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Parental controls on next generation games praised

30 November 2005 15:23 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 7 comments

Sony Corp. has become the latest console maker to announce that the PlayStation 3 (PS3) console will have parental controls to help stop minors from playing violent video games. Microsoft's Xbox 360 also has parental controls and Nintendo also revealed similar plans for its upcoming Revolution console, which will be released in 2006. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has praised the console makers for including this feature.

Parents can restrict certain games from being played by their kids on the Xbox 360 according to the ratings (T for Teen, M for Mature, for example). Parents also have control over access to live online gaming. The games industry has come under severe criticism in the past few years due to the violent content of some of the biggest selling video games of all time, and how easy it is for minors to purchase or rent these games.

The ESA hopes that these new parental controls will stop legislation that would instead limit how video games are sold. "With the average age of game players now 30, our industry naturally creates content appropriate for a wide range of audiences, just as there are TV shows, films, music and books for people of all tastes, interests and values," said Doug Lowenstein, president of the ESA. "In a culture where raising kids is a challenge, video game parental control technology gives power to the parents."

Source:
CBC

Permalink to this article

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Microsoft aims for 1M Xbox 360 sales in Japan (4 December 2005)

Xbox 360 launches in Europe (2 December 2005)

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Research suggests parents ignore game age ratings (22 June 2005)

U.S. Senator targets '25 to Life' video game (21 June 2005)

More US states target video game violence (4 March 2005)

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MXGzX (Member) 30 November 2005 15:32
Yeah just like dvd players right? heh any kid with some intelligence can bypass "parental controls" most of the time yeah and I love password protecting a windows user acont too lol so easy to get around [ + quote]
evilh0ly (Senior Member) 30 November 2005 15:41
well at least it keep the dumbass kids from viewing those R rated stuff. [ + quote]
NINVIN21 (Senior Member) 30 November 2005 15:44
whats the chance that parents will learn how to use it. Kids arnt dumb, well not all of them. I guess It kinda going to be like the V-chip. Thats been out for a long long time and nobody really knows about it. Thats bull crap I dont think these corps should have anything to do with it, its not there problem its the parents problem. They need to watch there kids. I really dont think video games are that bad yet. there were badder games on the atari,they just didnt look as real. If anything would mess a kids head up it would be the news. [ + quote]
jdeboer (Newbie) 1 December 2005 10:49
Give me a break. M = mature. If u see ur 11 year asking you to buy one, or rent one. Take the two seconds flip it over and see WHY it is rated M. No one is to blame cept the parents on that one. It use to drive me mad when my mom said no M games, but I always bs'd my way around it. I don't know a singe parents who has active controll over the ps2 parenting system. [ + quote]
Jimmons (Junior Member) 17 October 2006 19:07
I would love to see a parent try to use the parental controls on a console, sieng them try to use the controller alone would make my day.Im not saying there all incompetant but I imagine the ones that cant restrict there childs rentals or purchases couldnt do much in any other field. [ + quote]
Leema01 (Newbie) 9 November 2006 9:01
lol cants wait to get ma hands on those hi-def 18+ bloody gory and graphic games for next gen i will jst get sum guy nxt to a game shop to buy it for me ,the hack the parental controls ;) [ + quote]
Iocusator (Newbie) 16 April 2007 12:15
I was able to get my hands on my psp before my dad, and I changed the password.. anyone can do that. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 16 April 2007 12:15