Video games are fun to play. Children all over the world play all sorts of video games for both fun and education. Just like movies, television shows, and music, there are plenty of bad games to go with the good games. Would you take a nine-year old to an R-rated movie? I truly hope not. Why, then, would we let our children play “R-rated” video games? Just like movies and music, video games for devices such as the Xbox, PlayStation, or personal computer are rated for content. While music labels only let you know one way or the other if an album has explicit content, video games, like movies, have a tiered rating system. Games that are “G-rated,” for example receive a game rating of “E,” which stands for “Everyone.” A “T” rating, on the other hand, is recommended for teens and older.
Game Ratings
Here’s a list of the video game ratings and their meanings:
EC – Early Childhood – Recommended for ages 3 and up. Games contain no objectionable content.
E – Everyone – Recommended for ages 6 and up. Though rated for “everyone,” games may contain some cartoon violence and a few uses of mild language.
E10+ – Everyone 10 and older – Recommended for ages 10 and up. Games may contain mild violence and language, as well as some suggestive themes.
T – Teen – Recommended for ages 13 and up. Games may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, some blood, and some use of strong language.
M – Mature – Recommended for ages 17 and up. Games may contain intense violence, lots of blood and gore, sexual content, and strong use of language.
AO – Adults Only – Recommended for ages 18 and up. Games may contain lots of intense violence, graphic sexual content, and nudity.
RP – Rating Pending – You may see RP if a game hasn’t received its final rating. RP is only used in advertising before a game is released for purchase.
Video games are rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board [ESRB] which functions similar to the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA] that rates movies. Games are submitted to the ESRB and reviewed for content. The content they review includes violence, blood and gore, language, and adult situations.
Game ratings are usually shown on both the front and back of the game box. The front usually shows only the rating, while the back shows both the rating and the reasons for the rating. Often, the actual game CDs or cartridges have the rating on them too. If, for some reason, you cannot find a game’s rating, you can check out the ESRB Web site, which has a database of games and their ratings.
Talk about game ratings with your children
It is always a good idea to review game ratings before you buy or rent a game for your children. Most kids know about the rating system, but may not take it seriously unless you do. Review the rating system with your children and help them make good decisions about the games they play.
Monitor video games playing
It is always a good idea to monitor video game playing just like you do with television watching. One thing you can do at home is to only allow video game playing when a parent or older, responsible sibling is at home. That way, if you hear bad language or lots of violent sounds coming from your TV or computer, you are there to stop the game playing. You may also try putting the video game system and TV or computer in a public area of the house, as opposed to a child’s bedroom where they can play behind closed doors without supervision.
Talk to other parents
It may be difficult to constantly monitor your children and their video game playing, especially if they play at a friend’s house. Talk with your children’s friends’ parents and see if they have the same views about inappropriate video games as you do. Enlist the help of others, so you don’t always have to act as the “bad guy” who never lets their children play the “fun” video games. You can bet that your children will complain when you don’t let them play a video game that you deem as inappropriate. They may say, “All of my friends are allowed to play it,” or “This is a fun game. It’s not that bad.” Hold strong and be firm just as you would with any other principle you are trying to teach.
Set a good example
I used to think that because I was an adult, it was OK for me to play violent video games. I would never let my children play them, but for me it was not a problem. How can we expect our children to play appropriate video games (or watch appropriate movies) if we, as their example, cannot do it? Get rid of any games that you wouldn’t want your children playing. Show your children that you are serious about the video game rating system and stick to it, even for yourself. You’ll be a lot happier knowing that all of your family members are on the same page about what constitutes appropriate video game playing.