Video game rating system to be reviewed

Bungral

New member
Today the Beeb have been reporting that a UK Government-backed review has called for the video game rating system to be revamped to make it easier for parents and children to understand.

Read the full news article.
 
This seems to happen every other year with some form of media, and they never do themselves any favors with their over complicated labeling schemes.

Just make 3 or 4 age brackets and thats it, like U, 12, 15 and 18, then even the most braindead of parents can understand and stop blaming everybody else when they buy little timmy GTA4 by 'mistake'
 
Having a website for parents could be a good thing.

I almost think they should have this sort of information advertised aswell, maybe on a late night advert on tv. Like the speeding ones, just something like "would you let your kid watch/play this" with the website url.

So many parents either can't be bothered with it, don't care or just don't understand.

Being honest, when I was young I watched a gory film and felt physically sick aswell as feeling a little scared.

If something like this can help make parents take notice, then fair enough tbh.
 
name='equk' said:
So many parents either can't be bothered with it, don't care or just don't understand.

The former would be the case. I think the whole thing is a waste of time.

I have no doubt that there are a minescule amount of parents that watch a pg b4 giving it to their kids, equally see an 18 recommend on a "game" and think 2ce about it.

As long as it keeps the kids quiet/off their back so they can watch eastenders - they`re happy.
 
name='Rastalovich' said:
As long as it keeps the kids quiet/off their back so they can watch eastenders - they`re happy.

Unfortunately, that does seem to be the case :(

The PEGI system at the moment 'should' be good enough.

I think the internet guidelines bit is a good idea. But then that sort of falls into the same thing, parents just cba as long as their kids are quiet in the other room. Altho at least with the internet they could put on some sort of netnanny software.

The hardest to control on the net I guess are kids from 13+ as they can bypass most stuff easily. Especially if their parents don't know much about computers.
 
name='Havok' said:
Just make 3 or 4 age brackets and thats it, like U, 12, 15 and 18, then even the most braindead of parents can understand and stop blaming everybody else when they buy little timmy GTA4 by 'mistake'

My parents never bought me GTA4! :P

I agree that they should use the same system as they do for movies, else some people wont understand the 2 different systems of rating, and use that as an excuse.
 
I don't think the rating system is the problem, but rather the way it's applied. People ignore it and store clerks ignore it. I've walked out with games above my rating plenty of times, nobody cares.
 
Thing that scares me is...

i work at woolworths

they know my age

its a smaller store too

walked in before my shift...placed an order for GTA4 - no problems :D

now if i was some "crazy kid" (not saying im not but still...) we could have had a problem on our hands

perhaps each purchase should warn adults of the game's actual content (the cashier has to tell them of content for that specific game) then maybe adults wont be as keen to buy for their kids
 
Its a bit of a waste of time in my opinion due to the fact that children will get games that have a higher rating than their age one way or another. Could even be just from swapping with a mate.. Its pretty tough to control.
 
name='Bungral' said:
Its a bit of a waste of time in my opinion due to the fact that children will get games that have a higher rating than their age one way or another. Could even be just from swapping with a mate.. Its pretty tough to control.

Tough to control, but it's not pointless to try.

Maybe they should put more pressure on the shops aswell as the parents? altho that probably wouldn't make that much difference, it might be a step in the right direction.
 
name='equk' said:
Tough to control, but it's not pointless to try.

Maybe they should put more pressure on the shops aswell as the parents? altho that probably wouldn't make that much difference, it might be a step in the right direction.

No I didn't mean not to try but they have ratings as it is now. Perhaps this step could be a good idea just to give the ratings more of a structure but when it actually comes down to the kids getting the games, I don't think it will help in the slightest.
 
That's what I thought, why would a different symbol on the box make any difference, I know they could make the current system a bit clearer but it won't change much. The website for parents though, is a great idea.
 
name='equk' said:
Tough to control, but it's not pointless to try.

Maybe they should put more pressure on the shops aswell as the parents? altho that probably wouldn't make that much difference, it might be a step in the right direction.

That`s the thing, it`s a waste of time. Parents who care will already be aware and those who don`t won`t. Meanwhile this sort of investigation/review costs money and comes out with either something like new labeling or this stay the same. Costs aren`t exactly cheap.
 
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