FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ESRB What is the ESRB? The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a non-profit, self-regulatory body, established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). ESRB independently assigns computer and video game content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines and helps ensure responsible online privacy practices for the interactive entertainment software industry. How was the rating system created? After consulting a wide range of child development and academic experts, analyzing other rating systems and conducting nationwide research with parents, the ESRB found that what parents really wanted from a video game rating system were both age-based categories and, equally if not more importantly, objective and detailed information about what type of content is in the game. Parents agreed that a rating system should inform and suggest, not prohibit and that the rating system should not attempt to quantify objectionable incidents, but rather should reflect the overall content of the game. It was with these considerations in mind that the ESRB created its system for rating computer and video game content. Over the years, ESRB has enhanced or updated the rating system to make it more understandable, precise and effective. Why not just use the same rating system as the movies? The two-part ESRB system was developed amid consumer demand for more detailed information than what is provided in other rating systems. Over 30 different content descriptors are used to indicate elements in a game that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern and are as critical to the overall effectiveness of the ESRB rating system as are the six age-based rating categories. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of parents are now aware of and regularly using the ESRB ratings, so it does not seem practical or necessary to change to a different system. How can I find and use the ratings to determine if a game is right for my family? The ESRB rating system has two equal parts. Clearly displayed on the front of virtually every computer and video game box sold in the United States and Canada, you will find an ESRB rating symbol that suggests age appropriateness for the game. On the back of the box are content descriptors that indicate elements in the game that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern. You can also use the powerful ratings search tool on ESRB's website to research games by title, rating, content descriptor, publisher and platform. Below is an illustration of the two parts of the rating system: How many different rating categories and content descriptors are there? What do they mean? There are currently six ESRB rating categories: There are over 30 different content descriptors that refer to potentially objectionable content such as violence, sex, language, controlled substances and gambling, among others. What does the "Rating Pending" symbol mean? Publishers will sometimes advertise their games before they have received an ESRB rating. In these cases, a publisher may use the ESRB "Rating Pending" symbol in advertisements to indicate that the game has not yet received an ESRB rating. Consumers are encouraged to check www.esrb.org for updated ratings information. Note that a final game will never ship to stores with a ¿Rating Pending¿ symbol on the box, as this symbol is only used in advertising materials. Do the ratings indicate if a game is good or bad? ESRB ratings provide information about a game's content, not its quality. They are designed to give consumers accurate and objective information about the game's age suitability and the type of content that is in the game so they can make informed purchase decisions. Who decides what rating a game should get? Each ESRB rating is based on the consensus of at least three specially trained raters who view content independently of one another. ESRB raters work on a part-time basis and are selected from a diverse group of adult applicants. To ensure their objectivity, raters are not permitted to have any ties to or contact with the computer and video game industry. They typically have experience with children through their profession, education or by being parents and do not need to have advanced skills as computer and video game players since they rate content, not how fun or challenging the games are to play. What are the criteria for rating video games? In rating a game, ESRB raters consider a wide range of content elements, including but not limited to violence, sex, humor, language, use of controlled substances and gambling. They also take into consideration how the content elements are depicted, their frequency, intensity and context. Due to the unique interactive characteristics of games, the ESRB rating system goes beyond other entertainment systems by also taking into account elements such as the reward system and the degree of player control, both of which can affect which rating category and content descriptors ultimately are assigned to the game. How does the rating process work? Prior to a game being released to the public, game publishers submit to the ESRB a detailed written questionnaire, often with supplements (lyric sheets, scripts, etc.), specifying exactly what pertinent content will be in the game. Along with the written submission materials, publishers must provide a videotape capturing all pertinent content, including the most extreme instances, across all relevant categories including but not limited to violence, language, sex, controlled substances and gambling. Once the submission is checked by ESRB for completeness, which may also involve ESRB staff members playing a beta version of the game, the video footage is reviewed by at least three (and oftentimes more) specially trained game raters. ESRB recruits raters from one of the most culturally diverse populations in the world ¿ New York City. These raters are all adults and typically have experience with children, usually through caring for children through their profession, education or by being parents. Upon reviewing the video, the raters independently recommend appropriate rating categories and content descriptors for the specific scenes and depictions reviewed and the game overall. The ESRB checks the raters' recommendations for consensus, conducts a parity examination where appropriate to maintain consistency and trust in the ratings, and issues an official certificate with the rating assignment to the game publisher. The publisher can either accept the rating as final, or revise the game's content and resubmit the game to the ESRB, at which time the process starts anew. Publishers also have the ability to appeal an ESRB rating assignment to an Appeals Board, which is made up of publishers, retailers and other professionals. When the game is released to the public, publishers must send copies of the final product to the ESRB. The game packaging is reviewed to make sure the rating information is displayed accurately and in accordance with ESRB requirements. Additionally, ESRB's in-house game experts play the final version of randomly and hand-selected games to verify that all the materials provided by the game's publisher during the rating process were accurate and complete. Why don't the ESRB raters actually play the games they rate? ESRB raters do not actually play the games they rate for many reasons. First, since video games that ship to retail stores must do so with the ESRB rating having already been assigned and printed on the product itself, game publishers oftentimes have to submit games to the ESRB for rating prior to their having been fully tested or completed in order to meet manufacturing and advertising deadlines. Consequently, at the point when games are submitted for rating, they may be ¿buggy," making it difficult, if not impossible, for a rater to play the game from start to finish to find all of its pertinent and extreme content. That is why publishers that submit games to the ESRB for rating are legally required to disclose all pertinent content in their game, including the most extreme, so that raters can and do assign an accurate rating. Secondly, many games have upwards of 50 hours of gameplay, thereby requiring each rater to play a game through as part of the rating process would not only be an inefficient use of their time, considering the high degree of repetition in video games, but would also increase the likelihood of their not finding and reviewing all of the pertinent content. Lastly, ESRB ratings are based on the consensus of independent raters whose values and judgment reflect those of the mainstream American public, especially parents. Requiring all ESRB raters to be expert gamers (which they would need to be if the rating process depended on playing through every game submitted) may hinder the ESRB¿s ability to recruit a diverse rater pool that is reflective of mainstream public opinion. With this in mind, however, ESRB staff may play beta versions of games during the ratings process when questions arise about the content disclosed in submission materials that may require further clarification for raters. Moreover, after a game is released, ESRB's in-house game experts play the final version of both randomly and hand selected games to verify that all the materials provided by the game's publisher during the rating process were complete and the rating is accurate. How many games does the ESRB rate? The ESRB typically assigns over 1,000 ratings per year. In 2005, ESRB completed 1,133 rating assignments: Are all games required to have a rating? The rating system is voluntary, although virtually all games that are sold at retail in the U.S. and Canada are rated by the ESRB. Many retailers, including most major chains, have policies to only stock or sell games that carry an ESRB rating. How accurate are the ratings? The ESRB regularly commissions studies to measure agreement with the ratings. According to a survey conducted by Peter D. Hart Research in November 2005, parents agreed with the ESRB ratings 82% of the time, while another 5% of the time the ratings were thought to be too strict. How accurate are the ratings? According to a survey by Peter D. Hart Research in February 2005, 78% of parents are aware of the rating system and nearly three-quarters (70%) of parents say they "check the ESRB rating" for age appropriateness when buying computer and video games for their children "every time" or "most of the time." Over half (54%) of parents check the content descriptors, which are found on the back of game packaging and indicate elements in a game that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern. In addition, 53% of parents say they "never" allow their kids to play M-rated games, an additional 37% say they "sometimes allow" their children to play M-rated games and 82% said they "generally allow" their children to play M-rated games. Parents of children under the age of 13 are almost twice as likely to "never" allow their children to play an M-rated game. When parents do allow their children to play M-rated games, they do so after checking the rating information, considering what's in the game and making a judgment about whether it may be appropriate for their children. There are other consumer-based studies that support the rating system's effectiveness as well. The Kaiser Family Foundation reported in the Fall 2004 that parents believe the ESRB system is the most effective among all entertainment rating systems (film, TV, music, games). Additionally, 91% of parents surveyed by Kaiser said the ESRB ratings are useful. How is the rating system enforced? Ratings As the game industry's self-regulatory body, ESRB is responsible for the enforcement of its rating system. Every publisher of a game rated by the ESRB is legally bound to disclose all pertinent content when submitting the game for an ESRB rating, including, as of July 2005, content that may not be playable (i.e. "locked out") but will exist in the code on the final game disc. After a game is publicly released, ESRB testers randomly review final product to ensure that all pertinent content was fully disclosed. In the event that material that would have affected the assignment of a rating or content descriptor is found to have not been disclosed, the ESRB is empowered to compel corrective actions and impose a wide range of sanctions, including monetary fines. Corrective actions can include pulling advertising until ratings information can be corrected, re-stickering packaging with correct ratings information or recalling the product. ESRB also has the option of revoking a rating or suspending all rating services. Advertising & Marketing Publishers of games carrying an ESRB rating are also legally bound to follow the industry-adopted Principles and Guidelines for Responsible Advertising Practices along with the Advertising Code of Conduct. The ESRB's Advertising Review Council (ARC) is responsible for the oversight, compliance and enforcement of all industry-adopted advertising and marketing guidelines. Specific marketing rules codified in the ESRB Advertising Code of Conduct address everything from the required size of rating icons on game boxes to the audience composition of media vehicles in which M-rated game ads may appear. ARC diligently monitors compliance with its marketing guidelines. In the event that a game publisher inappropriately labels or advertises a product, the ESRB is empowered to compel corrective actions and impose a wide range of sanctions, including monetary fines when appropriate. ESRB also has the option of revoking a rating or suspending all rating services. Do retailers support and enforce the ESRB rating system? While the ESRB does not have the authority to enforce its ratings at the retail level, we do work closely with retailers and game centers to display information that explains to customers how the rating system works and, where appropriate, support their store policy pertaining to the sale or rental of M-rated games to minors without parental consent. Many major retailers currently implement their own store policies requiring age verification for the sale or rental of games rated M-rated and/or A-rated, and ESRB encourages and supports these efforts. Who can I contact if I have a question or complaint about a rating? The ESRB welcomes feedback. Use the ¿Contact ESRB¿ form on the ESRB website at www.esrb.org to submit complaints, comments, questions or concerns regarding ratings. Does ESRB have any restrictions on how a game can be marketed? The ESRB's Advertising Review Council (ARC) is responsible for the oversight, compliance and enforcement of all industry-adopted advertising and marketing guidelines. Advertising & Marketing Publishers of games carrying an ESRB rating are also legally bound to follow the industry-adopted Principles and Guidelines for Responsible Advertising Practices along with the Advertising Code of Conduct. The ESRB's Advertising Review Council (ARC) is responsible for the oversight, compliance and enforcement of all industry-adopted advertising and marketing guidelines. Specific marketing rules codified in the ESRB Advertising Code of Conduct address everything from the required size of rating icons on game boxes to the audience composition of media vehicles in which M-rated game ads may appear. ARC diligently monitors compliance with its marketing guidelines. In the event that a game publisher inappropriately labels or advertises a product, the ESRB is empowered to compel corrective actions and impose a wide range of sanctions, including monetary fines when appropriate. ESRB also has the option of revoking a rating or suspending all rating services.