Topic: Is it really necessary to have the rating on the front of the box?

There have been 2 rating systems mentioned on this thread.
1) ESRB
2) MPAA

The first tells you what is in the game and the age they feel it is appropriate for as well as being easy to see. The latter doesn't say anything but has a microscopic letter number combo on the back bottom box with almost no descriptors.

I don't normally use the rating system to tell me what I'm going to play but I do prefer the ESRB over the MPAA rating system. I kinda wish the MPAA would adopt some of the ESRB standards like descriptors. Hopefully The MPAA will increase the font size at least.

I think the MPAA has gotten lazy. I don't think they have come under fire much since the attention was shifted to the video game industry.

You know, I honestly don't care much for box art. I tend to care more about the game itself than having a small square obscure a corner of an eye-catching promotional art, which, even if said square was not present, would probably only fill out the background of the promotional piece itself.

@Stuffgamer - If the SC is really wondering if that's nessesary, they've obviously never seen the cover of a video game before. To my knowledge, 99+% of all video game box cover art is very colorful and vibrant in an attempt to draw the consumer who isn't already intent on purchasing the game into purchasing it, so the black-and-white label actually contrasts with the rest of the cover art, drawing attention to it by being bland and dull. Just sayin'.

@DrDaisy: Okay, I do agree that putting the ESRB logo on the instruction manual is completely pointless.

Rob_mc_1: My point exactly, save for the fact that I DO like to pay attention to the content descriptors. Not so much that it actually affects my game purchases, but it could definitely affect my movie choices, and it's just all-around a good thing to have listed right there.

@Birdman13: The deliberation has nothing to do with whether or not they'd be noticeable...it has to do with whether or not they're NECESSARY, or even a good idea in general. Actually, though, those labels were an (idiotic) idea set forth by the government of the state of California, whose law is the focus of this Supreme Court thing. The SC pretty quickly threw that idea out, but is trying to decide what if any measures SHOULD be taken to "protect" kids from mature game content.

Americans have never had it so easy, have you even see a USK labelled game? Takes up a third of the cover.

@Stuffgamer1 I know what you mean. The content descriptor don't normally affect my video game choices at all but it would affect my movie choices. There are some movies that should not be rated PG or PG-13.

I have an imported copy of Giana Sisters DS. I'm looking at it right now ... between typing this. If you want to get technical, it actually only takes up about a sixth of the cover. I'll admit that's still ridiculous though. I know it's worse in other countries. I don't know how things in Germany work right now, but I recall hearing it actually being illegal to sell violent video games or even discuss them in magazines, according to a letter to a letter I read to a magazine or website ... I forget which. I think it's ridiculous no matter where it's happening.

Funny. I look in front and back of movie boxes and the label is kinda tiny. Yet, parents don't have a hard time blaming their son/daughter's [violent] actions on movies, but video games even though there's a HUGE label on it.

Oh my the irony.

White people complained in the 90's and H.Clinton, J.Liberman & J.McCain made the ESRB.

Today those same people don't use it, So that's about $200 million in the trash.

@Rob_mc_1
The MPAA is rigged, You do know that right?

@JC

It kinda is. Looking at the big picture, it saves video games from.. well, something bad happening to them because the ESRB is pointed out every time there's a petty complaint which saves our games

Have You seen a soccer/right-wing/just white mom at a Gamestop before?
They don't care what the rating is, It's always "Think about the children" no matter whether or not it's for kids.

Okay, what does being white have to do with anything...? Or any race, for that matter?

Only white people seem to complain about games.
Everybody else just sucks it up and lets things be.

That's not true at all. You just only ever see white people complain about it because it's mostly white people in positions of power.

Touche... But the only game that the NAACP complained about was Resident Evil 5

@JusticeColde: race has nothing to do with it — mothers are mothers, and they're always going to put their children first, no matter the color of their skin. Please end that particular tangent.

I don't like these warnings either. But when they're on the front it's easy for parents to quickly see if it's suited for their kids.

It's illegal to have them on display in a store or to have articles about them, that's right. _{At least that's the last thing i heard about it about two years ago.}
But since i'm mainly importing games from the UK so right now i don't care that much about it anymore.
Here are some pictures about what it's like in Germany when it was worst (above) and how slightly better it's now (below).

Ugh, that really is ugly. I never had an issue with the ones in the US. They're just set nicely in the corner and don't really obscure anything.

I think the rating system is fine just the way it is. There's no way any harsher measures are going to protect idiot parents and their kids.

Honestly, it's not like games with "adult" material try to hide the fact that they have "adult" material to sell to children (if anything, they promote their "adult" content to sell to children). If a game has a steriod addled army guy on the cover - news flash - it's probably violent. If a game is called Grand Theft Auto, it's probably not made with kindergardeners in mind. It's not like we can prevent parents from buying these games for their kids (nor should we, good parents are the best judge of what their kid is mature enough for).

The system we have is a good way of letting parents make informed choices. If they don't care about making informed choices, nothing laws/video game manufacturers can do matters.

It's not like we can prevent parents from buying these games for their kids (nor should we, good parents are the best judge of what their kid is mature enough for).

Without trying to kick start a debate, good parents are very much in the minority. When this happens (imo, anyway), someone or something needs to step in to make sure the majority, the bad parents, don't keep up with this downward spiral of producing socially-defective adults, who then breed, creating more socially-defective children. (or for people with experience in Australia, that-which-populates Western Sydney).

I know so many kids who think that guns and killing are cool because of COD. Clearly their parents shouldn't have let them mow down armies for 5 hours a day... But, in reality WaltzElf is right. No amount of labels and warnings can really prevent this.

I'll do it for ya, WaltzElf.
I guess the "use" of these warnings really just comes in when the parents don't know much about video games at all. They may be helpful when you decide what the first game for your child should be.
From then on you should get interested in his "video gaming career" anyway because if they want to get games inappropriate for their age they will get 'em. No matter how hard you're trying to stop them. If you don't take the time to watch what they're playing you'll never know.
But games are no different than any other kind of media or any other naughty thing they see outside or at someone else's place.
Try to understand what your kid does and why he/she does it. Talk to them, be a good role model, be honest, don't forget to be yourself and make sure they're respectful. It may not be easy but i'd say it's the only way.

I'd say that only goes for native English speakers though. I think 99 percent of people here in Germany don't give any meaning to the most game titles. Hell even i just looked up what "Grand Theft Auto" really means...