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Games with micro transactions will get a label in North America
The American Entertainment Software Rating Board will stamp a logo onto games with microtransactions and/ or other in-game purchases. The In-Game Purchases logo is placed on physical packaging and at download stores.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is an American self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings to consumer video games. The new label is a direct reaction towards the outcry over loot crate systems in games like Star Wars: Battlefront II, Need for Speed: Payback and Destiny 2and have signaled a willingness to legislate them, reports polygon.
The labeling will “be applied to games with in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real-world currency,” the ESRB said in a news release this morning, “including but not limited to bonus levels, skins, surprise items (such as item packs, loot boxes, mystery awards), music, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency, subscriptions, season passes and upgrades (e.g., to disable ads).”
The label will appear separate from the familiar ESRB rating label (T-for-Teen, M-for-Mature, etc.) and not inside it. Additionally, the ESRB has begun an awareness campaign meant to highlight the controls available to parents whose households have a video game console. The label is not designed to warn adult gamers that a game might contain microtransactions; it’s designed for concerned parents buying games for their kids. “Parents need simple information,” Vance said. “We can’t overwhelm them with a lot of detail... We have not found that parents are differentiating between these different mechanics.”
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moeppel
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#5523899 Posted on: 02/28/2018 09:54 AM
Far too lightweight in my opinion.
I'd have loved an 'odds-disclosure' at the very least if not outright making all titles containing microtransaction 'M for Mature' or 18(+) by default.
Far too lightweight in my opinion.
I'd have loved an 'odds-disclosure' at the very least if not outright making all titles containing microtransaction 'M for Mature' or 18(+) by default.
Texter
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#5523913 Posted on: 02/28/2018 10:43 AM
What's the main demographic of 'whales' anyway? 40-something gamers? Those guys will be glad the ESRB has their best interests at heart...once they've decided on the actual logo...
What's the main demographic of 'whales' anyway? 40-something gamers? Those guys will be glad the ESRB has their best interests at heart...once they've decided on the actual logo...
KissSh0t
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#5523936 Posted on: 02/28/2018 12:11 PM
And this covers games with gambling?
And this covers games with gambling?
sverek
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#5523939 Posted on: 02/28/2018 12:33 PM
You have to buy item to do gambling, so gambling that involves money, should be covered.
Gambling within game is fine and shouldnt be regulated. (change 4 rare items to legendary, etc)
And this covers games with gambling?
You have to buy item to do gambling, so gambling that involves money, should be covered.
Gambling within game is fine and shouldnt be regulated. (change 4 rare items to legendary, etc)
XP-200
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#5523941 Posted on: 02/28/2018 12:48 PM
So how does this work for digital version. lol
So how does this work for digital version. lol
Ricepudding
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#5523946 Posted on: 02/28/2018 01:04 PM
Shouldn't games with this also be rated "Adult" since you need to be 21 to gamble in America... or they trying to gloss this over with a band-aid... we already know the games that come with micro-transactions. the issue is they're gambling within games made for a younger audience
Who buys games digitally these days
... most likely might have a tag, think most Steam games have tags on them stating this
Shouldn't games with this also be rated "Adult" since you need to be 21 to gamble in America... or they trying to gloss this over with a band-aid... we already know the games that come with micro-transactions. the issue is they're gambling within games made for a younger audience
So how does this work for digital version. lol
Who buys games digitally these days
... most likely might have a tag, think most Steam games have tags on them stating this
Alex13
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#5523967 Posted on: 02/28/2018 01:57 PM
Far too lightweight in my opinion.
I'd have loved an 'odds-disclosure' at the very least if not outright making all titles containing microtransaction 'M for Mature' or 18(+) by default.
A group created by the very same publishers that have created this situation is making quite possibly the most softball / least business impactful decision to mitigate any potential legal blowback? Color me surprised, i never knew their only reason for existing was to protect the corporate interest of their founders.
Far too lightweight in my opinion.
I'd have loved an 'odds-disclosure' at the very least if not outright making all titles containing microtransaction 'M for Mature' or 18(+) by default.
A group created by the very same publishers that have created this situation is making quite possibly the most softball / least business impactful decision to mitigate any potential legal blowback? Color me surprised, i never knew their only reason for existing was to protect the corporate interest of their founders.
fantaskarsef
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#5523968 Posted on: 02/28/2018 02:08 PM
Does this ESRB rating in any way protect the user? Except if parents are buying anything for the kids? Is it enforced in stores?
Does this ESRB rating in any way protect the user? Except if parents are buying anything for the kids? Is it enforced in stores?
moeppel
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#5523969 Posted on: 02/28/2018 02:13 PM
Well, I don't know how it works in the states, quite frankly. Germany has the USK but I can't imagine lobbying taking place from the side of publishers. I don't even know how much of an actual impact the USK has to begin with, outside of potentially indexing some titles entirely.
Ultimately, as an 'older gamer' by now I'd much rather return to the times where games were in fact finished products (safe for actual add-ons/expansions) - if need by through legaslation/law by applying at the very least equal rules that casinos have to abide by.
Given the propsed (and evidently) non solution by the ESRB leads me to believe they don't want to bite the hand that feeds them but even then there's hope that politics may pick up up on the subject regardless of what the ESRB (and our USK) may choose to do now or the near future.
Naturally Ubisoft, EA and Activision Blizzard will dread the day they'll have to make actual fun to play games again involving any sort of creative work in the process.
A group created by the very same publishers that have created this situation is making quite possibly the most softball / least business impactful decision to mitigate any potential legal blowback? Color me surprised, i never knew their only reason for existing was to protect the corporate interest of their founders.
Well, I don't know how it works in the states, quite frankly. Germany has the USK but I can't imagine lobbying taking place from the side of publishers. I don't even know how much of an actual impact the USK has to begin with, outside of potentially indexing some titles entirely.
Ultimately, as an 'older gamer' by now I'd much rather return to the times where games were in fact finished products (safe for actual add-ons/expansions) - if need by through legaslation/law by applying at the very least equal rules that casinos have to abide by.
Given the propsed (and evidently) non solution by the ESRB leads me to believe they don't want to bite the hand that feeds them but even then there's hope that politics may pick up up on the subject regardless of what the ESRB (and our USK) may choose to do now or the near future.
Naturally Ubisoft, EA and Activision Blizzard will dread the day they'll have to make actual fun to play games again involving any sort of creative work in the process.
ubercake
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#5524003 Posted on: 02/28/2018 03:43 PM
The ESRB means well, but many parents these days find it's very convenient to use any video games their child wants to play (independent of any ESRB rating system) to:
1) Shut the kid up.
2) Give parents endless amounts of time to catch up on social media and get their nails did.
3) Know where your child is at all times (glued to the TV or PC).
Really, the biggest problem with micro-transactions is for adults with addictive personalities and the fostering of addictive personalities in children. Is it really different than states selling lottery tickets and telling people to "Gamble Responsibly" while offering an 800 number to help you with your gambling addiction?
This is a token action the ESRB is taking in cooperation with the gaming companies employing micro-transactions to say "see we're doing something about this so it doesn't need gambling regulation".
The ESRB can't parent the children. The ESRB is adding yet another label for parents - who never look at what they are buying their kids or their kids are buying - to ignore. For the parents who are involved, they evolve with the technology and stay in touch with what their kids are doing.
The ESRB means well, but many parents these days find it's very convenient to use any video games their child wants to play (independent of any ESRB rating system) to:
1) Shut the kid up.
2) Give parents endless amounts of time to catch up on social media and get their nails did.
3) Know where your child is at all times (glued to the TV or PC).
Really, the biggest problem with micro-transactions is for adults with addictive personalities and the fostering of addictive personalities in children. Is it really different than states selling lottery tickets and telling people to "Gamble Responsibly" while offering an 800 number to help you with your gambling addiction?
This is a token action the ESRB is taking in cooperation with the gaming companies employing micro-transactions to say "see we're doing something about this so it doesn't need gambling regulation".
The ESRB can't parent the children. The ESRB is adding yet another label for parents - who never look at what they are buying their kids or their kids are buying - to ignore. For the parents who are involved, they evolve with the technology and stay in touch with what their kids are doing.
Phill-7
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#5524007 Posted on: 02/28/2018 03:55 PM
There has to be a big banner "Pay-to-Win Title". I take it as an abuse to pay for a game to be able to pay much more.
There has to be a big banner "Pay-to-Win Title". I take it as an abuse to pay for a game to be able to pay much more.
TheDeeGee
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#5524026 Posted on: 02/28/2018 05:20 PM
That'll teach 'em!
That'll teach 'em!
The Laughing Ma
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#5524027 Posted on: 02/28/2018 05:21 PM
Jim Sterling did a good video on this. To sum it up a way too late milk toast solution that doesn't fix or resolve a god damn thing. The example he used was that the Witcher 3 would have this same ESRB rating logo as Battelfront 2 and the 'paid for content' in those two games couldn't be more different. He also mentioned what worth does this rating system have when, as we have seen with Battlefront 2 this 'paid for content' can be added / removed post release, i.e post rating.
What a massive and utter waste of time.
Jim Sterling did a good video on this. To sum it up a way too late milk toast solution that doesn't fix or resolve a god damn thing. The example he used was that the Witcher 3 would have this same ESRB rating logo as Battelfront 2 and the 'paid for content' in those two games couldn't be more different. He also mentioned what worth does this rating system have when, as we have seen with Battlefront 2 this 'paid for content' can be added / removed post release, i.e post rating.
What a massive and utter waste of time.
BangTail
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#5524055 Posted on: 02/28/2018 07:00 PM
Like that is going to change a damn thing.
Pathetic, but not surprising.
Money talks.
Like that is going to change a damn thing.
Pathetic, but not surprising.
Money talks.
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So I guess 90% of the games sold will now get that sticker.