New Ratings for 'tweens'.

[Nick]

The ESRB has brought out a new rating category specifically aimed at the 'tweens'.

A tween is a child who is approaching their teens but isn't there yet.

The old ratings system put a game deemed unsuitable for small children but which would have generally been acceptable for the older under 13's out of their reach.

The new rating aims to correct that.

The theory is that there are very distinct developmental differences in the ages of 6, 10, and 13, so the new rating recognises this difference.

After all, it's not as if we make the jump from toddler to teenager overnight.

Check out www.esrb.org/esrbratings_guide.asp for more info.

[Atomic]

Makes sence really, dont see much difference between mature (17+) and adult really...

[Hedgeh]

As a 14 year old my stance on the rating sytem is that it is a joke. My first reason is that I can order any game off the internet with a debit card and the second reason is that I can't say a game has ever changed my life. If I ever buy a game that's too scary I'll just stop playing, simple. I don't feel compelled to put into practise what the game has 'taught' me.

I think that this age group, 10-18 is too delicate to divide into categories. Every one is in a different stage of maturity and it is quite unfair to judge a twelve year old as too 'immature' to handle swear words when lets face it they probaly know them all. Sure, they may be less socially and physically mature in comparison to a 16 year old but they know right and wrong (or at least that's what the law says), and, I'm glad to say there's not are a bunch of loose guns floating around the country.

I'd be interested to hear some other opinions though because as a 14 year old my opinion is bound to be fairly prejudiced.

[r1zeek]

If I ever buy a game that's too scary I'll just stop playing, simple. I don't feel compelled to put into practise what the game has 'taught' me.

To be honest, I don't think the rating is to stop young 'uns playing scary games, it's the more violent games that it has something to do with.

Haven't read all of the thread yet so i'm picking from what I have read here.

A lot of the time, as you say you can order any game over the internet with a debit card, I would have thought (although I haven't actually done it) if you read the terms & conditions of the website you were purchasing from, it would tell you, if you are ordering a game rated above your actual age, you are breeching the law.

Jus' my little bit

[Agent]

Lets be honest though, its not a legal rating, its going to change nothing.
Parents wont look at it.
Heck, the amount of parents that brought their son's GTA:SA on release was a joke. They wouldnt let them watch a 18 film, so why do they let them play a 18 game ?.

[Nick]

Agent, you're right there but what a rating does do is FIRMLY put the onus on the parents to ensure that they restrict what their kids play. It takes away the 'I didn't know it was full of violence' argument as the rating clearly shows suitability for each age group.

[Agent]

Agent, you're right there but what a rating does do is FIRMLY put the onus on the parents to ensure that they restrict what their kids play. It takes away the 'I didn't know it was full of violence' argument as the rating clearly shows suitability for each age group.

Sorry matey, but your living in a different world . 90% of parents do not give a second look at age ratings, even when pulled up about it. They could make a case out of red plastic, shaped in the number "18", an parents would still buy it for 13 year old Jimmy.
If a game is voilent enough to need a rating, it will have a BBFC (alhough i really do think PG and U cert's should be given to games).
ERSB and the likes of PEGI are really not that usfull in the real world. Well, certainly not in the UK, i dont know how other European countrys act upon them.

[Nick]

No, I know that parents DON'T look, but my point was that the info IS there if they did bother their bums to look... I wasn't disagreeing with you, merely pointing out that a rating, from whoever, gives the information a parent needs to make an informed choice... whether they actually use that information is a different matter.

Of course, how do you enforce a rating if the parent just hands over the latest 18 rated game to their 13 year old? You can't. But what it does do is show the games industry as a responsible one and shows the parents up for NOT being responsible.

[0iD]

As the owner of two tweens I take their computing experience very seriously. From a parenting stance it's very hard to find acceptable middle ground between fascist dictatorship & liberalism. But I agree 100% that it is good that someone is trying! They're my kids & therefore my responsibility. If they play or see adult rated content & I turn a 'blind eye', then whatever consequences ocurr are ultimately my responsibilty.

[Hedgeh]

So as parents do you think that these games encourage violence?

[0iD]

So as parents do you think that these games encourage violence?

Not to any great extent. I think it depends on the child & their predisposition toward violent expression.

[Agent]

No, I know that parents DON'T look, but my point was that the info IS there if they did bother their bums to look... I wasn't disagreeing with you, merely pointing out that a rating, from whoever, gives the information a parent needs to make an informed choice... whether they actually use that information is a different matter.

Of course, how do you enforce a rating if the parent just hands over the latest 18 rated game to their 13 year old? You can't. But what it does do is show the games industry as a responsible one and shows the parents up for NOT being responsible.

The information has been there for responsible parents for a loooooong time. I see this nothing more than a quick "hey, look at us, we are responsible" cry from them. If they really want to do somthing usful, they should perhaps find a better way of informing parents that GTA isnt suitable for 12 yr olds, as a number on the box obviously isnt working.

[unrealrocks]

Its true that the current rating system isn't working very well. Although I don't think any age systems work particulally well ... maybe they should bring punishment in for parents who allow there children to play unsuitable games - like they are starting todo with parents who let there children skive off school.

Maybe we should all have chips stored inside us that only allow us to play games/movies/drink alchol till your old enough.