entertainment-software-rating-board posts

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) challenged a Minnesota state law that "sought to penalize minors for the purchase of rental of M- or AO-rated games." The judge ruled in the ESA's favor, calling the law unconstitutional, and saying that "there is no showing whatsoever that video games, in the absence of other violent media, cause even the slightest injury to children." The state was forced to cover $65,000 in attorney fees and expenses.

The ESA has won similar cases in nine other states. CEO Michael D. Gallagher said: "Courts across the United States have ruled consistently that video games are entitled to the same First Amendment protections as other forms of art, such as music and literature."

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates each game's appropriateness for children, and its ratings are displayed on every retail box. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has found that 80% of parents are aware of the system, and the judge in the Minnesota case suggested that tax payer dollars would be best spent "to help support [the ESRB system], rather than continue to pursue unconstitutional legislation that works against it."

Once a major source of unannounced gaming information, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website has been rather kind to gamers for a taste of the future--until now. According to a report on Next-Gen.biz, the ESRB has announced a new plan that will allow publishers to control the timing of game rating reveals on the public site. In a memo the ESRB revealed the new embargo option was created at the request of publishers, which have often had new titles revealed ahead of marketing schedules by the ratings site.

While it seems the option has been created to benefit long-term marketing agendas, the ESRB does not want the new, completely optional, plan to affect rating awareness. "Unless there are specific concerns regarding premature disclosure of a title, we expect this field to be left blank," reads the memo. "While we recognize some publishers have concerns regarding earlier-than-desired 'announcements' of product ... the ESRB system will not work for consumers if publishers arbitrarily select dates bearing no reasonable relationship to consumer interest in the product."

Still, it is imaginable that publishers will attempt to keep all their cards close to their chest for as long as they can using the new listing option.

[via X3F]