Study shows parents aware of ratings
According to an Activision survey, the ESRB is a notably effective tool as eight out of 10 parents stated they are familiar with the video game ratings and use them when buying games.
The survey was handled by The Harrison Group as part of Activision’s “Ratings Are Not a Game,” educational campaign. With the holiday season approaching, the survey was done in order to determine the awareness and influence of the ratings among gamers and their parents.
The study found that 84 percent of parents said they were very familiar with the ESRB ratings while only 65 percent of children ages 8-17 indicated the same. A slightly less percentage, 79 percent, claimed they pay close attention to the ratings on video games (parents with children ranging from ages 8-12 noted a higher response at 89 percent).
Sixty-eight percent of parents believe the ESRB ratings system is effective in determining the appropriateness of a game for their children and 56 percent of the parents cited the content rating as their top purchase influencer when buying games for their children. Furthermore, 52 percent of the parents said they actively research more than half of all video games prior to approving them for their children.
The knowledge and enforcement of the ratings in the household likely stems from the fact the survey shows 74 percent of the parents feel video games are part of their family’s lifestyle and are comfortable with that. In fact, 58 percent said they play games themselves, with 52 percent of those parents spending time playing video games with their children.
Gears of War attributed for Live service spike
Sandvine Incorporated noted a huge spike in Xbox Live service since Nov. 7.
Following the release of six new games for the 360 — most notably Gears of War, which sold 1 million copies in its first two weeks on the market — contributed to an 80 percent increase in the number of Xbox Live users across a sampling of North American-based broadband ISPs during the games’ first week in circulation.
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