gamescampus
gamescampus
gamescampus
gamescampus
2008 Thanksgiving Game News In Review
You need to log in to comment.
News - National Media watchdog group’s Year in Review summarized
Here’s the summary of the 2008 Year In Review:
The changing face of video games, the changing demographic of video gamers
The review cites the trend towards more family friendly games as a positive step forward. Today’s video games are seen as less “violent” and more “family entertainment”, with special recognition given to the Nintendo Wii, Guitar Hero and Rock Band for their ability to provide wholesome entertainment accessible by the entire family.
Another factor in mainstream acceptance of video games is demographic change: gamers have grown up, married and started families of their own, with video games a staple of their household. More frequently American households have perceived video games as “a fun way to interact with other family members.” Reports that 65% of 25-34 year old women play games motivate the industry to develop games oriented towards women.
Also important is the big three console developers’ attempts to turn their systems into media hubs: both the PS3 and Xbox 360 are capable of downloading movies, two of them include capabilities to play high-definition films, and all three have access to the internet. The article fails to specify, however, that the PS3 is the only console that comes with a built-in high-def player; the Xbox 360’s HD-DVD player was sold separately as an add on to the system, and has since been discontinued. Finally, the inclusion of parental locks in the systems (”V-Chips” for video games, as they refer to it) are praised as well.
The article, however, does pay special attention to M-rated games. While acknowledging their “complex story lines, intricately crafted worlds and compelling characters”, NIMH is very stern when discussing their “shocking images and amoral themes.” Their analysis of the news media’s coverage of these games was surprising, as social conditions are not normally brought up in watchdog groups. They’ve gone on record comparing to “the same exhaustive excitement as the release of a blockbuster Hollywood sequel,” where news giants such as CNN and the New York Times providing coverage and reviews. Financial analysts paid close attention to the stocks of M-rated game publishers during the release of AAA titles as well.
The industry combating common trends
Video games were also praised more for selling software designed to tackle obesity, noting that all types of community centers “continue to make news by supplementing their programs to help kids stay slim and active with video games such as Dance, Dance Revolution. The Nintendo Wii was also given praise for Wii Fit, which has already sold more than 8.7 million units. The insurance provider Allstate is considering a plan to promote health and safety through video games.
As noted in the report card summary earlier, only 20% of kids were successful at purchasing M-rated games, as reported by the Federal Trade Commission, and suggested “young video game buyers now have more difficulty buying M-rated games than they do purchasing tickets to R-rated movies…” Retail stores that were most successful at stopping kids from buying M-rated games include GameStop, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy, which got the 20% and under mark.
The ESRB has also stepped up its efforts to educate and reach out to parents. In-store Public Service Announcements run in Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target and Blockbusters around the country as well as major radio networks. A ratings campaign also distributed copies of its “Parent’s Guide to Video Games, Parental Controls and Online Safety” to all 26,000 American PTA chapters. The recent addition of ratings summaries on the ESRB’s web-site were also noted. NIMF has also mentioned partnering with the ESRB, which might have some influence on their praise of these improvements as a “quantum leap” for parents.
Microsoft was also praised for launching into the second year of its own public service campaign to provide parents with the appropriate tools to judge video games, which NIMF also provides support for.
Any complaints? Plenty
The article bears a heavy hand towards the next generation of handhelds, using the iPhone as one particular example, enabling children to download and purchase games without the parents’ knowledge. Other features of new cell-phones and mobile media devices have caused further issues. As the report cites, “Experts in these [South Korea and Japan] and other countries have begun to catalog a litany of issues that seem to be linked to a population of young people with access to video games and other media anywhere, anytime.”
Consoles suffer from similar circumstances, the review reports. The issue behind the controversially named “Beer Pong”, now referred to as Pong Toss, on the Wii saw a huge backlash from parents for “promoting irresponsible drinking” despite the game’s E rating. Downloadable games are hard for parents to monitor, and many sights lack age restrictions and may offer unrated games.
MMORPGs were cited for “put[ing] users in unpredictable social environments”, citing “anecdotal reports of extreme psychological trauma for players who become too involved in the virtual world.” Due to these consoles’ internet connectivity, attention was also paid to their ability to access social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, and warned of the social perils that can surface there as well. Video game addiction was another topic discussed: more experts see compulsive gaming as real as gambling addictions or substance abuse, but acknowledges that the American Psychiatric Association has not determined for itself whether video game addiction should be included in the list of official mental disorders.
While the review cites many advances made by the game industry, the outcomes of these efforts are unseen, and NIMH remains “cautiously optimistic” for the future.
So what do they recommend for families?
Recommended games for children under 17:
- Guitar Hero World Tour
- Rock Band 2
- Rock Revolution
- Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
- Shaun White Snowboarding
Games not recommended for those under the age of 17:
- Blitz: The League II
- Dead Space
- Fallout 3
- Far Cry 2
- Gears of War 2
- Legendary
- Left 4 Dead
- Resistance 2
- Saints Row 2
- Silent Hill: Homecoming
Tags: 2008, DDR, ESRB, MMORPG, NIMH
