Study: Fewer under-17 kids buying 'M'-rated games

According to the FTC, only 20 percent of teens under the age of 17 were able to buy 'M'-rated games in a secret shopper study.

(Credit: U.S. Federal Trade Commission)

Only 20 percent of kids under 17 were able to buy "M"-rated games in the United States this year, according to a government report out Thursday. While parents' groups might like that percentage to be higher, the video game industry is probably pretty happy about the findings.

The Federal Trade Commission report studied kids' success at buying tickets to R-rated movies or purchasing R-rated DVDs, mature CDs, and M-rated games. In every case, the FTC found, the success rate had dropped over every previous year it conducted its study.

But nowhere was the drop sharper than with video games.

According to the study, while 20 percent of under-17 kids were able to buy M-rated games in 2008, the number had been 42 percent in 2006 and between 60 percent and more than 80 percent in previous studies.

A game rated "M" by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is meant only for people aged 17 and over. An "AO"-rated game is meant only for those 18 and over. The ratings have no legal bearing, but most of the video game industry--which sponsors the ESRB--abides by them.

The study surveyed 253 retail stores in the United States. The best results, the FTC said, were at GameStop stores, where only 6 percent of under-17s were able to buy the M-rated games. The worst was Hollywood Video, where 40 percent succeeded.

At Wal-Mart, the number was 18 percent; at Best Buy, 20 percent; Toys 'R Us, 27 percent; Target, 28 percent; Kmart, 31 percent; and Circuit City, 38 percent.

It's no surprise that GameStop led the charts for restricting kids from buying M-rated games, as the retailer generally keeps those games behind the counter. It is, however, a bit surprising that Wal-Mart fared so well.

In response, ESRB president Patricia Vance issued a statement Thursday.

"Video game retailers have clearly stepped up their efforts to enforce their store policies," Vance wrote, "and they deserve recognition for these outstanding results. We commend and applaud retailers for their strong support of the ESRB ratings, and will continue working with them to help ensure that these levels of compliance are sustained if not further increased."

Of course, the study seems to have been conducted before the April 29 release of Rockstar Games' record-setting Grand Theft Auto IV, and I would be willing to bet that the numbers of under-17 kids able to buy that M-rated game is higher than the industry-wide numbers reported by the FTC.

The timing of the report is interesting because of a new bill introduced in Congress Wednesday that would mandate that retailers cannot sell M- or AO-rated games to anyone without identification showing their age.

[Superbluescreen]

The real problem is parents buying M rated material for their kids. I saw a lot of this when Grand Theft Auto San Andreas came out. I was at a Gamestop when I saw 4 different adults with their kids come in and buy the game and give it to them. It seems that parents now view video games as virtual babysitters.

[atici]

Real problem? That is called liberty.

I think my children would grow up to be healthier / learn how to think for themselves and better equipped to make informed decisions if they grew up in an uncensored environment. Why would I let some bunch of self righteous guys who claim they know better for my children to interfere with my family affairs? They simply can't legislate away my freedom to decide how to raise my children.

[atici]

Real problem? That is called liberty.

I think my children would grow up to be healthier / learn how to think for themselves and better equipped to make informed decisions if they grew up in an uncensored environment. Why would I let some bunch of self righteous guys who claim they know better for my children to interfere with my family affairs? They simply can't legislate away my freedom to decide how to raise my children.

[mathcreative]

both of you are right.

[hackaidersniper122]

I think the real problem is something both of you seemed to miss.

After working at a game store for several years I have seen TONS of parents buy these games for their children and more then once my store has gotten these calls from those parents complaining about the games they got for their children. Its not a content problem so much as the fact that these parents dont know what is in these games before its too late.

I think the root of it may be that many parents may simply not know what these ratings actually mean, in which case its an information exposure problem rather then a censorship one.