Best Buy, Common Sense Partner For Online Ratings

Major North American electronics and game retailer Best Buy has announced that it has entered into a partnership with non-profit Common Sense Media to provide online shoppers with "detailed information to help them make informed video game purchasing choices for their families." As part of the agreement, the retail chain will add video game reviews, content descriptions, and user comments from Common Sense Media to BestBuy.com, and this information will be presented “right next to the ESRB Ratings information for that game.” Best Buy officials note that the company is the first retailer to add Common Sense Media's reviews as an online shopping tool, and that while the initial effort will focus solely on video games, plans are in place to extend the agreement to include movies as well at a later date. Common Sense Media's ratings system offers detail information on a title's content, including violence, sexual content, and profanity. The agreement echoes a somewhat similar effort by Common Sense Media in March 2006, when the organization partnered with America Online’s AOL Games web site to launch a Family Gaming Guide "designed to help parents make informed decisions when deciding which video games are appropriate for their children." The organization has been very vocal in the past in supporting legislative efforts to keep violent and otherwise inappropriate game titles out of the hands of minors, including Leland Yee's California legislation against violent video games. “At Best Buy we understand the importance of giving customers clear and accurate information to help them make good decisions about the video games they buy,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of entertainment at Best Buy. “The information from Common Sense Media provides guidance about both the content of a game and its entertainment value. We want parents to be confident they're buying games that are appropriate for their families and fun to play.”