NIMF gives games industry 'C' in 12th report card

by Justin McElroy { Dec 4th 2007 at 3:25PM }

Poor video games. It seems that you will not, as you had hoped, be receiving a complimentary personal pan from Pizza Hut, the true prize of any straight-A student. Their pizza-free afternoon is the fault of the National Institute on Media and the Family, which gave the industry a "C," saying it was in an "ominous backslide" since the 2006 edition of the report. Most troubling is the NIMF's finding that 50% of underaged kids are still able to buy M-rated games, up from 32% last year. Parents also get slapped on the wrist with a "C" for not understanding the rating's system.

The ESRB (which itself received a "B-" for its education efforts) lept to the industry's defense, saying the report card "contradicts recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) findings related to parents' awareness, use and satisfaction with ESRB ratings." Wow, looks like the NIMF just got a "B" ... "B" for "burned," that is. Also included in the report is the NIMF's list of games to avoid this holiday season, which we've included after the break.

Assassin's Creed M
Call to Duty 4 M
Conan M
The Darkness M
Jericho M
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men M
Manhunt 2 M
Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles M
Stranglehold M
Time Shift M

Tags: esrb, nimf, report-card

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Barnolde @ Dec 4th 2007 3:32PM

I agree, you should avoid Jericho.

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 3:41PM

and kane and lynch

Zertoss @ Dec 4th 2007 3:45PM

But not Assassin's Creed. Your kids deserve to play that. They take too much crap from you.

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 3:51PM

and cod4 rules too

i'm surprised halo3 isnt on that list, i guess all the underage kids already have it though :(

Ninja @ Dec 4th 2007 7:15PM

Halo's pretty clean, as far as M-rated games go. There's little language, the violence is pretty sanitized, and instead of killing people, you kill ugly-looking aliens with green, orange and purple blood (or, online, aliens and robotic-looking human soldiers with no visible skin.) If the Flood couldn't be dismembered and there was a bit less blood, Halo would be teen, easily.

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 9:32PM

it's the racism and swear words on live voice that makes it merit the M rating. too bad most of the annoying pricks that abuse voice are under 18

Marty @ Dec 4th 2007 3:34PM

While I think it's good to help parents find the right games for their kids, I think it's kind of silly to rate the industry on the whole, as far as family friendliness goes.

I mean, how is the games industry supposed to keep irresponsible retailers from selling M-rated games to underage kids? Or what about independent devs who create violent games and post them for free online?

Protection of children is important, don't get me wrong, but giving the entire industry a grade letter for something near impossible to regulate is baffling. Where does the blame lay? Who is supposed to clean up their act?

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 3:43PM

parents are supposed to take responsibility

3 guesses on whether they are or not

Noshino @ Dec 4th 2007 3:56PM

Marty, altho I somehow I agree on that, its not COMPLETLY about keeping away M rated products, hell, its going to happen, its just a matter of education, if you are able to explain a kid before hand, then a game or movie wont do much to influence him since he already has an understanding of the matter at hand...

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Dec 4th 2007 4:45PM

Gonk, if there are only 2 possible solutions, why do we need 3 guesses?

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 4:48PM

in case you're as dumb as most parents

Fernando Rocker @ Dec 4th 2007 3:35PM

Conan, Jericho, Kane & Lynch, Manhunt, TimeShit?

Yes, avoid that games.

Wilson @ Dec 4th 2007 3:54PM

Timeshift is actually fun, at least on multiplayer.

Zertoss @ Dec 4th 2007 3:38PM

Free Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut for straight A's?! Why was I not informed of this when I was still in school?!

baby sea tuna @ Dec 4th 2007 3:55PM

Your parents thought you could do without the extra weight.

Zertoss @ Dec 4th 2007 4:07PM

So then all the times they told me I needed to put some meat on these bones were lies?

baby sea tuna @ Dec 4th 2007 4:09PM

Maybe they should have offered you some *cake* then. ;)

danny. @ Dec 4th 2007 4:21PM

As I recall, the pizza was for the Book-it program, not straight A's... I guess you didn't read enough. Or you weren't a kid in the late 80's early 90's.

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 4:25PM

i think a few years ago there was someone giving away free pizzas or something for good grades too though.

but pizza hut still does the reading for pizza deal, i remember liking it and now my niece does it too :)

LaughingTarget @ Dec 4th 2007 6:33PM

Hey, you could have found out you could have had a free personal pan pizza by ripping the back of the TNMT Arcade Game for NES manual, but I found out 17 years too late (it expired in 1990). That sucked.

Abscissa @ Dec 4th 2007 3:38PM

I don't see why anyone even pays any attention to that pathetic joke of an organization. It's always been obvious that they've never had even the slightest clue what they're talking about. I'm not exaggerating when I say they're entirely a group of Jack Thompsons.

borland502 (SDF - Macross Ring) @ Dec 4th 2007 4:41PM

"I don't see why anyone even pays any attention to that pathetic joke of an organization."

Likely because you aren't a Luddite with kids. That organization caters to parents that are modern enough to have bought a console for their kids, but out of touch enough that they are scared of the violent/sexual possibilities.

There is a class of parent that just doesn't understand the digital age. And being responsible parents with games, movies, or damn near anything these days requires you to invest some time in understanding them. So they look for sources like the NIMF to break it down for them. The ESRB doesn't editorialize in their ratings (MH2 = murder simulator, etc). And they don't understand why a minimum wage worker at Best Buy or the theater doesn't card everyone like they would with beer (if then).

Yuccadude @ Dec 4th 2007 3:39PM

Gee, where are these kids getting their games? I get carded no matter where I go, and I'm 20 with a pretty decent beard if I do say so myself...

J.Goodwin @ Dec 4th 2007 3:48PM

Dude, I'm 30 and I get carded for games.

GoldenS1104 @ Dec 4th 2007 3:53PM

Tha's funny cause I rarely get carded and I'm 17 (although I could probably convince some one I was 14 based on my appearance).

Fernando Rocker @ Dec 4th 2007 4:03PM

I'm 23 and get carded. But I don't have any sign of facial hair =(

Just long long Steve Perry style hair from the 80's =)

http://www.melodicrock.com/steveperry-classicprofile.jpg

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 4:28PM

DON'T STOP BELIEVING!

License to ill @ Dec 4th 2007 5:24PM

IN A MULLET...

Mr Khan @ Dec 4th 2007 5:27PM

Carding is hit-and-miss for me at 18

J.Goodwin @ Dec 4th 2007 3:47PM

I love how their entire list of games that children and teens should avoid is composed of M rated games.

No shit Sherlock, kids shouldn't be playing M rated games. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE RATED "M".

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 3:55PM

logic and knowledge seem to disappear when parents get near videogames

Pikachief @ Dec 4th 2007 3:53PM

nice list.

so we can still play Halo 3? :P Half Life 2 is also of? :D

Anni @ Dec 4th 2007 3:53PM

"Stranglehold? I don't know, Timmy, that sounds a little violent."

"No, mom, it's like wrestling. Strangleholds. That's not even real."

"Oooooh, okay. Wait, Assassin's Creed? Now that IS too violent!"

"No, see, it's like, uh... like Creed... The band. They made a... music... game."

I'm sure this list will be highly successful.

Zertoss @ Dec 4th 2007 4:00PM

Actual conversation I witnessed in Wal-Mart:

Mom: "Can I get a copy of Halo 3 for my son?"

(Son is standing next to her, looks to be about 10)

Employee: "... Really? It's rated M you know..."

Mom: "Well, it's what he wants! *giggle*"

Me: *facepalm*

J.Goodwin @ Dec 4th 2007 4:01PM

I don't think parents even actually believe that stuff that kids come up with. Usually parents have a good idea when their kids are lying to them unless they're stoned off their asses.

I think most of it is just annoying kid syndrome. Anything to shut the little bastards up. And we all suffer for it when they get online and start harassing everyone else in Halo.

Residentevil72501 @ Dec 4th 2007 4:05PM

Damn Im 20 and i get carded for PG-13 movies lol! Actually when i got to the movies they card me and not my girlfriend im like wtf?! Same goes for games ive never bought an M game without getting carded, so I seriously dont see how these studies can find that many people who buy them without getting carded cuz I buy alot of games from alot of places and never got by with it.

Sora267 @ Dec 4th 2007 5:53PM

I didn't get carded when I was 13 (14 now) for PG-13 movies. My parents won't let me get M rated games but I've used my dad's credit card on $50+ purchases and hadn't been carded so I'm assuming the people at the store wouldn't care. o.O

Arteen @ Dec 4th 2007 4:07PM

Call /to/ Duty 4? I see the effort that NIMF put into their research.

stik_man @ Dec 4th 2007 4:15PM

so who's responsible for signing and returning this report card? is there a parent teacher conference afterward?

NATO_Duke @ Dec 4th 2007 4:30PM

The only way they will get an A is by wrapping games in barbed wire, and then placing them on a shelf surrounded by a puddle of water with electrical current run to it from a car battery. Maybe then kids will be scared to buy them. Maybe.

S-LAH-ziman (B-B-BRUSHED WITH FAAAAME) @ Dec 4th 2007 4:31PM

Isn't a NIMF something from a fairy tale? Kinda like this story...

DemonGSides @ Dec 4th 2007 4:52PM

My kind of NIMF is a Nympho...

hvnlysoldr @ Dec 4th 2007 5:10PM

National Institute for Mental Health. They experimented on these rats and mice. They became smarter, stronger, and longer living. They became so smart that they could read and escape. So began the tale of the Secret of NIMH.

Mr Khan @ Dec 4th 2007 5:29PM

hvnlysoldr's got it right

Although, for some reason, i keep thinking that the Secret of NIMH is somehow related to "Brave New World"

Batzarro @ Dec 4th 2007 6:39PM

I think you mean nymPh,SLAH. "We bring you to the land of dreeeams!"

I have never been denied a game on acount of my age(when it mattered).
I think Assasins Creed has some educational value in there. I'd let my son have it.

gonk @ Dec 4th 2007 7:00PM

a big lesson is to stay the fuck away from archers in the kingdom

luckily they're few and far between these days

Joe Smith @ Dec 4th 2007 6:57PM

I loved Call of Duty 4 -- think I would also like Call To Duty 4?

Anyone want to bet that the same bozos who think video games that semi-realistically portray combat are evil are the same ones who adore our war-mongering meathead of a president?

Mr Khan @ Dec 4th 2007 7:16PM

That's the funny thing. The liberals on this site think the conservatives like Jack Thompson are the majority of the anti-game FUD spreaders, while the conservatives seem to think people like Hillary or Lieberman form the majority of the knuckleheads

In the reality, it comes from both ends, but all from the "Authoritarian" end of the 4-pole political spectrum