With all these zingers it reminds me of The Muppet Show.

Statler: You know, I remember when the SF Chronicle was good.

Waldorf: Come now, that's the wrong attitude to have...

Statler: What do you mean?

Waldorf: The SF Chronicle was never good!

This article should be forwarded to Jack "Massacre Chaser" Thompson (and every other mainstream media, for that matter).

I don't think the ESRB rating system is confusing at all. IF you have any questions about why it is rated that way, all it takes is a twist of the wrist. Still confused? Ask the sales clerk. I'd be willing to bet that s/he is a gamer or at least knows enough about games to help you. After all, they are working in a game-shop or electronics department.

As far as the other issue of minors interacting with adults on-line, shame on the parents. First, if your child is very young, like 5 or 6, why are you letting them play on-line at all, or at least unsupervised? Having played, and viewed friends playing, online games, I wouldn't want a child playing them, as much for the game content as what the other players will say/do. Second, if your child is older, like in their teens, why didn't you advise them about the dangers of talking to complete strangers online, and advise them what to do if one asks to meet them? Talking to your kids about this wouldn't take more that 10 minutes (it'll take longer for the to install and log-on to the game). How do you know the difference? That's your job! You should know your kids better than that!

And for the violence in games? That's why we have a rating system in the first place. Can you really point out any form of entertainment that doesn't include violence? Games/movies/books/ etc would be boring without some sort of confrontation! This has been around for centuries! Before anyone can counter, I would like to mention Mark Twain, Homer (of the Iliad), and Shakespeare.

@ Scoops
I think it has as much to do with content as any other "infractions". Metal Gear Solid has some complex story and somewhat darker themes. Do WWII shooters like Call of Duty have such a complex story? Whereas other games like GTA are just so heavy on "infractions" that they warrant a stricter rating just based on that. Remember, the people who review these games are seeing videos of content including screen shots, so the story they see has to have some impact.

Compare the two Kingdom Hearts games. Was KH2 really that much more violent to warrant a stricter rating? Sure it was just E10+ versus E, but I did notice the difference in rating. The only thing I could say was that KH2 had a darker theme. That's my theory anyway.

@ PeterHartlaub
You mention the lack of positive video game stories. Perhaps you could fix that. I doubt the readers of the San Francisco Chronicle frequent this site. Give them something good to talk about!

@ hilaryduffgta
So you listen to Hillary Duff, Ashley Tisdale, etc while playing GTA and Man Hunt? That is hilarious. Take THAT negative stereotype of gamers.

This is funny to me. I didn't judge him by his mad scientist hair or unstable demeanor. But after hearing the words coming out of his mouth it all fit. It is a good day when the media shows that it is waking up. As for the ESRB rating system comment, even if I don't agree I do still question the ratings on a number of games.

I could have also mentioned Titanic, I was going to but then forgot.

its awful on how even jack can still see himself as a man. he is more like a 4 year old with the degree to practice law[barely]

BmK:

As if "Grand Theft Auto" or "Manhunt" aren't indicators enough?

JB:

"wahhhhhhhhh stop saying bad things about me or I'll SUE wahhhhhhhh"

Also, doesn't the UK ratings system use color coding? Why didn't the ESRB do that? Because color costs extra?

The ESRB can definitely be a little too harsh sometimes. Anyone ever hear of "A Dog's Life"? It's pretty much a child's game, but was rated Teen. Hardly made any sense to me.

But, the majority of this article, aside from the universal rating system comment, was really a great read. I'm glad to see some people finally challenging Jack Thompson. We need more people out there doing so.

@ pix "However will Fox news be willing to put on their network a person who gets them rediculed in ever other media[?]"

They put Bill O'Reilly on TV, so I think the answer is a big yes.

I'm just happy that Mr. Hartlaub posted here. If more and more mainstream news outlets take notice of GP, and take the time to talk with us, then more and more credibility is given to GP and its readers. Maybe it'll reach a point where people like Dennis are called to television more than people like Jack Thompson. Maybe a CNN or Fox reporter, when thinking of going after a video game angle, will say "We'd better see what Gamepolitics.com has to say about this." That would be awesome.

"This article was aimed at discrediting Thompson, as well as appeasing the “video games are an issue” crowd. Also it was tinged with enough knowledge to keep the gamers happy, too. For that reason, I’m willing to ignore the one or two little flubs and accept this article as a hopeful begining to the end of Thompson’s run in the MSM."

I was actually thinking the same thing. The article is meant to bash Thompson as an extremist but it has to sort of stay in the middle of the issue by mentioning some of the things the anti-gaming crowd has problems with. With that said though, i still think the working "confusing" to explain the ESRB rating system was the wrong word to use in the article. Maybe "lack of education of the rating system" or "lack of knowledge of the rating system. But, the fact is if the ESRB is confusing then the MPAA rating system must be mind-boggling beyond human comprehention confusing. I know i'm nitpicking but it's beyond my comprehention why somebody would even consider the ESRB rating system confusing.

Hey Peter, except for that one adjective, excellent article.

@Peter

Thanks for taking the time to come and clarify your remarks about the ratings statement. I don't know of too many reporters that would actually enter a discussion forum or blog to explain themselves.

Way to stand above the rest.

As for the comment on ratings, I understand your concern about non gamers being confused. Unfortunately, it is not a matter of people being confused by them, but them not taking the five minutes to read up on them. The information is readily available and easily accessable. So I see no reason why any one can be misinformed or confused unless they do not want to take the time.

"Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive settled a lawsuit against Thompson with an agreement from the activist to stop suing the company and contacting retailers to ban the company's games -- the equivalent to getting a signed statement from Don Quixote to stop harassing windmills. "

I like that quote. It defines JT's position perfectly.

As for the ratings thing, I am appalled by that statement. If it were not for that the article would have been perfect.

@Scoops

"While I admire what the Allied countries fought for, and have nothing but respect for our veterans, I don’t see how a game where the entire focus is the realistic killing of other people can have anything but an M rating."

well the un-PC answer to that is simply: if you're killing Germans (especially Nazis), it's perfectly ok for everyone to get in on some of that.

urk.. triple post.

A nice illustration of my confusion though. I just checked my games and ZOE is rated M after all. "Animated blood" and "Animated violence". What the hell? Heroes of the Pacific is T, with "Violence" and "Strong Language".

Now the kicker. The T mecha game I was thinking of in my collection is MS Gundam: Encounters in Space. Again, rated T with "Blood and gore", "Mild language" and "Violence". It has more and higher* descriptors than ZOE, but a lower rating.

*According to the ESRB, blood levels go: Animated blood, Blood, Blood and gore.

Scoops, generally because there's no gibbing, dismemberment, or things of that type in WW2 shooters. For instance, in COD when someone gets hit by a grenade they fly in the air and come back down in one piece. Say now, in Brothers in Arms (a n M-rated WW2 FPS) when someone gets hit by a grenade, they lose limbs and look pretty torn up. I believe that things like that might be the difference. Having never made it through the first 20 minutes of MGS3 I can't vouch for why that is rated M, but I have a feeling its the sexual themes and such.

@Wardo

As correctly as I can remember it, Snake receives a pretty severe beating while in a torture room later in MGS3. He also loses an eye in some bloody fashion. Of course there's plenty of sexual undertone, straight or otherwise at moments in the game too.

it will be interesting to see if jack appears even on fox news the next time a school shooting happens. Cause lets be honest as tragic as this is, as painful as this is, as horrible as this is there will be another shooting.

However will Fox news be willing to put on their network a person who gets them rediculed in ever other media.

I think the article is correct in what it is saying, as people get older, as more and more people grow up around games, as more people are vocal in the diffence of game the more the news networks cant get away with looking for the lazy answers.

jack is a hack and hopefully the mainstream is starting to see that

I wonder if he's contacted the FBI about the Chronicle yet. Hmmm...

"Using Thompson as a mouthpiece is like starting a marijuana discussion by screening “Reefer Madness.” …"

Actually, it's more like:
Thinking John Bruce is an Expert in ANYTHING is like asking Fred Phelps to give his Expert opinion on Homosexuality.

Yeah, I went there. And now that you've seen it, you can't unsee it. :)

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

I figured something like this would happen, first thing i noticed with JT's little speech on Fox was done before we even had a name. Just by pointing fingers at videogames before any concrete evidence was released was qualified enough to be considered a self owning (again).

JT, professional self owner

At least someone realizes what's happening.

First here, then MSNBC, then The Washington Post, then Kotaku and now the SFC. Does JT plan on countering/suing/threatening every single publication that goes against him? If he does, it's going to be a really big uphill battle for him, and it's only going to make him look even worse in the eyes of the MSM.

It's nice to see his credibility unraveling before our very eyes, though. As Hartlaub said, once he's out of the way, hopefully both sides will be able to sit down and have a serious discussion on the issue without him distracting us.

Zings?

More like p0wnz0rz.

Using Thompson as a mouthpiece is like starting a marijuana discussion by screening “Reefer Madness.”

Quote of the day! :D

@Zerodash

Agree with you there. The ESRB rating system is very simple to understand. No harder if not easier to understand AND SEE then the MPAA rating system for Films. I'm pretty dumbfounded by that quote.

ESRB ratings are to neon signs as MPAA ratings are to Ninjas (in stealth only, though. Nothing is as sweet as the Ninja).

I love Peter Hartlaub

how is esrb confusing, it frieken says the suggested ages on the back accept for ec, and k to a
ec is early childhood, and k to a is kids to adult

Jack Thompson is to video games as George Bush is to tribal sovereignty.

If only he would respond to my roomate’s email. He’s writing an article for his college newspaper. I guess Jack Thompson would want to stay away from that email. There were facts in it.


Well, facts are his kryptonite...

I think when the article talks about a confusing rating system, it's mostly just referencing the fact that it's a rating system many people aren't familiar with. the ESRB could have, for instance, had an easier time had they just gone with G, PG-13, and R instead of introducing their wacky new letters (i for one, being familiar with them, find them totally sensible, but i'm not the average Joe Parent wondering whether or not my 7-year-old should play GTA). It probably could have been worded better, but I don't think it's that ridiculous of a statement.

also, the columnist writing the article is almost definitely at least a casual gamer, from the sound of it. otherwise this probably wouldn't have gotten written. but that's good -- we need more of a presence in mainstream media to avoid being badmouthed all the time.

@ JB:

The San Francisco Chronicle is part of the Liberal agenda to put pornography and violence in the hands and minds of our precious children, and this is it's contribution to the massive criminal conspiracy against Jack Thompson along with GP, Kotaku, the Knights Templar, the shooter on the grassy knoll, Area 51 and the Da Vinvi Code!

CAN'T YOU SEE?!!?!

OH SNAP! Looks like someone else figured out Jack's little game. Now, if only everyone in the mainstream media would get a clue.

Anyone who cannot understand the ESRB ratings needs their kids taken away- they are obviously too stupid for parenthood.

"But the Thompson situation is infinitely worse, because his misinformation mostly goes unquestioned by anchors who clearly know nothing about video games… All of this is a shame, because it sets back important debate. There are real video game issues that need to be discussed intelligently…"

It's a shame it took something of this magnitude for people to finally start to wise up to Thompson's claims. Still, better late than never.

This is good news! I'm not worried about the industry itself at this point. It's become far too successful (and thus well managed and defended) to be brought down by one insane man. It's just the public opinion that we have to be concerned about, and this is slowly coming around. It's inevitable as the game playing generation gets older. Video games are here to stay; Thompson knows it and he can't stand it.

he is right not all but the violent video games are the one to blame

I agree with Ashton. People need to be educated on the ESRB rating system. now only being 24. I wasnt around for the addition of the pg13 movie rating addition, but i am cirtain the rules had to be relearned at that point too.

Hi blogger!