In a winter newsletter addressed to the public, Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), made comments about the rating of games during the past year and how the number of Mature-rated games are declining.
Yes, that’s right folks, even with all the recent media attention on violent video games and its apparent horrible effects on children, the number of actual M-rated games has decreased over the past few years.
The ESRB rated 1,563 games in 2007, which is a 22% increase over 2006. But get this, only 6% were rated M for Mature. The declining trend continues from 8% in 2006 and 12% in 2005.
94% of the ratings assigned were for games appropriate for ages 13 or younger. Last month, a politician from Pennsylvania began supporting the ESRB and ran public announcements educating parents about the ESRB’s rating system and its benefits.
