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Hillary Clinton Approves of New ESRB Ratings/Summaries

November 13, 2008 in News comments 17

Evidently the current ratings system just isn't good enough for the very outspoken anti-video game Senator Hillary Clinton (D).

A more or less comprehensive summary will also be posted on the ESRB website to accompany the usual rating found on the box.

Parents are then instructed to visit the website to read the exhaustive description also.


While it doesn't require much extra effort, it still feels unnecessary.

Check out the summary they provide for Fable II after the jump to see what I mean.

Letters like E, T and M were not enough.

Descriptors like “blood,” “strong sexual themes” and “tobacco references” did not suffice.

So today, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, with the support of some powerful former foes, has announced that all games rated by the ESRB since July 1 will now also be issued a “rating summary,” accessible on the ESRB’s website.

From the ESRB’s press release, here’s occasional gaming violence critic Senator Hillary Clinton being positive: “This new supplement to the ratings is a real gift for parents as we head into this holiday season. Parents need all the information they can get to make more informed decisions about what’s appropriate for their children. These new rating summaries offer more helpful information than ever before to help parents to get involved and get informed.”
Deathsythe via multiplayerblog.mtv.com »
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  • 1
    Krunal Nov 13, 08
    I'm quite glad about this actually. This should help shut those anti-gamers up for a while...

    If only we had Jack Thompson available for comment on this...
    • 1
      RabidChinaGirl Nov 13, 08
      Agreed. If a heavy hitter like Hilary can come to an agreement with the ESRB, it's one less excuse for ignorant people to point their fingers at inadequate game ratings for their own follies.
  • 0
    anacreon Nov 13, 08
    Anti-gamers probably wont shut up. they will probably push it to be on the back of the game case. And even then they they wont shut-up because they will still link games to violence.
  • 0
    Bale Fire Nov 13, 08
    I don't really see much point in this. How many parents will actually check out the rating system summaries? Most wouldn't even know what the ESRB is.
    • 0
      Big A2 Nov 13, 08
      Yes, and most of the don't even see the little box with a seemingly random letter in it.
  • 0
    Paper Mario Dude Nov 13, 08
    HOPEFULLY, this will cut down on the 7 year olds swearing on Call of Duty or any Xbox/PS3 game.
    god, they are SO FKING ANNOYING!
    • 0
      Ameer Nov 13, 08
      It won't. If kids were getting games like Call of Duty now, it won't stop them in the future.
      • 0
        Big A2 Nov 13, 08
        I agree. Unless they change the symbols on the box, it won't make much of a difference.
  • 2
    Salvador_Dog Nov 13, 08
    this is pretty fun because i'm doing a study about this for College, so far about 70% of parents that live around the area don't have a clue about the ESRB and just give there sons the money for the game and have them pick it out while they go to another store. (this was out of 1226 participants as of 5hrs ago)

    point being is that parents don't care about checking if games are rated or not, but are more then willing to point the blame elsewhere. (yes i asked those same participants if they blame games for the youths violence and 68% said yes)
    • 0
      kik36 Nov 14, 08
      Sounds like a great study, hopefully you can share the end results with us on Neo.
  • 0
    Final Blade Nov 14, 08
    As interesting as this is, I honestly don't see it helping much. And Games will end up being blame at the end, cause people like scapegoating the issue and blaming something else for their mistakes.
  • 0
    Onvacation Nov 14, 08
    Am i the only one getting a abit annoyed at seeing 'after the jump' on all your articles :@
    • 1
      Deathsythe Nov 14, 08
      Why? You can't expect me to include every last bit of detail in the description and quote- there has to be some incentive to visit the respective site. That's the way GG works

      Or is it just a general annoyance?

      • 0
        Salvador_Dog Nov 14, 08
        i think its just general, at least in my case. Im starting to see that little phrase everywhere, even places where they've never done that before.

        but i got nothing against you and your use of it
  • 1
    HisServant77 Nov 14, 08
    I agree with Silvermirror and Big_A2.

    I don't think this will help too much on stopping parents from letting kids get games. The problem is that parents don't care anymore Parents aren't parents anymore. They get the games because their kids whine that they want it. And they get the games thinking "It's just a game, no harm done." (Well . . . naked twister is just a game too! . . . Let's put that in video game format and sure it'll still be "just a game" and perfectly fine for kids in some people's eyes.)

    Parents will not really want to take the extra step and go to the website to check it out (though I personally like that feature . . . for myself, I can check those things out for my own tastes. The example the source gave, definitely gave me a better understanding of what this popular game was about).

    Maybe what they should do is make something mandatory at POS, that MAKES parents stop and think about what the game is about. Maybe if they buy a higher rated game, they have to read and sign some kind of paper for the game that explains what it is and says they are taking responsibility for exposing their kids to this material and therefore are without excuse. . . And if their impressionable kids start acting certain ways based on this game they cannot blame the kids but themselves . . . and if it reaches illegal status then the police will knock down the door, take their kids away and investigate their parenting! . . . Anyone think that will make parents pay attention?

    Nah, doubtful still. Parents just plain need to be parents.
  • 0
    Big A2 Nov 15, 08
    quote
    Anyone think that will make parents pay attention?
    No, I honestly don't. Parents don't seem to mind if their kids illegally download music, so this would be no different. They'll think "My kid would never do anything like that" and then buy them GTA.

    How about some public service announcements on TV. Like the ones about drugs? That could work, considering people will believe whatever TV tells them.
    • 0
      HisServant77 Nov 15, 08
      "That could work, considering people will believe whatever TV tells them." Very true there! Media controls the people. That's a good idea to have things like public service announcements . . . though, odd to think about it happening.

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