Official Everybody Edits Forums

kooky_Khan

Anonymous user

ESRB

What is the purpose of the ESRB rating?

The most part of the game community of violent games are kids.

Do the ESRB rating actually affect a game anyhow?

reasonable inmate

Anonymous user

Re: ESRB

It's supposed to be so that parents know that they're not buying their kids any games that are too sexual, violent, political, etc. for them. Of course this worked way better back when games were sold at physical retailers, so parents can immediately identify whether or not their kids should be playing the game they picked out based on the rating on the box. And even if a child just took some money and went to the store without their parents, the clerk would (in most cases) deny selling them a game that they're not old enough for.

kooky_Khan

Anonymous user

Re: ESRB

This worked way better back when games were sold at physical retailers

Then, basically the ESRB ratings for the internet games, specially for the free to play games online, are almost inoperative.
The ESRB rating would not affect monetary or even in the amount of players in the game community.

Correct?

victorious_Victor

Anonymous user

Re: ESRB

When I can buy my own games, an ESRB rating will be helpful as I can easily avoid games with too much language, violence, or sexual themes.

reasonable inmate

Anonymous user

Re: ESRB

This worked way better back when games were sold at physical retailers

Then, basically the ESRB ratings for the internet games, specially for the free to play games online, are almost inoperative.
The ESRB rating would not affect monetary or even in the amount of players in the game community.

Correct?

Partially correct - it's not completely useless, but it is rather niche. A kid who wants an M-rated game can get it if their parents aren't attentive enough to what they're transferring funds to, but some parents are cautious about that kind of thing, and even then, not all kids want to play games that are too mature for them. So it's really just a guideline for children who bother to respect it and parents who bother to check it.

And as victorious_Victor mentioned, even those mature enough to buy their own games can use the labels as quick "would I not want to experience any of the content in this game?" checks.