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The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and the United States. They were established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (formerly Interactive Digital Software Association), due to violent content found in video games such as Night Trap, Mortal Kombat, Lethal Enforcers, and Doom, and other controversial video games portraying overly violent or intense sexual situations and assigns ratings to games based on their content, similar to the motion picture rating systems used in many countries. Their aim is to aid consumers in determining a game's content and suitability. A game's rating is displayed on its box, the media, in advertisements and on the game's website(s). By late 2009, it had assigned nearly 19,130 ratings to titles submitted by more than 350 publishers. Although the rating system is technically voluntary, nearly all video games are submitted for rating. Many retail stores prohibit the sale of unrated video games and the major console manufacturers will not license games for their systems unless they carry ESRB ratings. |
