Rated M for ‘Mature’, not ‘Mediocre Parenting’.
With the ripped wrapping paper of Christmas still relatively close in the rearview mirror, it seems like an appropriate time to talk about something of possible concern. Video games have become the biggest of businesses during the holidays, and chances seem relatively high that, over the holidays, you purchased something video-game-related for someone on your list. Perhaps it is a symptom of Christmas fever, or maybe a side effect of inhaling too much snow in a can, but it has become a somewhat troubling trend to see parents purchasing games for their children that are rated M, or Mature.
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board is a self-regulating organization that assigns age and content ratings according to guidelines which have been adopted industry-wide. The ESRB holds various ratings and subcategories for some ratings, but the three major ratings for video games are E for Everyone, T for Teen, and M for Mature. Games that receive the M rating are deemed to contain any combination of the following: graphic and intense realistic violence, blood and gore, drug or alcohol use, sexual themes and content, and frequent use of profanity.
Persons under the age of 17 are not allowed to purchase M-rated games, and in many cases this gets bumped up to 18. However, all too often have I witnessed a parent trudge into the electronics store or gaming boutique with a minor in tow, said minor then grabbing a game and, in a very entitled manner, saying, “This one.” The parent will then take the game up to the till without even asking what the game is about. What’s really astonishing is that at most establishments the sales clerk or cashier is required to point out that an M-rated game may contain “intense violence, blood and gore, the depiction of alcohol and drug use, sexual themes or content, and frequent use of profanity”. Sadly, though I’ve seen this situation many times, I can only recall one time where the parent even batted an eyelash at this warning.
Is it really a great idea to allow your child to play a game where you can quite literally tear off a character’s arm with a shotgun blast – where the resulting blood, tendons, muscle, and bone are displayed in plain sight and the victim is left screaming on the floor in agony? It’s a gruesome sight just to think of, much less be the catalyst for. How about trolling the city at night for prostitutes to have sex with? Not exactly children’s fare. Gang wars over drugs? Graphically slicing a character’s throat with a knife? Shooting children? All are real situations found in games that are currently on the market.
While I don’t subscribe to the theory that violent video games make for violent people, I also don’t believe that an 8 year old should be playing the latest Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty game. That is not to say anything of these types of games themselves. They are in many cases well-crafted titles that tell an excellent story or provide fantastic action, but they are certainly not for children.
Eventually children do reach an age where they are better able to comprehend certain concepts, and recognize gaming as a fiction-based, recreational activity. I even find it likely that that age even falls before 18; but the ESRB’s ratings system is structured in a manner to best protect all manners of consumers and their families.
Make no mistake: unlike many articles of this nature, this is not a letter of admonition and scolding from some conservative politician who thinks these games are akin to demonic rituals, or anything like that. This is simply an opinion based in what I believe ought to be common sense.
If purchasing the exact game requested by the recipient is paramount to you, sit down and ask your children what the game is about and how they view and interpret its contents. Learn everything you can about the game and then make a decision that feels right to you.
A simple mention and your local game clerk would be glad to help you find something suitable for your needs. The gaming industry offers a wide variety of different titles and genres and there is certainly something that would be age appropriate for younger enthusiasts without sacrificing quality or fun.
