Parents will have an easier time of making the right game choices for the kiddies who shouldn't be playing all those violent games.
We all know and love the Entertainment Software Ratings Board for informing uninformed parents about what's in the games they buy for their children. Game ratings and content descriptors give an idea of what a game is like without actually needing to buy it.
However, the ESRB has realized that the "Violence" content descriptor was a bit too vague, so they have remedied the situation with the introduction of four new ones, as listed below:
- Cartoon Violence - Violent actions involving cartoon-like characters. May include violence where a character is unharmed after the action has been inflicted.
- Fantasy Violence - Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life.
- Intense Violence - Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons and depictions of human injury and death.
- Sexual Violence - Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts.
In addition, rating icons for Mature and Adults Only games have been tweaked, adding the 17+ and 18+ age groups that the respective ratings suggest for a person to buy or rent the game. All these changes are effective immediately.