Will Apple offer ratings for iPhone games?

A screenshot from the iPhone version of The Sims 3, one of thousands of games available for the Apple smartphone.

(Credit: Electronic Arts)

Most iPhone games are clearly appropriate for all audiences: puzzles, brain-teasers, mazes, and the like. But others, including some of the most fierce shooter games, may not be kid-friendly, at least from parents' perspectives.

But at least right now, there are no ratings for iPhone games, unlike for console or PC titles, and the president of the Electronic Software Ratings Board thinks that needs to change.

The ESRB--which is controlled by the video game industry's leading companies--rates games according to their content. The ratings include "C," for young children; "E," for everyone; "E 10+," for ages 10 and up; "T," for those 13 and up; "M," for ages 17 and older; and "AO," for adults only.

According to Kotaku, ESRB President Patricia Vance thinks it's a no-brainer that iPhone games should be rated, so that parents can have a sense of whether games on the hit mobile device are right for their kids.

"ESRB ratings empower parents to do their job," Vance told Kotaku. "Considering the fact that the vast majority of parents are already aware of and regularly using ESRB ratings, Apple's adoption of them for iPhone games seems like a no-brainer."

That's particularly true, Vance added, because Apple, in its announcements on Monday about the newest iPhone firmware upgrade, said it would offer the ability to block movies and TV shows on the iPhone based on content. But the company said nothing about games.

"Adding ESRB ratings to the controls (Apple) already plans to offer," Vance told Kotaku, "would give parents the ability to exert control over the games their children play as well."

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board rates games, but its president is asking why Apple has not offered such ratings for iPhone games.

(Credit: ESRB)

And Vance has a point. Games are clearly one of the killer apps for the iPhone, what with thousands of them already available on Apple's App Store, and many of them among the most popular apps. And while Apple attempts to filter submitted apps for some level of appropriateness, there have been many documented cases of apps of questionable taste making it through.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request by CNET News for comment.

One has to wonder if this is something Apple has thought about, or how much extra work it would take them to add ESRB-style ratings. On the other hand, adding the ratings would also create a situation where Apple might find itself embroiled in controversy if a game ended up having hidden--or difficult to find--content outside the applied rating. That, of course, is what happened with Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in 2005, a scandal that reverberated across the games industry and into politics.

Perhaps Apple has decided it wants none of that.

[myles taylor]

That would be a good idea I think. Games need to be rated on the iPhone if they need to be rated elsewhere. So far Apple just hasn't let anything over G in the store.

[shycelticwitch]

Why the world needs anything BUT G-rated games is beyond me. The need for games which teach about killing, crime and other destructive behavior must come from those extra chromosomes floating around at the bottom of the gene pool.

[pjhenry1216]

I think its pointless. Its somewhat useful in games because sometimes the games are so complex, you're unaware of what may actually be in the game. The iPhone games though all tend to be extremely simple with very little complexity. Most of the time, you either know if your kid should play it or not by just reading the description and seeing the screenshots. Very little real research is required on the parents part beyond that.

honestly, game ratings (and movies) are relatively pointless anyway. if you're gonna govern what your kid can or can't do, you should take the time to see what the games are about and make the decision yourself instead of passing it on to some committee. why parents feel the need to force others to do their job for them is kinda ridiculous. However, in this case, I think its just the ESRB wants to make money off of it. I don't think there are really many parents clamoring for ratings at this point.

[Sbell42]

Implementing some sort of rating system makes sense. Making every small-time developer pay an $800 fee and wait for an ESRB rating on top of the slow Apple review process doesn't.

[bobmarleypeople]

I was just about to post the same thing. To get an ESRB rating, you have to pay them and get them to review the entire application/game/whatever. It's the same for the BBFC here in the UK. Perhaps if Apple implemented their own ratings system and get the Apple application review people to do it.

One thing worth noting though is that some applications, though not a game, still allow access to so called "explicit" content. Having an App Store wide rating system would make more sence. Sure you can rate games, but that doesn't stop children from using the karma sutra app that was mentioned a little while ago. Finally, an App Store wide rating system should remove some of the strict requirements by Apple so Nine Inch Nails guy won't get angry again.

[coulterboyz]

I think Apple SHOULD add ratings to all its apps, but mostly just to avoid a lawsuit later on. I do not think that the way they should do this is ESRB ratings though. Apple should have its own requirements, that way if later on there is something that would be rated harsher by the ESRB than Apple wants, it could just say, "We hold this rating to our own standards, not that of the ESRB, blah blah blah, don't sue." It might irk parents, but I doubt Apple would lose a law suit. Unless the parents said that Apple's rating system wasn't clear enough. Actually, the parents might win...

Anyways, I am very excited for parental controls, not because I believe in censoring the material, but because it should allow Apple to allow all but the harshest of games through. Baby shaker might not make it, but I doubt many people would miss it.

[TheForestFloor]

You don't have to wonder about this... Apple has mandated that all apps submitted to the App Store (including games) have to be compatible with iPhone OS 3.0 an contain age appropriate rating. I think this will streamilne the approval process, but also allow apple to quickly verify if an app fits within their parental control apparatus.

[Zsoldier]

The solution is already in place via extended Parental Controls implemented in the 3.0 OS. They've essentially placed the responsiblity w/ the publisher/developer to mark their games as an adult only game or not.

[gamezen]

of course the esrb is going to want ratings on iphone games. probably also social networking games, too. don't think for a minute though that it's really about parental controls and guidance, though.

it's about money. esrb makes a fortune off of ratings that the game industry has had to adopt in order to get retail position. if you're a small-time game developer, getting an iphone game rating from the esrb in order to go live in the store would eat at the heart of what makes the iphone platform awesome -- it puts great distribution in the hands of the little guy.

esrb would only serve to insert a middle man and take away at that efficiency. if parental and quality controls/ratings are what are necessary, then let the community help influence that -- not an arbitrary board.

[rossipoo]

ESRB does not demand games be rated, games are volunteered for rating by publishers since those rating logos are so recognizable that it's actually more difficult to sell without it. And there are no strict mothers at ESRB actually playing the games, publishers simply submit videos clips with what they consider to be the most objectionable content. If the publisher doesn't accurately represent their product, then they may have to do a recall.

I doubt that the App Store would feature ESRB branding. If Apple does have ratings, then all applications will need to be rated. As someone mentioned however, it does not make sense for iPhone developers to all of a sudden be paying hundreds for a logo. It does make sense for iPhone developers to simply volunteer the rating themselves.

[QMT]

I would be more concerned with the potential of a child physically destroying a $400+ iPhone, than I am concerned about that child playing an "inappropriate" game on it.

"Daddy, I dropped your phone and the screen's all black now!"
"That's okay, Billy, as long as you weren't looking at naked breasts or violent acts at the time."