User:Ics139fv/Video game content rating system

"12+" redirects here. For the educational examination in use in the UK, see Eleven plus exam.

A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games into suitability-related groups. Most of these systems are associated with and/or sponsored by a government, and are sometimes part of the local motion picture rating system. The utility of such ratings has been called into question by studies that publish findings such as 90% of teenagers claim that their parents "never" check the ratings before allowing them to rent or buy video games,^[1] and as such calls have been made to "fix" the existing rating systems.^[2] Video game content rating systems can be used as the basis for laws that cover the sales of video games to minors, such as in Australia. Rating checking and approval is part of the game localization when they are being prepared for their distribution in other countries or locales. These rating systems have also been used to voluntarily restrict sales of certain video games by stores, such as the German retailer Kaufhof's removal of all video games rated 18+ by the USK following the Winnenden school shooting.^[3]

Controversy

Similar to other forms of media, video games have been the subject of argument between leading professionals and restriction and prohibition. Often these bouts of criticism come from use of debated topics such as video game graphic violence, virtual sex, violent and gory scenes, partial or full nudity, portrayal of criminal behavior or other provocative and objectionable material. Video games have also been studied for links to addiction and aggression. Several studies have found that video games do not contribute to these problems. Furthermore, several groups have argued that there are few if any scientifically proven studies to back up these claims, and that the video game industry has become an easy target for the media to blame for many modern day problems.^[4]^[5]^[6] Furthermore, numerous researchers have proposed potential positive effects of video games on aspects of social and cognitive development and psychological well-being.^[7] It has been shown that action video game players have better hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills, such as their resistance to distraction, their sensitivity to information in the peripheral vision and their ability to count briefly presented objects, than non-players.^[8]

Rating Systems

Entertainment Software Rating Board

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games and other entertainment software in Canada and the United States.^[9]

Australian Classification Board

The Australian Classification Board is a statutory classification body formed by the Australian Government which classifies films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia since its establishment in 1970. The Australian Classification Board was originally incorporated in the Office of Film and Literature Classification which was dissolved in 2006. The Attorney-General's Department now provides administrative support to the Board. Decisions made by the Board may be reviewed by the Australian Classification Review Board.

British Board of Film Classification

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom.^[10] It has a statutory requirement to classify videos, DVDs and some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.^[11]

Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)

The Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC, Māori: Te Tari Whakaropu Tukuata, Tuhituhinga) is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for classification of all films, videos, publications, and some video games in New Zealand. It was created by the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 (FVPC Act), replacing various film classification acts, and is an independent Crown Entity in terms of the Crown Entities Act 2004. The head of the OFLC is called the Chief Censor, maintaining a title that has described the government officer in charge of censorship in New Zealand since 1916.

UK Interactive Entertainment Association

The UK Interactive Entertainment Association (UKIE) is an organisation established in 1989 by video game software publishers in the United Kingdom. Until 2010 it was known as the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers' Association (ELSPA)^[12]. Until 2002 it was known as the European Leisure Software Publishers Association since it was one of the first and strongest such trade bodies across Europe.

Pan European Game Information

Pan European Game Information (PEGI) is a European video game content rating system established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games with logos on games boxes. It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) and came into use in April 2003; it replaced many national age rating systems with a single European system. The PEGI system is now used in more than thirty countries and is based on a code of conduct, a set of rules to which every publisher using the PEGI system is contractually committed. PEGI self-regulation is composed by five age categories and eight content descriptors that advise the suitability and content of a game for a certain age range based on the games content.^[13] The age rating does not indicate the difficulty of the game or the skill required to play it.^[14]

Finnish Board of Film Classification

Finnish Board of Film Classification (In Finnish Valtion elokuvatarkastamo, in Swedish Statens Filmgranskningsbyrå) is the Finnish Board of Film Classification.

VET/SFB is an official institution of the Finnish Ministry of Education. It is responsible for inspecting and rating the content of movies and interactive games. Only material intended to be accessible to minors (those under 18 years of age) is subject to mandatory inspection before being released to the public; sex films do not need review though the board can watch it if they choose. A proper notification is usually sufficient for adult material, but the board has the right to inspect any material suspected of violating laws or material which was not properly notified of. Until 2001 VET also inspected material intended for adult audiences and could prevent releasing it in Finland if the board deemed it exceedingly violent.

Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle

Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (German Self-Monitoring of Entertainment Software) or USK, is Germany's software rating organization.

Department of Justice, Rating, Titles and Qualification

The DJCTQ, or Department of Justice, Rating, Titles and Qualification (Departamento de Justiça, Classificação, Títulos e Qualificação in Portuguese) rates movies, games and television programs in Brazil. It is controlled by the Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça).

Computer Entertainment Rating Organization

The Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (特定非営利活動法人コンピュータエンターテインメントレーティング機構, Tokutei Hieiri Katsudō Hōjin Konpyūta Entāteinmento Rētingu Kikō) (CERO) is the organization that rates video games and Computer software in Japan with levels of rating that informs the customer of the nature of the product and for what age group it is suitable. It was established on July 2002 as a branch of Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, and became an officially recognized non-profit organization on 2003.

EOCS/CSA

Game Rating Board

The Game Rating Board (게임물등급위원회 Geimmul Deung-Geub-Wiwonhoe) (GRB) is the South Korean video game content rating board. A governmental organization, the GRB rates video and computer games to inform customers of the nature of game contents.

Computer Software Rating Regulation

The Computer Software Rating Regulation (電腦軟體分級辦法) is a rating system used in the Republic of China (Taiwan) for computer software, including computer/console/handheld games. Arcade game machines has a separate regulation and is not governed by the CSRR.

Entertainment Software Rating Association

Entertainment Software Rating Association (abbr. ESRA, Persian: اسرا) is a governmental video game content rating system that is used in Iran. Games that cannot be rated are considered illegal and cannot be sold.

The Independent Game Rating System

TIGRS is a free self-rating system for video game entertainment products. Many developers and publishers of Internet-available games have decided by their own volition to rate their games in order to educate their audiences about potentially objectionable content in their games.^[15]

Apple Application Ratings

Apple rates applications worldwide based on their content, and determines what age group each is appropriate for. According to the iPhone OS 3.0 launch event, the iPhone will allow blocking of objectionable apps in the iPhone's settings. The following are the ratings that Apple has detailed:

Comparison

A comparison of currently active game rating systems, showing age on the horizontal axis.

Country/System	1	3	4	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17+	Adult^[16]	Notes
ESRB		eC		E				E10+			T				M	Ao	This was adopted on 1994 in North America. The E10+ rating was first introduced in 2005.
ACB	G					PG				M			MA15+			RC	The only restricted category is MA15+. Games classified RC are banned from sale, hire or exhibition in Australia.
BBFC	U					PG				12			15			18	All ages may purchase a PG title, but parents are advised that certain content may be unsuitable for children under 8.
OFLCNZ	G					PG					R13			R16		R18	All ages may purchase an M title, but parents are advised that the content is more suitable for mature persons 16 years and over.
OFLCNZ	G					PG					M					R18
ELSPA^[17]		3+			7+				11+	12+			15+	16+		18+	Does not classify videogames anymore for the UK. The PEGI and BBFC now have this duty.
PEGI		3+			7+					12+				16+		18+	In Portugal, ratings differ from the PEGI standard, which was 4 and 6, instead of 3 and 7, respectively.
VET		3+			7+					12+				16+		18+	Adopted on January 1, 2007
USK	Alle			6						12				16		18	Not formally recognized.
MJ/DEJUS	ER / L							10		12		14		16		18	The same rating system iused for television and motion pictures in Brazil.
CERO	A									B			C		D	Z	These ratings for video games in Japan have been used since March 1, 2006.
EOCS/CSA	General												R			18+	Used primarily for PC games (Dating sim, Visual novel and Eroge)
GRB	A									12			15			18	Prior to 2006, video games released in South Korea is rated by KMRB.
CSRR	普 (General)			保 (Protect)						輔 (Counsel)						限 (Restrict)	Protect- and Counsel-rated games should be played with parent or guardian's supervision.
ESRA			+3			+7					+12			+15		+18 & +25	Some games are forbidden. Games with Intense Violence, strong sexual content or Nudity are prohibited.
TIGRS			Family Friendly					Teen Content							Adult Content		Created for the use of games produced by independent developers
Apple			4+				9+			12+					17+		Created for games distributed through Apple's App Store worldwide

Explanations of specific ratings are available in corresponding articles.

Usage

The image below presents usage of various video game content rating systems around the world. Countries filled with gradients are using several rating systems.

References

^ Dr. David Walsh (2000-03-21). "The Impact of Interactive Violence on Children: Testimony submitted to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-07-13. ^{[dead link‍]}
^ Jerry Bonner (April 2008). "How to Fix the Ratings System: A former game rater lists six ways to bolster the Entertainment Software Rating Board," Electronic Gaming Monthly 227, 30-32.
^ "Kaufhof schafft Filme und Spiele für Erwachsene ab" (in German). Der Spiegel. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
^ "Video Violence: Villain or Victim?", Guy Cumberbatch, London Video Standards Council, 2004
^ "It's Not the Media", Karen Sternheimer, Westview, 2003
^ Benedetti, Winda (2008-02-18). "Why search our souls when video games make such an easy scapegoat?". MSNBC. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
^ Radoff, Jon (2009-12-08). "Six Wonderful Things about Games". Retrieved 2009-12-19.
^ http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v423/n6939/full/nature01647.html
^ ESRB FAQ
^ Nelmes, Jill (2003). An introduction to film studies. Routledge. p. 41. ISBN 0415262682.
^ "welcome to the bbfc". bbfc. Retrieved 2010-02-06. ^{[dead link‍]}
^ "ELSPA Becomes UKIE". Gamespot UK. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
^ PEGI Website
^ "PEGI Pan European Game Information - What do the labels mean?".
^ TIGRS - The Independent Game Rating System
^ The age upon which an individual attains adulthood varies per country.
^ "computer and video games industry age ratings and codes of practice" (PDF). ELSPA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-04-11. Retrieved 2007-04-24.

External links

[1] Dr. David Walsh (2000-03-21). "The Impact of Interactive Violence on Children: Testimony submitted to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-07-13. ^{[dead link‍]}

[2] Jerry Bonner (April 2008). "How to Fix the Ratings System: A former game rater lists six ways to bolster the Entertainment Software Rating Board," Electronic Gaming Monthly 227, 30-32.

[3] "Kaufhof schafft Filme und Spiele für Erwachsene ab" (in German). Der Spiegel. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2009.

[4] "Video Violence: Villain or Victim?", Guy Cumberbatch, London Video Standards Council, 2004

[5] "It's Not the Media", Karen Sternheimer, Westview, 2003

[6] Benedetti, Winda (2008-02-18). "Why search our souls when video games make such an easy scapegoat?". MSNBC. Retrieved 2008-08-27.

[7] Radoff, Jon (2009-12-08). "Six Wonderful Things about Games". Retrieved 2009-12-19.

[8] ttp://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v423/n6939/full/nature01647.html

[9] ESRB FAQ

[10] Nelmes, Jill (2003). An introduction to film studies. Routledge. p. 41. ISBN 0415262682.

[BBFC1-11] "welcome to the bbfc". bbfc. Retrieved 2010-02-06. ^{[dead link‍]}

[12] "ELSPA Becomes UKIE". Gamespot UK. Retrieved 7 October 2010.

[13] PEGI Website

[14] "PEGI Pan European Game Information - What do the labels mean?".

[15] TIGRS - The Independent Game Rating System

[16] The age upon which an individual attains adulthood varies per country.

[17] "computer and video games industry age ratings and codes of practice" (PDF). ELSPA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-04-11. Retrieved 2007-04-24.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]