Rated "M" for "Misleading" by Kayla Williamson

source article: "The horrifying future of Frictional Games", by Sean Cargle on BeefJack, October 26th, 2012

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates games as "M" for "Mature" when a shot is fired or profanity muttered. Swearing, gore, sex and violence are not appropriate for all ages, but this should not make a game adult or not, the concept should.

Thomas Grip, Frictional Game's studio director, agrees. He states many companies "add gore, curse words and a palette of grey thinking it makes the experience more adult but they just end up making it even more childish.” Grip claims that the core concepts of a big game are "something that a ten-year old can enjoy."

The Call of Duty series is an example: all the player does is run around and shoot things. There is usually a small story line which  means killing the bad guys in a level, moving forward, then killing the boss. This isn't a very mature concept, but because of "blood and gore, intense violence, and strong language," it is rated for players 17 and older. The game may be enjoyable or deliver a thrill, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it is able to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

This is rather misleading; parents refuse to buy kids games that are rated for older audiences because they are "bad", when really there's nothing else to them that children aren't exposed to in any other circumstance. The concept is lacking, so not many sedistic or life-changing seeds are being planted in the minds of the audience. Naughty habbits may arise, but that's kind of inevidable with age.

Designers should focus on making games that have mature concepts and interfaces. If the story line or idea behind a game can cause it's audiece to question the "norm", open their mind to specific things, or anything of the like, then maybe the game industry will be refreshed.