A few weeks ago I came across an article on a prominent gaming website that proposed an interesting question: does an M-rating automatically constitute a mature game? Reader’s reactions were a mixed bag at best. While many agreed that the ESRB’s summary of the category was an adequate description, there were also a number of responses hinting that an M-rating may simply be a way to identify games with a predetermined number of graphic images - and that it does not necessarily indicate that a game takes on social issues (such as morality) that are traditionally seen as “grown-up” concepts.
There is a significant difference between games where the focus is on vicariously living within the framework of the game (storytelling) and entering the game environment for the purposes of wreaking virtual havoc and racking up a body count. There’s plenty of room for both types of games, but they will by and large appeal to different audiences. Where the M-rating comes into play though is that it is assigned to games based on a list of preset yes/no criteria for explicit content as outlined by the ESRB.
I’m sure that we can all think of at least one M-rated video game that has received some kind of media attention for its content. The Grand Theft Auto series, specifically, has garnered a considerable amount of publicity since its debut in 1997. But why has the series done so? Not because the games contain ground-breaking philosophy, but because the main characters are seen to engage in illicit, explicit and often violent activities. True, things like politics may be mentioned in passing, but those ideas are not the primary focal points of the games.
What does it say then when a game that focuses on a player character’s ethical decisions - rather than the potential violence surrounding those decisions - only receives a T-rating? To many this may seem like an odd concept. After all, how is deciding whether or not to enslave an entire galaxy in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (a T-rated game) any less mature than opting to go on a destruction spree in GTA? It’s hard to say, but the ESRB rating system does not take these notions into consideration.
Now don’t get me wrong - there are plenty of M-rated games out there that try to tackle subjects that are normally only discussed amongst a group of consenting adults. These titles, however, generally don’t see the same kind of outspoken criticism or praise as their more visceral counterparts.
So what does this all mean? Simply put: just as an M-rating does not necessarily guarantee that a game contains what you might consider to be “mature” content, other ratings do not guarantee that a game is mature content free. As such, it’s important for parents to actively take the time to learn what kind of video games their children are playing, and not simply purchase games based on the ESRB rating alone.
Karina-BBY
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