2006 Annual Video Game Report Card - The Grades

November 29, 2006 -

2006:

Parental Involvement: INCOMPLETE
Ratings Education: B
Retailers' Policies: B
Retailers' Enforcement:
Big Box stores: A
Game Specialty Stores: F
Ratings Accuracy: (not mentioned)
Arcade Survey: (not mentioned)
Industry's cumulative grade: (not mentioned)

2005:

Ratings Education: C+
Retailers' Policies: B
Retailers' Enforcement: D-
Ratings Accuracy: F
Arcade Survey: B-
Industry's 10-year cumulative grade: D+

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Comments

Submitted by The Land of Smege (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 11:31.

Pretty half-assed report card if there is no interpretation as why each grade was chosen, what the criteria was, etc. The report card is not comparable to previous year's either - show some consistancy with the grades that you make up NIMF.

Submitted by xzero87 (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 12:43.

The scores for "Retailers' Enforcement" are pretty ass-backwards, in my experience. I kinda look like I could be 16 or 17 (but am actually 19), and I can waltz into Best Buy or CompUSA and buy any game I want without the clerks even making eye contact with me, because they'd be holding up the line. On the other hand, if I go to EBGames or Funcoland, I get asked for ID whenever I buy an M game.

Also, I find it rather humorous that "Parental Involvement" has no score yet.. judging by the amount of legislation our elected officials think games need, I'd expect a D or F.

Submitted by hayabusa75 (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 14:38.

Are we going to get to see the rest of the grades at some point??? I'm most interested to see the accuracy rating.

Submitted by hayabusa75 (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 14:39.

Whoops, should have checked the next story first! Sorry GP!

Submitted by Daniel (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 15:59.

These games are appropriate for all ages and must not be given ratings like there's something wrong with underage people playing them. I played all kinds of ultra-violent games when I was underage and there was nothing wrong with that. People need to stop listening to anti-game activist turds.

Submitted by Terminator44 (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 16:16.

Oh brother. You can tell this is a cheap ass attempt by the NIMF to save their credibilty they threw away with the clear anti-game bias in their last report card. Why do you think the category "Ratings Accuracy" isn't mentioned? Most likely it's for two PR reasons:
1: The whole "Hot Coffee" outcry has pretty much come to a complete end, so they won't look as credible using it as an example as they did last year.
2: So that parents groups like the PTA-which slammed them on the last report card-may consider taking them seriously by not doing what they have clearly been doing for a long time: Slamming game ratings for not following their arbitary moral standards and because of their blatant double-standard concerning violence and sex in games.

Another possibility is that they truly have realized that a huge segment of the U.S. population (at least 60 million, I believe?) plays games. This may have convinced them that if they want recognition in the mainstream, they need to attract support-or at least tolerance-from many gamers. As such, they may be trying the stop throwning out misinformation about games and the people who play them. If you piss of such a large percentage of the public, your credibilty tends to suffer.

Admittingly, a lot of what I said is speculation. Still, I wouldn't accept them with open arms just because they SAY they have reevaluated their position on games. What we should do is pay attention to what they say and do in the future.

Submitted by BrendantheJedi (not verified) on Wed, 11/29/2006 - 19:07.

Did anyone else notice on how they graded big box stores like Best Buy and places Gamestop down? Who thinks that NIMF just said that because Walmart and Best Buy are their sponsers. Not to agree with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but that's a bit unfair. I've found that enforcement of the ESRB has been equal at both places.

Submitted by Siftr (not verified) on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 06:58.

Honestly, who didn't see this coming?

Submitted by ZippyDSMlee (not verified) on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 14:50.

he grade for Movies and DVDs
Parental Involvement: (not mentioned)
Ratings Education: C+
Retailers’ Policies: C+
Retailers’ Enforcement:
Big Box stores:C-
Theaters : C
Ratings Accuracy: D++
Unrated DVD Survey: (not mentioned)
MPAA's cumulative grade: (not mentioned)

Submitted by RdawgEMFLII (not verified) on Mon, 12/18/2006 - 11:56.

Halo 3 rox my sox!!1!

Submitted by helmdall (not verified) on Sat, 06/30/2007 - 01:00.

This website merely summarises the salient areas brought up by the report card. You ought to view the complete report card before you spew ignorant statements.

Submitted by No Soap Box: Where Media and Politics Collide » Annual (not verified) on Tue, 12/04/2007 - 15:46.

[...] Every year the National Institute of Media and Family (NIMF) produces the “Annual Video Game Report Card”. This report is often cited each year by political candidates in the issue of violence in video games and how we are protecting our children. The 27-page document was released today at an event attended by Senators Joseph Lieberman and Amy Klobuchar. To cut to the chase, the overall rating given was a “C”. It seems odd that they would get a “C”, given that last year’s report seemed to be pretty positive (though no overall grade was given last year). Granted, this has been a year of controversy. Whereas last year’s ESRB swift reaction to the Hot Cofee mod in GTA was applauded by the industry, the Manhunt 2 controversy clearly set a different tone for this year’s reaction. David Walsh, who penned the report, firmly states …While the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has continued to educate the public about its video game rating system, several shocking incidents have inadvertently revealed dangerous loopholes in the ratings process. Simply put, some of the hard-won progress seen in previous years has been lost, and now, too many children are spending too much time playing inappropriate video games that can harm their health and development. [...]

Shout box

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm

Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm

Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm

Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm

james_fudge: I think Evan killed it. He's a great guy and super smart.10/17/2014 - 6:38pm

All shouts

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