Knowledge is Power: a charitable idea.

[Conejo]

ok sure, everyone's donating money for poor/sick people now but during all this shopping, maybe we should donate a little time. i said this in one of the GP newsposts today, but i do think it might be a good idea:

Donate some time out of a weekend day to go down to a local game store (EB/Gamestop, even Wal-Mart or Target) and offer your ESRB knowledge to the parents looking for games.
maybe print out some ESRB flyers and hand them out.

i know sometimes while i'm just browsing in stores i get asked questions, or i'll overhear some confused parent or grandparent who is being tricked into buying inappropriate games so i interject. helping explain what is and is not age-appropriate and what kind of game genres there can be a good way to educate away the fearmongering.

and while you're at it, hit up the teen/adult gamers for the ECA!

[Hal Halpin]

Excellent suggestion. You'll be pleased to learn that ESRB is printing up new flyers with our co-marketing message on it, so you won't need to print your own. Get in contact with Seth (seth@theeca.com) to get your name on the distribution list and let us know how many flyers you need. We'll also be distributing them at the trade and consumer events we attend next year.

[POLE]

I remember when I got to FutureShop, I saw a woman and her son trying to make a choice for a game to buy. I politely asked them what they were seeking and I made a few suggestions (taking the son's age into account).

[BaronJuJu]

I remember when I got to FutureShop, I saw a woman and her son trying to make a choice for a game to buy. I politely asked them what they were seeking and I made a few suggestions (taking the son's age into account).

I have done this a few times myself. Recently a parent was trying to decide what game to get with his son at the local store. He wasn't sure with one game if it was ok for him to get and I stepped in showed him the ESRB rating (both front and back, always important to point out). He thanked me, he said he was never really sure what exactly was in the games before.

I'm sure the son wasn't pleased though:D

*Edit - I would love to get some of those flyers and hand them out but I don't think the BX/PX here would care for that. I will have to call up the managers and talk it over with them first.

Hmmmmm, maybe we can make a story on this for the base paper.

[POLE]

In Québec, thanks to French being our first language, this is even more confusing because we got both the ESRB and an unnamed warning (I remember seeing 18+ on a French version of Half-Life 2). Therefore, this could be even more confusing to a parent and there are less documentation about this ratings.

Fortunately, most retailers I saw (EBGames, FutureShop, some small shops that sells used games), the clerk actually give advices to parents when they're not sure of what to buy to their child.

[Conejo]

*Edit - I would love to get some of those flyers and hand them out but I don't think the BX/PX here would care for that. I will have to call up the managers and talk it over with them first.

Hmmmmm, maybe we can make a story on this for the base paper.

i know my BX salespeople are rather uninformed and don't really care (they refuse to acknowledge that Microsoft voids 360 warrantys if you use the InterCooler) so whenever i'm there i make sure to be available to anyone with questions (lots of grandparents around here).

i do highly suggest getting it in your base paper if possible.