The ESRB and CTIA got together to create a ratings system for mobile games, but the two biggest in the business do not plan to participate.
We told you earlier this week that providers like AT&T, Microsoft, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless are on board with this new mobile videogame rating system, which will use the same letter system used now used on retail games. Too bad Apple and Google are staying out of it completely. I'm sure no one is surprised. Well, maybe the ESRB folks are.
Apple already has half a million apps in place. Why change now?
As for Android, they already have a system in place. A spokesman for Google told Digital Trends, "We’ve put a lot of effort into Android Market’s rating system, which now works well globally. While we support other systems, we think it’s best for Android users and developers to stick with Android’s existing ratings."
This can't be good for the adoption of ESRB's new ratings system.
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
6:00 PM on 12.01.2011 | 
Apple does not want the greedy ESRB dipping it's cheeto fingers into their pot.
The ponzi part of this scheme is that the ESRB doesn't even have to rate the games anymore! The developers rate them and the ESRB gets royalties! Why would Apple and Google hand them money when the current system works? Maybe the ESRB will whine to congress asking for a handout.
This is a step in the right direction. :)
It is obviously AO.
Also, the esrb would be better if it were run by Higgins from Magnum P.I..
I'm assuming this might have to do with fees that the ESRB charges to rate games, right? Even if they don't charge nearly as much for cheap downloadable ones, I'm sure the fact that they don't even really rate them themselves anymore is also influential in this.
I mean, besides being late to the party... dumbasses.
The ESRB is dumb and their archaic ratings system simply won't work on these platforms.
Apple and Google have systems in place and they're fully prepared to take the brunt of it if something isn't rated to a customers standards. Personally I think it would be a show of good faith to have BOTH systems in place, but meh, its not going to matter, no one can really complain that things aren't rated at all.
However, surprise at Google's decision is more warranted. Since the ESRB is (I would hope, but who knows with parents these days) a well-known rater of games and their system is known, Google could use an adoption of their system as a leg-up on Apple, letting parents know that their market place is rated by a trusted third-party entity.
Or Google can do it for free and pocket the proceeds. Like they're planning on doing.
The only thing I think is a problem is that without the ratings board, we're not as likely to see "M" equivalent games on the iOS (and perhaps the others, I don't know about their app history) because Apple has large control over what gets greenlit for the app store. I don't recall seeing many terribly bloody games on it really, and Apple has been known to pull things down from it's store that it doesn't like. The ESRB system would promote the creation of rated M games on mobile devices.