Survey finds that people recognise game ratings

2 years ago

I wouldn't be so quick with those conclusions. Didn't IGEA's 2009 report show that only 33% of Australian parents understand the ratings system?

However, the ESRB has spent time and effort into EXPLAINING its system.

What these results perhaps prove more than anything is that our government's education efforts have been woeful.

2 years ago

No, that was to do with parents not knowing that consoles have parental locks, not to do with the ratings.

The most recent studies found that nearly all Australians understand the R rating. While some couldn't define exactly that it meant Restricted 18+, about 9 out of 10 knew it meant adult material not suitable for children. The G and M ratings were also well recognised.

However, this wasn't the same with the MA which confused more people.

There has actually been a lot of government advertising over my lifetime. At one point you couldn't start a movie without a run-down on the classification system. It seems to be less though, but I guess that's because most people understand it now.

2 years ago

Ah, right. OK, that's a slightly different issue, then. (Still argues for clarifying our ratings system.)

2 years ago

The MA was always going to be a bit of an issue because it contains a letter from the lower M rating.

I guess if an R rating for games was to go through, we'd see new advertising at that stage.

2 years ago

All good points, but I think it is more than just confusion about ratings in general (e.g. M and MA) - it is still the whole mentality of games being "kid's things". I really don't think that a large percentage of parents associate the game ratings at the same level as movies.

Do parents have the same concept of GTA4 as they do Underbelly? Would they buy the game over the tv show because the game is "just a game" and is not real life? I think this dichotomy in the perception of ratings is what needs to be addressed first - making people realise that the impact of the game is the same as a movie/tv show of the same rating.

Making the ratings codes the same colours on the boxes is not going to magically address this problem. Especially when games don't have the same range of ratings as movies!

2 years ago

Well as the survey suggests, younger parents do appreciate the sorts of content that can be in games, and the sorts of ratings that apply for particular content.

This is not something you can teach people in my opinion. It has to be experienced. And parents of our generation are more aware than ever which to me means that as a country we're ready for an R rating for games.

2 years ago

Agreed. But it is an unfortunate malaise of western society that the law (and legislation at large) caters for the lowest common denominator - or as I like to think of it: "If an idiot can think of it and/or do it then the entire population must be protected against it."

However, I truely distaste the moral distinctions made between games and films in regard to ratings. As the ratings classes are, under the law, equal across all forms of visual media, then the impact of the content in a game cannot be considered lesser or greater than that of a film. Thus, the inclusion of an R game rating cannot, within the confines of the current law, be considered differently to that of film. We allow people over 18 to watch R films but we can't let them play games rated identically? Bah! End rant.

Island_Wolf

2 years ago

"The US study, which interviewed a decent sample of 1,201 video game players aged 6 to 44 and their parents via an online form"
Bold point shows the "validity" of this survey to whoever has access to the site and understands how to fill in forms. Not really a good sample group.

And yeah, I can point out a factor that could skew the result, people's understanding of the English language? My report at uni shows those who migrated to Australia doesn't fully understand the rating system since the rating information is only readily available in English language at the time I did the survey (5 years ago). And Australia is a multicultural society, so it's a factor to look at

. Times have changed maybe but I still think as long as the parent is fluent in English, then they'll understand, otherwise, the rating system is just a wierd logo.

Edit - like the Code of Practise ad on tv, it's only English, at least the one I see on normal channels.

2 years ago

A good point you bring up there island_wolf.

I know the elders in my family don't really have an idea on the ratings for movies and games except as far as PG = kids M-R= adults.

2 years ago

Island_Wolf, I agree with your point regarding the potential dodgy-ness of the sample group, but we would need know how the online form was accessed before we write-off the results.

Also, I totally empathise with the lack of non-English speaking information provided by the government - a bit of a lazy effort there. But legally, parents have a duty care to minors under their stead, thus something like the ratings classifications are assumed knowledge for a reasonable adult. As you note, that is a pretty backwards attitude for a multicultural society where ESL is relatively common.

2 years ago

Island Wolf - most surveys are online these days. there is always a skew in the surveys which is why I mentioned at the start of the article that surveys can be used to prove anything.

However, you could say the exact same thing about a hand delivered survey. Some people like me hate being stopped or phoned up to fill out surveys, but I'd be more inclined to do an online one. So there is always a skew in the results.

Also, if you've ever done tax or applied for anything Government-related (so, most people), you'd be pretty comfortable with forms.

In this case it doesn't matter too much as we can assume that most of the people filling it in were interested in games (people rarely fill in surveys that they aren't interested in). So that gives you a good indication that the people surveyed are people who an R rating would actually affect.

Also, the Australian R rating is pretty universal (other countries have similar ones to ours), and many people - whether they speak English or not - understand that red writing is a warning of some sort, and even most non-English speaking people understand the numbers such as 18+. So that combination of red warning and 18+ would be a pretty good hint for most people with even a vague idea of the concept of a ratings system.

But I take your point that not everyone understands the system - it will never be 100%, but I think the majority of people who would actually use it do understand it. For example, is it important what an elderly Greek couple think about classification if they don't play games and have adult-aged children that they aren't responsible for anymore? I personally don't think so.

2 years ago

Where do they survey these people btw?
Is it a streetside "wanna do a survey sort of thing?" or from a group of people that actually have genuine interest in these things in regards to their children ratings etc?

Because honestly there are alot of dumb **** around the place that are ignorant to alot of ****, and if the survey even takes into acount 30% of those people , well it is a failed survey.

Most people I know that have kids and video games generally know what sort of games they are nevertheless the ratings etc.
my friend with a 9 year old knows not to buy GTAIV etc due to them being in the same era I have grown up around videogames etc..

basically all i can say is this survey stuff is all a big sham..

Parents should know wtf they are buying..for gods sake most people have a look at the front and back of the cover on the games, that should sum up the game itself.

2 years ago

I agree Zarnoss, but we live in a world where people want to blame everyone else - the governments, the game developers etc.

None of those reckless parents blame themselves for not taking the time to learn the classification system and what sort of content their children are exposed to. We'll never get through to them, so I don't see why they should hold us back from getting an R rating. The ignorance of a few shouldn't hold back the responsible majority.

2 years ago

FWIW, one of the points in the R18+ ratings discussion paper was the noted difficulties with censored materials in Aboriginal communities with little english. Even I agreed with that point.

2 years ago

When opening bayonetta for the first time and seeing on the disc an 18+ sticker on it...well i thought "damn, they have finally got **** into gear"
But alas it seems to be a UKS whatever that is symbol.

It is a real shame that games like left for dead 2 etc got hit hard with the gimp hammer and most people in the gaming community knew to avoid that game in aus release like the plague.
In a way I wish that the devs/distributors would just say "NO!" when they are faced with a restrictive environment and flat out not release the game in its edited form as a big finger to the powers that be that enforce this crap.
I'm sure if enough money was lost via certain terms in the industry they would be more hard pressed to compromise and settle for a higher rating.
For god's sake i see worse stuff on the new than in any video games..where are the priorities?

2 years ago

Totally agree, Jason. Unfortunately the government still has to represent the stupid and irresponsible (the fact some of our elected government representatives are there because of them doesn't help). Its sad that these people are so vocal in decrying everyone who is to blame and that the rest of us who make useful, coherant arguments are relegated somewhat. Yay for the quirks of democracy.

But maybe the powers that be will listen to 50,000 well argued submissions to the classification public consultation...

2 years ago

JackSlack, the point in the discussion paper is true but at no point does it ever raise the actual isssue the paper is addressing - i.e. games. The introduction of an R rating will still never allow pornographic games to be released (and rightly so), thus the argument that R games will also be viewed in appropriately is taken vastly out of context.

2 years ago

The funny thing is there are alot more serious things happening in this world, and not in regards to huge events like the haitian earthquake etc, but in our everyday lives.
Things like BPA in plastic that alot of us use every day in our nerdish lives with our bottle of drink next to the pc etc, or the fact that fluoride in our water is dumbing us down or even the fact that our supermarket buyer cards are keeping track of all of us, let alone our credit cards etc.

Oh well I guess this is the world we live in.

2 years ago

While the topic seems nerdy and there are bigger issues going on, this issue is bigger than it seems. It's about having our rights as adults denied. With this and the so-called Internet filter as issues, this is potentially a time in Australian history which could prove very important as citizens of a free nation and the power that Governments can have over us and what we do/play/look at.

Don't make the mistake of brushing this off as a minor, nerdy matter. It has greater implications on what could happen next.

Debating whether Infamous or Prototype is better is nerdy, but fighting for our freedom as adults in a democracy isn't.

2 years ago

Hahaha - and Zarnoss clears the room with the reality check! Awesome, mate. But I am only so vocal today because I a bored to tears over my research paper and needed something to vent over. Though I must admit your problems sound a little on the "Mel Gibson from Conspiracy Theory" side of life. But wait he was right in the end of that tedious movie...

2 years ago

Also agree with Jason. Huzzah for fence jumping! Maybe with our government filtering our internet we can look forward to Google withdrawing from Australia and the introduction of the government search engine Kruddle.au

2 years ago

Ha ha - don't get splinters. Yes but it "could" happen if we don't fight on issues that seem as trivial as to whether we get R rated games like the rest of the free world. When you consider it with the internet filter, it's a frightening trend of what they could prevent us from doing/playing/seeing next to "save the children".