Study: 70 Percent Of Parents Use ESRB Ratings

The majority of U.S. parents who play games are aware of and also use video game content ratings from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, according to a new study released Thursday. Activision Publishing and The Harrison Group's online survey of around 1,200 gamers and parents found that 70 percent of gaming parents "pay close attention to the ratings when purchasing a game for themselves or their families." Eighty-two percent of parents and 75 percent of children who play games are familiar with the ESRB's EC (Early Childhood)-AO (Adults Only) ratings system. The ESRB is the video game industry's self-regulating body, and reviews and rates video games for content. The video games industry has taken measures over the years to try to improve the effectiveness of the ratings system. The Federal Trade Commission said in December last year that the games industry "outpaces the movie and music industries" in content guidance. The study also stated that 52 percent of their video gaming time is with their children, found that 76 percent of parents "agree that video games are a part of their family's life, and are something they're very comfortable with." Activision Publishing participated in the survey as part of its "Ratings Are Not A Game" education initiative. Other key percentages included in the study are below: - 63 percent of parents with children who play games consider themselves gamers with the number increasing to 83 percent for parents ages 35 and younger. - Gamers devote 32% of their leisure time to entertainment with video games accounting for the largest share – approximately 19%. - 76% of parents agree that video games are a part of their family's life, and are something they're very comfortable with. - Among parent gamers, 52% of their video gaming playing time is spent with their children. - Approximately 62% of parents conduct research before purchasing a video game that their child wants.