Just in case parents don't understand what "Adults Only, 18+" means, the ESRB has helpfully decided to add "ratings summaries" to the existing ratings system.

According to the ESRB, their research shows that parents do regularly check a game's rating before buying it for their children.

Despite this, many under-aged gamers are still getting their hands on games better left for older, less impressionable minds. Naturally, the ESRB concludes that parents just don't quite understand exactly what the ratings mean.

To remedy this, "new rating summaries, which provide exclusive and unprecedented insight into the nature of the content that triggered a given rating assignment," will be added in addition to the existing ratings info. The summaries will be searchable via their website.

If you detect an undertone of sarcasm in this article, I do apologize. It's easy for me to criticize the ESRB for a making a plan that will obviously not prevent parents from spoiling their kids rotten. Irresponsible parents will still be irresponsible parents and I suppose there's really not much else the ESRB can do about that. At least this way, people will have one less excuse when their kids steal a car GTA-style.

With the Christmas season around the corner and game sales expected to skyrocket, I guess every little bit helps.

PS. No, I'd rather not get into the argument on whether or not violent games will cause little kids to rampage the streets, guns blazing. If you must know, I'm actually in the "that's hogwash" camp, but I also recognize that I'm no psychologist, hence I tend to listen to the game's rating on the box unless I know better.

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