Gaming and the Parental Dilemma

xervantes (60)in #gaming • 7 years ago (edited)

I am a parent and my 10-year old son really enjoys gaming. But how do I decide what he can and can't play?

The Advisory Ratings

There are many different advisory ratings depending on where you live. For example in Europe we use PEGI which is a rating based on age, the Germans (USK) and the Russians (RARS) also use a ratings based on age. The US and Australia have a rating system that is based partly on age and also takes other factors into consideration.

So why the dilemma, surely if the games are rated it would be easy to decide which game your child can and can't play?
Well, the thing is that the same game can be rated differently. For example SiMS 4 received a rating of 6+ in Germany but a M for mature in Australia.
But a 10 year-old in Australia isn't different from a 10-year old in Germany The rating depends on how the rating board of the rating system interprets the content of the game.

Who is right and who is wrong?

With ratings based on age it seems like it would be easy to determine if a game is suited for a child. If your child is 10 than he can only play games that (using PEGI) have a rating for 3 and 7 years but not for 12.
As a gamer the ratings often feel wrong. Ben 10 for example is aimed at younger kids and still gets a Teen or 12+ rating. Although the things that are depicted in the game are exactly the same as in the TV shows. If the TV show is for all ages. why is this not the case with the game?

There are numerous examples where as a parent and gamer I don't agree with the ratings of a game. Fighting games like Street fighter and Naruto for example are also rated 12 (PEGI). So that would mean that no kid under the age of 12 (in Europe anyway) has ever played a fighting game because well...The rating says that they shouldn't. Well I for one do not believe that.

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Decisions, Decisions

It can be hard to decide if a game is suited for your child. Whether you are a parent and a gamer like me or not a gamer at all, the important thing is to use your common sense. If the game is called Grand theft Auto or Zombie Island than that title alone may be an indication that the game might not be suited for your child. If the title is not an indication than the 18+/Adult rating probably is.

To be clear, I don't question the 18+/Adult ratings. If a game is rated for mature audience than there can be no discussion that the game is not suited for children.

Enforcing The Law

In a lot of countries you have to present an ID when you buy a game but in other countries, the age of the person buying the game is never checked.
A lot of parents unfortunately get pressured into buying a game that is not suited for their child because "everybody" is playing it. Grand Theft Auto V (aka GTA 5) is one example where a lot of parents knowingly or unknowingly purchased a copy of the game for their under-aged child because of the game's popularity.

I had a discussion about this with a colleague who actually bought GTA 5 for his eleven year-old. My take on GTA is that it is a prime example of a game that should never be played by anyone under the age of 18. But that is just my opinion.

The Takeaway

Fortunately as a gamer I am capable of deciding whether a game is suited for my child. I am knowledgeable of most games and even when I am not familiar with a game, I know where to look for information about the game.

As a parent and a gamer I can give you the following advice.
The advisory rating is an indication and nothing more. There are a lot more factors that come into play when deciding if a game is suited for your child.
Research the game, you can find reviews on Youtube to see what the game is about.

It wouldn't be a bad idea anyway, to see for yourself what your child is playing

Common Sense

The website https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ is in my opinion the best website for researching a game. The site has its own (age) advisory rating. They actually explain how they have come to their decision. The site also lists all the he aspects of the game that parents need to know about, like language, violence, sex but also the positive aspects of the game. An explanation of the game is given and both parents and kids give their opinions on the game.
The best aspect of the site is the the section where both kids and parents give the game their own (age) advisory rating.

You can also find parental guides on TV shows, movies and books on the site. Just search for you favorite title and read how kids and parents feel about it.