Most people know the phrase “T is for Teen.” But what does T really mean?
A 2012 survey found that a significant percentage of parents are aware that there are ESRB ratings and consider the ESRB ratings when purchasing a game, and 89% of parents are present and involved in the purchasing decision.
The survey also found that awareness of ratings does not always mean the parent will use ratings when deciding which games to purchase—a finding that could be of some concern. While the ESRB rating system is the most highly enforced rating system in the nation, it is only as good as parents make it.
We’ve heard time and time again from retailers who witness kids cajoling their parents into buying M-rated titles like Grand Theft Auto. While we don’t advocate censoring games, we do want parents to have the tools they need to make the right decisions for their families. For some, that might be buying Grand Theft Auto V for their 10-year-old and using it as a racing game. For others, that might mean putting a foot down and making the kids wait until the age matches the rating.
Here’s what we think parents may not know, but probably should:
- Not all games are created equal. Halo was given an M-rating for its (unrealistic) blood and strong language; Grand Theft Auto V was given an M-Rating for gratuitous torture, pornography, and racial and gendered slurs.
- ESRB ratings do not exactly match up with movie ratings.
- Content Categories are what the ESRB uses to designate specific content beyond the base rating. In Mass Effect 3, the Content Categories are Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, and Violence. This can give parents a clearer idea of what is in the game.
- However. It’s important to note that the “Suggestive Themes” indicator in an M-Rated game like Mass Effect is not the same as “Suggestive Themes” in an E10+ game. Categories are given with the base rating in mind. “Suggestive Themes” in a T-Rated game might mean revealing clothing. “Suggestive Themes” in an M-Rated game might mean foreplay (though, to date, video games have far less sexual content than, say, your average TV show).
The best way to navigate these ratings is to get a good handle on two things: 1) what your kids are comfortable with and ready for, and 2) what the game content really is. Watching Let’s Play videos, looking at screenshots, and reading reviews are invaluable. If you’re in the store and your kids already have your wallet out, ask the clerk to tell you what they know—most of the people who work in game stores are happy to share their knowledge, and they might also be willing to look it up for you if they have time.
Watu wengi wanajua usemi <unk>T ni kwa ajili ya Teen.<unk> Lakini nini T kweli ina maana? Uchunguzi wa 2012 uligundua kuwa asilimia kubwa ya wazazi wanajua kuwa kuna viwango vya ESRB na kuzingatia viwango vya ESRB wakati wa kununua mchezo, na asilimia 89 ya wazazi wanahudhuria na kushiriki katika uamuzi wa ununuzi. Utafiti pia uligundua kwamba ufahamu wa viwango haimaanishi kila wakati mzazi atatumia viwango wakati wa kuamua ni michezo gani ya kununua - ugunduzi ambao unaweza kuwa na wasiwasi. ESRB ni mfumo wa kiwango cha juu zaidi nchini, lakini ni bora kama wazazi wanavyofanya. Tumesikia mara kwa mara kutoka kwa wauzaji ambao wanashuhudia watoto wakiwashawishi wazazi wao kununua majina ya M-rated kama Grand Theft Auto. Wakati sisi si kutetea censoring michezo, sisi kufanya wanataka wazazi kuwa na zana wanahitaji kufanya maamuzi sahihi kwa ajili ya familia zao. Kwa wengine, hii inaweza kuwa kununua Grand Theft Auto V kwa mtoto wao wa miaka 10 na kuitumia kama mchezo wa mbio. Kwa wengine, huenda hilo likamaanisha kuwazuia watoto wasisubiri mpaka umri wao upate kupimwa. Hapa ni nini sisi kufikiri wazazi inaweza kuwa hawajui, lakini pengine inapaswa: - Si michezo yote ni kuundwa sawa. Halo ilipewa M-rating kwa damu yake (isiyo ya kweli) na lugha kali; Grand Theft Auto V ilipewa M-Rating kwa mateso yasiyo ya lazima, ponografia, na matusi ya rangi na jinsia. Kwa mfano, viwango vya ESRB vinaweza kuwa sawa na viwango vya sinema. Makundi ya maudhui ni kile ESRB hutumia kuashiria maudhui maalum zaidi ya kiwango cha msingi. Katika Mass Effect 3, makundi ya maudhui ni Damu, Nudity ya Sehemu, maudhui ya kijinsia, Lugha ya Nguvu, na vurugu. Hilo laweza kuwapa wazazi wazo lililo wazi zaidi la kile kilicho katika mchezo huo. - Hata hivyo. Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba <unk>Suggestive Themes<unk> kiashiria katika M-Rated mchezo kama Mass Effect si sawa na <unk>Suggestive Themes<unk> katika E10 + mchezo. Makundi ni kutolewa na rating msingi katika akili. <unk>Suggestive Themes<unk> katika mchezo T-Rated inaweza kumaanisha nguo kufunua. <unk>Suggestive Themes<unk> katika mchezo M-Rated inaweza kumaanisha foreplay (ingawa, hadi sasa, michezo ya video ina mengi chini ya maudhui ya ngono kuliko, kusema, kawaida yako TV show). Njia bora ya kuendesha ratings hizi ni kupata kushughulikia nzuri juu ya mambo mawili: 1) nini watoto wako ni starehe na tayari kwa, na 2) nini maudhui ya mchezo ni kweli. Kuangalia video za Let's Play, kutazama picha za skrini, na kusoma maoni ni muhimu sana. Kama wewe ni katika duka na watoto wako tayari kuwa na mkoba wako nje, kuuliza karani kukuambia nini wanajua - wengi wa watu ambao kazi katika maduka ya mchezo ni furaha ya kushiriki maarifa yao, na wao pia inaweza kuwa tayari kuangalia ni juu ya wewe kama wana muda.