View Full Version : Comparing ESRB to PEGI
Personally, I think the Pan European Game Information (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_European_Game_Information) rating is a bit clearer than the ESRB. There is no odd 'AO' rating, and there are actually descriptions of the content of the game. Parents do actually take notice of it here.
Maybe the ESRB should at least add the graphic clarifications of game content to their rating. Then they really need to get rid of the AO rating. Or even move to a numeral system, because some people appearantly do not know what 'Mature' means.
Discuss
pixelante_ninja
10-02-2006, 06:15 PM
But the ESRB has many more content descriptions (i.e. Fantasy violence vs. violence) and it's easy to tell between different levels of things. I agree that maybe they should just do numbers but I think the content descriptions are better.
Jabrwock
10-02-2006, 06:48 PM
What if it's homosexual content? Do they have a Male-Male symbol, or Female-Female one? ;)
The only problem with symbol descriptors is that they are harder to distinguish. For example, what if you want to indicate tobacco or alcohol use? Do you still use the syringe? Or what if there's violence but no blood? Or realistic violence vs. cartoon violence?
For those in the US who say the ESRB is "broken", what would they prefer? Because I've found PEGI to actually be a little more lenient in terms of rating. It only rates GTA:San Andreas for violence afterall. It doesn't mention drug use, language, gambling, or sex.
Thefremen
10-02-2006, 06:58 PM
The ESRB cannot exist without the "AO" rating. Tony Danza was one of the founders of the ESRB and at one time demanded that there be an "AO" rating so when applied he could say "AO, OA!".
You do NOT want to mess with Tony Danza, he's the duke of morning television.
pixelante_ninja
10-02-2006, 07:03 PM
Actually i think it would make more sense if the AO rating remained. However, the M rating should be changed to 16+ instead of 17/18+ so there's a clear distinction.
Otacon
10-02-2006, 07:15 PM
I do like the PEGI more than the ESRB. I would recommend switching systems, but that may confuse parents who are already using the ESRB to make decisions concerning the games that they let their children play. I think that the ESRB needs a little work around the edges.
Thefremen
10-02-2006, 07:19 PM
Actually i think it would make more sense if the AO rating remained. However, the M rating should be changed to 16+ instead of 17/18+ so there's a clear distinction.
My rule for politicians who want to disband the ESRB in favor of giving the federal government more control over our personal lives: tell us exactly what you'd replace it with.
Also, the FDA is supposed to rate drugs as safe for kids, teens, or mature only. When it's a life or death situation we get medication that kills thousands of people and undocumented side-effects and interactions.
The FDA didn't just make 2 mistakes then reverse them in time to keep anyone from harm.
The FDA is regulated by the government directly and was created by the government. This is what they do when it's a life or death situation, can we trust the feds to create a ratings board for videogames?
Otacon
10-02-2006, 07:27 PM
No, we can't trust them. I generally dislike any government involvement with the media. I don't feel like the government has the right to come in and take over the rating process. They won't do any better, and they certainly could do much worse. I have a feeling that government ratings would be much stricter than ESRB ratings.
godofyouall
10-02-2006, 10:32 PM
The UK have adopted the Pan European Game Information rating system but if they are for 16 year olds and older, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) hands out the ratings which is then enforced by law.
However a game could receive a 15+ rating from the industry which then required classification from the BBFC which might grant it a lower rating as its criteria is different. Also the UK government are just wasting taxpayers money trying to enforce something that the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association found that the majority of people ignore anyways. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4118270.stm
Some people tend to forget that in the US they already have a voluntary system which I think does much more to inform and educate than we have in the UK. A system enforced by law with financial penalties like we have in the UK IMHO will not improve upon the system that the US already have in place. I actually think that it would be better if the UK had a system similar to the US.
You are lucky in the US that the courts have already made it clear that giving a private party governmental powers is unconstitutional and therefore they could not give the ESRB ratings the force of law.
God bless America :)
Silver_Derstin
10-02-2006, 11:15 PM
I'm just starting to panic when I see all the different descriptors the ESRB uses. Pretty soon, there'll be "Final Fantasy-like Violence" (which will give a E-rating, I'm sure) next to a game quite similar with "Life like Violence" (getting a T-rating).
The ESRB rating system is broken for this reason only, if you ask me.
Thefremen
10-03-2006, 12:00 AM
I'm just starting to panic when I see all the different descriptors the ESRB uses. Pretty soon, there'll be "Final Fantasy-like Violence" (which will give a E-rating, I'm sure) next to a game quite similar with "Life like Violence" (getting a T-rating).
The ESRB rating system is broken for this reason only, if you ask me.
The ESRB isn't broken, it doesn't need to be banned. It can be exploited though, which is why it should be limited to 2 per deck. So what would you change, and what is currently wrong? You just used hyperbole and hyperbole is fine for cracking jokes but not good for debate.
What if it's homosexual content? Do they have a Male-Male symbol, or Female-Female one? ;)
The only problem with symbol descriptors is that they are harder to distinguish. For example, what if you want to indicate tobacco or alcohol use? Do you still use the syringe? Or what if there's violence but no blood? Or realistic violence vs. cartoon violence?
For those in the US who say the ESRB is "broken", what would they prefer? Because I've found PEGI to actually be a little more lenient in terms of rating. It only rates GTA:San Andreas for violence afterall. It doesn't mention drug use, language, gambling, or sex.
That's odd, because I have a GTA:SA package right here that says 18.
pixelante_ninja
10-03-2006, 07:10 AM
He meant the content descriptors. Not the actual rating.
Mine mentions language as well. Drug use.. yeah.. prrroobably should've been in there, but remember: there is no sex in the game ;p
Silver_Derstin
10-03-2006, 08:53 AM
The ESRB isn't broken, it doesn't need to be banned. It can be exploited though, which is why it should be limited to 2 per deck. So what would you change, and what is currently wrong? You just used hyperbole and hyperbole is fine for cracking jokes but not good for debate.
The ESRB is creating more and more and more descriptors and applying them with a steamroller to games nowadays. Descriptor for Okami (rated T): Blood and Gore (that is placed on any game where you actually wound people it seems), Crude Humour(someone says a joke some fundie could take wrong), Fantasy Violence(like violence, but not AS violent), Suggestive Themes (there's a girl in the game), Use of Alchohol and Tobacco (because real people don't drink or smoke). And it remains a Zelda-clone/kids game, if you ask me. My problem remains that the ratings are unrealistic 95% of the time and that the ESRB is only "getting better" by stacking up and creating descriptors to include everything. What I'd say is get rid either of the rating and have people deal with the descriptors only (which would be an idea and would give people the chance to think rather then just act on letters) or get rid of many of the superfluous descriptors.
Just my 2 cents.
See.. that's why TOO MANY descriptors is.. bad.. too.
Thefremen
10-03-2006, 02:46 PM
The ESRB is creating more and more and more descriptors and applying them with a steamroller to games nowadays. Descriptor for Okami (rated T): Blood and Gore (that is placed on any game where you actually wound people it seems), Crude Humour(someone says a joke some fundie could take wrong), Fantasy Violence(like violence, but not AS violent), Suggestive Themes (there's a girl in the game), Use of Alchohol and Tobacco (because real people don't drink or smoke). And it remains a Zelda-clone/kids game, if you ask me. My problem remains that the ratings are unrealistic 95% of the time and that the ESRB is only "getting better" by stacking up and creating descriptors to include everything. What I'd say is get rid either of the rating and have people deal with the descriptors only (which would be an idea and would give people the chance to think rather then just act on letters) or get rid of many of the superfluous descriptors.
Just my 2 cents.
They need those descriptors to protect them from the senate and Emperor Palpetine. Maybe once Obi-Won overthrows the govt they can stop having them entirely.
Get rid of a letter rating and it becomes useless. People don't read anymore, what do you think this is, the 18 century?
Jabrwock
10-03-2006, 04:56 PM
Mine mentions language as well. Drug use.. yeah.. prrroobably should've been in there, but remember: there is no sex in the game ;p
I was looking at the PEGI website. They only list violence there.
Beacon
10-03-2006, 07:11 PM
I disagree about the number of content descriptors. I'd rather have too many than not enough. I mean, a Bugs Bunny game, Final Fantasy, and Mortal Kombat are all violent. Cartoon violence, fantasy violence, and life-like violence gives you some idea of how violent they really are. Whereas if you just labeled them all as violent, it implies that Mortal Kombat and Bugs Bunny are on the same level. While I admit, there can be such a thing as too much information, I don't think that's the ESRB's biggest problem.
Silver_Derstin
10-03-2006, 08:15 PM
Get rid of a letter rating and it becomes useless. People don't read anymore, what do you think this is, the 18 century?
Sadly, that's what most of my literature teachers want me to think, I guess ;)
I was looking at the PEGI website. They only list violence there.
Mine has violence and language on the box.
Must be one of those rare misprints.
ON EBAY YOU GO!
ZippyDSMlee
10-05-2006, 07:46 AM
Mmmm
I don't think the ESRB has improved much...
I grabed abunch of my games
XenoGears PSX /1998
Teen
Animated Blood
Mild Language
Suggestive themes
----------
The Bouncer PS2 teen/ 2000
Animated Violence (PS2 answer to streets of rage with a story....)
-------
Zone of the enders PS2 teen/ (sticker blocking date)
Animated viloance
Animated Blood (mech blood is a spilling)
----------------
FFX PS2 teen /2001-2002
Blood Violence (what happened to fantasy violence?)
-----------------
Metroid Prime GC teen/2002
Violence (no animated blood?)
-------------
SW:Bounty Hunter teen GC /2002
Violence (no more than the PG13 films)
-----------
Wild Arms 3 teen PS2 /2002
Violence(again fantasy/cartoon violence)
----------
Zelda WW GC Everyone/03?04?
Violence (WTF?)
-------------
FFX-2 Teen PS2/03?
Suggestive themes (its the Barbie dolls of the FF world but without the ground off nipples in fact you cant undress them anywhere....)
Violence
----------
Onimusha 4 M PS2/04
lood and gore
Intense Violence (its gooey)
------------
Metroid Prime 2 GC teen /04?
Animated blood
Violence (no complaints)
------------
Sudeki M Xbox/04?
BLood and gore
Violence (surprised they didnt tact on sexual themes,maybe it needs a furry tag to to warn the fundies off furry activities in it...)
--------------
I could dig out some more ...mmm wait these are in reaching distance
*cuddles case*
I have this and other thigns on disply
Legend of Legaia Everyone PSX /98?
Animated violence (its like violences for everyone)
Castlevina:DOS Teen DS /200?
Blood and gore and 2d violence..err fantasy violence
haha I do have acouple newer games
Vampire TM:Bloodlines M PC/o4
Blood and gore
intense Violence
Sexual themes
Strong Language
fav quote
What all suede kittens do... on hands and knees, you lap up the milk of me... and we purr, kitten, like dragonflies buzzing around frog bellies. (as bugy and as badly in need of a patch this game still rocks its like dues ex 2 on crack with both the ups and downs =^^=)
Dragon Quest 8 teen PS2/04
Alcohol refrance
Fantasy violence
Mild langauge
Suggestive themes (and boy do thos Suggestions bounce around we need more games with breast physics!)
I guess the newer labels have gotten description happy..
..animated blood is a descriptor?
And wait, do they mean.. this? (http://wiki.animutationportal.com/images/9/9d/Cuteblood.png)
ZippyDSMlee
10-05-2006, 02:35 PM
KN
either is blood only animated (movieng)
ors its lesser Anime blood like Naruto and Bleach
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