WiiWare Running into Ratings Fire?
A game with the word 'beer' in the title. Shock! Horror!
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has attracted the ire of Connecticut Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, thanks to its classification of JV Games' upcoming WiiWare game, Beer Pong.
Why? The ESRB gave it a rating of T 13+, even though it involves beer! A statement from Blumenthal reads, "The rating T 13+ -- suitable for teens 13 and older -- is absolutely inappropriate. The video game rating board is under the influence -- rating frat party video drinking games suitable for minors. Even as JV Games agrees to alter its Beer Pong video game, both it and the rating board stubbornly deny the damaging influence of alcohol depiction in video games.
"The ESRB astonishingly downplays and dismisses alcohol depiction in rating the suitability of video games for minors. Parents have the first and last say over their children’s games -- but they deserve to know all of the facts. The ESRB, claiming to consider age suitability in its ratings, has a moral and ethical responsibility to consider all potentially damaging material in the products it rates.
"This issue is urgent because the 'Frat Party Ganes' promoted by JV Games may soon offer others in this planned series."
JV Games has now re-named Beer Pong to Pong Toss. The game actually just involves aiming ping pong balls at cups. In life, when a ball goes in a cup full of beer, beer must be drunk. In games, you can't drink virtual beer.
An ESRB spokesman, Eliot Mizrachi, has fired at Blumenthal back wit a statement reading, "Although we respect Attorney General Blumenthal’s right to disagree, the fact is that ESRB’s role is not that of censor. Our job is to impartially and consistently label content about which there may be a diversity of views so consumers can make informed choices for themselves and their families.
"‘Pong Toss’ involves nothing more than players tossing virtual ping-pong balls into plastic cups, which hardly qualifies it for our most restrictive rating of AO (Adults Only 18+)..."
This isn't the first time Blumenthal has his knickers in a twist about the whole thing and it isn't the first time the ESRB has responded to him about it. Earlier in June, Patricia Vance, President of the ESRB, has pointed out in a letter to Blumenthal that all he's doing is promoting the game with his outcry. In the letter, she wrote, "WiiWare games, available by the hundreds, rarely have marketing or advertising associated with them, and typically draw scant attention.
"Given this, our concern is that a greater number of consumers (including the age group about which you are most concerned) will be made aware of this game and resolve to play it as a result of publicized statements of advocacy groups and others. Ironically, this is likely to result in more rather than less consumers being drawn to this game, particularly those very minors all of us seek to protect."
Source: GamePolitics
Why? The ESRB gave it a rating of T 13+, even though it involves beer! A statement from Blumenthal reads, "The rating T 13+ -- suitable for teens 13 and older -- is absolutely inappropriate. The video game rating board is under the influence -- rating frat party video drinking games suitable for minors. Even as JV Games agrees to alter its Beer Pong video game, both it and the rating board stubbornly deny the damaging influence of alcohol depiction in video games.
"The ESRB astonishingly downplays and dismisses alcohol depiction in rating the suitability of video games for minors. Parents have the first and last say over their children’s games -- but they deserve to know all of the facts. The ESRB, claiming to consider age suitability in its ratings, has a moral and ethical responsibility to consider all potentially damaging material in the products it rates.
"This issue is urgent because the 'Frat Party Ganes' promoted by JV Games may soon offer others in this planned series."
JV Games has now re-named Beer Pong to Pong Toss. The game actually just involves aiming ping pong balls at cups. In life, when a ball goes in a cup full of beer, beer must be drunk. In games, you can't drink virtual beer.
An ESRB spokesman, Eliot Mizrachi, has fired at Blumenthal back wit a statement reading, "Although we respect Attorney General Blumenthal’s right to disagree, the fact is that ESRB’s role is not that of censor. Our job is to impartially and consistently label content about which there may be a diversity of views so consumers can make informed choices for themselves and their families.
"‘Pong Toss’ involves nothing more than players tossing virtual ping-pong balls into plastic cups, which hardly qualifies it for our most restrictive rating of AO (Adults Only 18+)..."
This isn't the first time Blumenthal has his knickers in a twist about the whole thing and it isn't the first time the ESRB has responded to him about it. Earlier in June, Patricia Vance, President of the ESRB, has pointed out in a letter to Blumenthal that all he's doing is promoting the game with his outcry. In the letter, she wrote, "WiiWare games, available by the hundreds, rarely have marketing or advertising associated with them, and typically draw scant attention.
"Given this, our concern is that a greater number of consumers (including the age group about which you are most concerned) will be made aware of this game and resolve to play it as a result of publicized statements of advocacy groups and others. Ironically, this is likely to result in more rather than less consumers being drawn to this game, particularly those very minors all of us seek to protect."
Source: GamePolitics
Companies:
JV Games
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