News
Video Game Rating Variance
Cordova, TN; August 22, in the year of our Lord 2016--Family
Friendly Gaming, the industry leader in covering the family
friendly video games is bringing up the issue of variances in
the video game ratings. It will never be perfect. The ESRB has
been accused of being completely corrupt, disengaged, and
utterly clueless in the past. PEGI has its critics as well. The
Australian Classification Board is one that seems to be on the
right track. They do both movies and video games. Each different
region has different standards, likes, dislikes, etc. It is
still shocking to see a sixteen and older only rating game by
PEGI get the much lower thirteen and older only rating by the
ESRB. Then to see the same game get a seventeen and older only
rating in Australia. Who is closer on the ratings there?
Obviously Europe and Australia are closer. Don’t believe me?
Look up the ratings of Valkyria Chronicles Remastered (take off
the Remastered in your PEGI search).
What can be done about these wide variances? I am doing my part
by educating the public. We have been seeing this more and more
here at Family Friendly Gaming. Since we are a worldwide gaming
media outlet we are also hearing about it from readers. The more
I look at it the more it dismays that the ESRB lets more garbage
through. I don’t know what the problem is over there. It is
reaching alarming levels though. Is the ESRB lazy? Are they
bought off by large donors? Are they purposely trying to deceive
the public? These are hard questions the ESRB needs to answer.
Somehow I doubt they will step up to the plate and make full
disclosure. In my lifetime I have never seen the ESRB be
completely open and transparent. They are great at spewing
propaganda. Just not so great at answering the tough questions.
In fact they dodge the tough questions.
America is more conservative and reserved when it comes to sex.
Europe and Australia are more conservative and reserved when it
comes to violence. That means video games promoting enticement
to lust will be looked down upon in America, and more allowed in
Europe and Australia. The opposite is what happens with violence
in video games. I cannot deny that Valkyria Chronicles
Remastered fits under the violent banner. Yet to me Valkyria
Chronicles Remastered should be an ‘M’ rated video game. There
is so much other bad content that I cannot understand the ESRB’s
thinking in the thirteen and older ‘T’ rating. Maybe that is
part of the problem. They ESRB acts like they are God, and do
not need to answer to any of us. We are all humans. We can all
make mistakes. That includes me, you, and the ESRB. I would like
to see the ESRB explain their ratings. When they are discovered
to be wrong, I would like to see them change the ratings.
Families should be permitted an appeal process to the ESRB
ratings. It would help the ESRB become more engaged with
families again. Right now families I talk to, do not trust the
ESRB.
God bless,
Paul Bury
Family Friendly Gaming