The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a non-profit organization that evaluates video games and apps. It is a self regulatory body for parents that assigns ratings so they can make informed choices about what their children use.
The ESRB has created a system that allows for rating the content and interactive elements of games and apps. It judges them for their age-appropriateness. The board enforces the advertising guidelines adopted by the entertainment industry. They also help to maintain responsible web and mobile privacy practices.
Their mission is to empower parents to make educated decisions about the suitability and age-appropriateness of video games and apps. They seek to hold the video game industry accountable to responsible marketing practices.
Jason Smith, the Co-Founder of Click-A-Brick, supports the ESRB. “The board provides an essential service,” Smith said. “We definitely need an entertainment rating system. It provides consumers with the background they need to make an informed decision about the games and apps that are appropriate for children and their family. At Click-A-Brick, we believe that play is an essential part of our lives. For that reason, we believe that the more we know about the games and apps out there the better.”
The ESRB was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). They created their rating system through consulting child development and academic experts, by analyzing similar systems and listening to parents. The board discovered that consumers desired an age based rating system alongside impartial information about the content of games and apps.
The challenge of creating the system lay in devising one that informs and suggest parents while not biasing them. It needed to reflect the overall quality of the product instead of elevating every instance of objectionable content.
Georg de Gorostiza, the Co-Founder of Click-A-Brick, praises the work of the ESRB. “There are so many platforms and devices out there today,” de Gorostiza said. “Parents need a guide to help them make informed decisions about what their children use. The ESRB seeks develop tools and resources to help parents manage their children's video games. This included parental control guides and information related to online safety. As a parent and as a developer of games, I find this to be essential. Nothing could be more important for our toy lines at Click-A-Brick, where we aim to offer safe and appropriate products for children.”
The ESRB rating is based upon a three-part rating system. This includes a Rating Category that suggests age-appropriateness. It provides Content Descriptors that show what type of content may have triggered the rating as well as any other elements that may be of concern for the consumer. The final aspect is Interactive Elements, which inform consumers about how user interactions are carried out and how personal information and location is shared.
The ESRB Rating category is displayed on the front of the box of packaged or boxed games. For games and apps that are digitally delivered, the ESRB rating is displayed prior to download.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.ClickABrickToys.net