporter of the rating system, and considering some of the content of apps I've heard of, it would (ideally) keep more mature software out of the hands of people who would somehow find a way to abuse it.

 

[Erana]

Am I the only one who likes this idea?
Ratings are one of the industry's few ass-covering moves, dispite how little they do. As video games become a more accepted form of entertainment and art, the general public will start to shift the blame off the games themselves and to those irresponsible enough to let young people play games they weren't supposed to. At least I hope.
Still, I am a strong supporter of the rating system, and considering some of the content of apps I've heard of, it would (ideally) keep more mature software out of the hands of people who would somehow find a way to abuse it.

Yes, yes you are the only one...
BURN the witch!

There is NO possible up-side to censorship, or in turn, "age ratings" on media. It is forced morality at best, and shifts parental responsibility away from the parents and onto the media provider/creator. Rating systems let parents take the lazy way out, instead of previewing something before letting their child see it, they just look to a stupid icon to tell them how they should act. Then, when the child sees something they didn't intend on letting him, they blame everyone but themselves, when in truth it is their own laziness that is at fault.

Add to that, the politics behind any censorship board. X game or Y movie has something about it that Z board member dislikes, so it gets a worse rating despite not having the objectionable content the rating merits. Or because Y movie promotes the idea that gay marriage is not sinful, board member Z, who is a blatant homophobe and conservative, blocks its release.

Find me a good side to this...

What's so bad about the rating system? Sure, parents should be paying attention to what their kids are playing, but other than a few "misrated titles," I'd say the ESRB is pretty reliable. I've never come across an E-rated game that I would restrict from my own possible future child (with the exception of games that are simply bad products.)
As you said, a lot of parents are lazy with what their kids are playing, but isn't that where the ESRB steps in? Would we have nearly as many, "9-year-old kills because of GTA" if their parents had made even the slightest effort to read the rating? As I had said before, with the presence of the rating system, parents have no excuse.
And all systems are currupted when people are involved. Doesn't mean all hospitals should close down because someone killed someone by misreading a prescription.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Aren't the ESRB ratings entirely optional?

Besides, it's superfluous to have both Apple's arbitrary internal rejection system and the ESRB.