Yes. Kids under the age always complain, I did too, but now that I'm 18 I realize that I think it's a good thing. While the ESRB isn't perfect...there should be more specifics around the T and M ratings...it's message is good. You see, you play a game like Grand Theft Auto...it's got a LOT of sarcasm with adult topics. Regardless of how mature the kid might be, I wouldn't let a kid under say, 15 or 16 (and only if they were very mature) play it, because sometimes the sarcasm gets through to kids who aren't yet fully developed maturely wise. Of course the ESRB is an approximation on what they think, and I generally agree. I think Halo should've been rated T myself, but that's besides the point. If the problem your having is with parents reading the ESRB and judging by it, you should ask someone who is of age and has played it to give his honest opinion. I don't think online Halo play is appropriate for most kids under 15 or so as well, it's really not a good influence. Again, it depends on your maturity level, everyone's different, and that's why being able to talk to your parents about what is appropriate for you and what isn't is a good idea. Just a little example that I feel solidifys the point: once I was at Gamestop buying a birthday present for my sister (Pokemon Diamond I think, she loves it ) and a little kid, probably around 12 comes in with his mom and buys GTA4. The guy looks at the mom, tells her it's 17+, etc, reads the stuff on the back, makes sure twice that she understands what she's buying for her son, and she's alright with it. Anyway, when their leaving he says somethign like "I can't wait to f** up a n****", where his mom laughed. It's an extreme case, but I feel like understanding why it's there and knowing what's appripriate for yourself between you and your parents is really what's important, while the ESRB itself is just there for those who don't have the luxury of that and in that case should be followed.
Orthodox people can't comment ^ lol. Anyway, I do think the ratings serve a purpose but I also think that the ESRB shouldn't be allowed to dictate what ages a game can be sold to. Yes, the warning and rating system works very well and it does help to restrict content. However, I find it demeaning and invasive that the ESRB has the power to stop a distributor from selling a title to a person who is under the age of the rating the game received, when they are not even a government agency.
I agree with whisper about not restricting who can buy what ^^^. And whether you agree with me or not, I do not believe children should be hidden from anything. I do not feel like typing up an entire page supporting my argument, but that is where I stand.
Hell yes. I had to spend an entire week in Kauai where the only Xbox was played by a 9 and 10 year old swearing the **** at each other and loads of other good things whilst playing GTA. They're not doing it out of habit; they're doing it because they think it's cool to do so. I mean I know who obviously cliche that sounds, but really. Although a contributing factor could be that their entire extended family also swore the **** at each other. Still...imagine taking the already annoying whine of a 10 year-old boy that's so angry about sucking at Halo 3 that he actually yanks out the power cord, throws **** at you, and attempts to break the disk. Then combine that with extremely vulgar cursing, and multiply it by two. In a nutshell, that is the very definition of hell.
Yes I do agree with it. People regard sex as a profane activity, but shouldn't violence or inflicting harm upon another be considered profane also? Granted, it's fun in video games, but the ESRB is there to classify games. They don't tell someone that they can't have a video game, but they help to label. I think it's terrible when parents buy their 9 year olds GTA. My mom won't even let me have GTA. lol I lol'd Also I think that they should make a rating in between T and M, just to separate the Halos from the GTAs. That's seriously all that you took from his post? lol.
I do believe that the ESRB has a great purpose in "classifying" Video Games. The only problem that is now adays is that, most people don't care anymore. =/ I'm 12. I play Mortal Kombat and I love the game. My mom is perfectly fine with me tearing off someones arm and then beating the **** out them with it - As long as I do it in Mortal Kombat - I HAVE GTA 3, Vice City, and 4. I never play them. My mom doesn't like the game but the reason she buys it for me is because she knows that after a week of playing the game I get bored of it and think that it's very immature and that the story line is all the same. Mortal Kombat and GTA are two completely different games which I believe that that's the reason she sees me eligable to play Mortal Kombat is because : Who in this UNIVERSE can actually CONTROL Ice and make someone an ice cube? Whereas, GTA4 is much more realistic in the sense that you can kill someone with your bare fists. Which is why she doesn't like me playing the game and I don't either personally but for some reason I got the games and I can't figure out why. I truthfully have a headache and can't think of that one reason to my argument but tomorrow I'll come back and give a reason or point.
Here's my view: I don't really like the idea of 'ratings' that is - single letters that try to represent exactly how bad a game is, because they aren't too accurate. The fact that Halo and GTA can be listed under the same category, which means that for all intents and purposes they are just as bad as one another, is ridiculous. I propose that instead of a rating system, the ESRB simply creates a list of every offending element (as they currently do), but remove the letter category part. This would force consumers to make decisions based of the actual content and less off whether there is an "M" printed on it or not.
yes and it should be enforced. I dont like squeakers and when it say 17 plus I exspect to play with that age or older.
hell no they shouldnt, unless you had a category for each game, it wouldnt be accurate. They should reveiw the game and explain what its got. Eg Halo 3 - mild violence Gta 4 - extreme violence, swearing, prostitution Two different levels yet same rating? They should only allow xbox live for over 13s
The rating system needs improvements but should be there. Or things like what happened with whoever posted about the 9yr old gta player will happen more often.