Currently, there's a Wall-E minigame, printable paper dolls for My Fashion Studio, and instructions on how to draw LEGO Batman, on which I am sure we could all afford a lesson.

GameStop kicks off the site launch with an activity contest, where participants come up with an activity for GameSpot's kid-friendly activity book launching this winter. The winning activity gets featured in the book, and the winner also gets a $500 GameStop gift card. Kotaku readers who are parents, now is when you force your children to enter and totally help them cheat, and then buy $480 worth of games for yourself and then give the kid a used GBA title, or something.

I'm joking. Kinda.

[GameStop Playground]

GAMESTOP GIVES MORE POWER TO THE PLAYER…AND PARENTS….WITH LAUNCH OF ITS NEW GAMESTOP PLAYGROUND WEBSITE

Virtual Playground Features Interactive Games, Contests, and Gaming Tips for Parents

In an effort to provide more power to gamers – and their parents, GameStop, the world's largest video game and entertainment software retailer, has launched the GameStop Playground, a virtual online playground of fun activities, videos, and mini-games for families to enjoy. In conjunction with its on-going "Respect the Ratings" efforts, the site also provides tools to help parents select appropriate games for their children, including shopping guides, gaming tips, ESRB ratings, and a list of recommended games for kids.

The GameStop Playground can be accessed online at: http://www.gamestop.com/playground,

where visitors are invited to try the WALL•E mini game, print out a template to make My Fashion Studio paper dolls, learn how to draw LEGO Batman, watch a Mario Kart video, and more. The site will be updated regularly to include new games, activities, contests, and helpful information.

To coincide with the launch of the site, GameStop Playground is currently hosting the "Build Your Own Activity Contest," which invites contestants come up with a cool and unique activity for the next issue of the GameStop activity book. The winner of the activity contest will receive a $500 GameStop gift card and have his/her activity featured in the book coming out this winter. Four runner-ups will each get $100 gift cards. All entries must be postmarked on or before Sept. 12, 2008. For complete rules, visit www.gamestop.com/playground/contest.

With more than 1,600 E-rated game titles to choose from, GameStop simplifies the game-selection process and gives power to the players. As the world's leading gaming specialty store, GameStop has the widest assortment of titles and an experienced staff to guide game selection for any ages.

In retrospect, it was silly of me to be so worried that being an "adult" meant I wouldn't be able to play videogames. I believe that part of my maturation into what I consider to be real adulthood came in the form of learning to juggle all the new "adult" responsibilities I've taken on with the hobbies I've always held dear, most notably gaming.

Thinking back to when I was growing up, my parents kept up with their hobbies just the same as I do now .... I can vividly remember both of them pursuing their favorite pastimes on a daily basis while still keeping up with their parental and familial duties.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel! Balance is a hard skill to master, and I'm looking forward to having more time to game in future years when I've nailed down the best way to fit in everything I love to do. It's occasionally painful to come to grips with having to reconfigure well-loved hobbies in sometimes dramatic ways (I've given up much loved hobbies entirely until I get out of grad school, mostly because the time-money conundrum cannot be worked out), but it is nice to 'have it all' when you can make it work.

'All Grown Up: A Gamer Comes to Grips With Adulthood' [GameSetWatch]

Seriously, there was a kid in Missouri who destroyed a vacuum cleaner in order to play video games. I'm betting at least one BOB's power cord, locked or not, gets introduced to a pair of scissors. AND THEN WHO'S GONNA BE THE BAD GUY????

Can you believe the "Today" show touted this as "fun stuff for summer?" You mean something that deactivates the fun stuff I do in the summer? Honestly, I'm wondering if I can reverse engineer BOB to not shut off my TV. Because I have Netflix and Gamefly rentals piling up while I do stuff like THA LAUNDRY, and DINNER, and CLEANING MY TOILET.

BOB— The Screentime Controller [usebob.com, hat tip to Richard Blakeley for the video again]

By the way, whenever you see me type all caps, you should imagine a monster trucks voice — Owen

At the UK Daily Mail, an exasperated mother has written an excoriating screed, blaming the Nintendo DS for making her children "turn into monsters":

Hand over the Nintendo and without any effort, you have a window of about two hours of peace, with your child doing something quietly constructive.

Except, it's not. What is constructive about playing football on a tiny screen, or washing a virtual dog, or watching a hideous pink pony trot around a pink palace decorated with shells?

Fighting to get onto the machine was bad enough, but it was worse when they were forcibly dragged from it.

Our Nintendo had taken the guise of a small but toxic drug which, little by little, was poisoning my children.

This breed of article may seem to exist solely for the purpose of raising gamers' blood pressure, and yet in defense of our medium — which at its core has the potential to be educational, relaxing and family-friendly — we must take on the task of dissecting these accusations in as dignified and level-headed a fashion as we can manage.

First of all, a mother with four children aged 10, eight, five and three decides it would be a good idea to instruct them to share one DS? Did no one instruct her as to the nature of siblings at these ages? In an act defying sense, she blames video games for making them fight and hit one another — even when she admits openly she was hoping that giving her kids the device would indulge her "sneaking and totally selfish wish to be Mother of the Year."

The mother describes how the kids were completely bored with brain training games, irresponsibly mishandled the hardware and generally fought and abused one another and her for the DS — and the conclusion that she draws is that the device ruined her serene family life.

Can anyone pick out what's wrong with this picture?

Ninten-Don't... How I watched my children turn into monsters the minute I bought them a computer game [Daily Mail]

As for his comments on video games raising our children, it really isn't a criticism of gaming in as much as it is a criticism of parents, which I agree with wholeheartedly. It's nice to see a politician who grasps that simple concept.

Nonprofit advocacy group the Parents' Television Council takes their position on enforcement beyond just demanding legal consequences for retailers who sell M-rated games to kids under the age of 17. The council wants games like GTA IV locked up behind store counters, like cigarettes, tobacco and porn.

Gavin McKiernan, national grassroots director for the council, has never played a GTA game and does not dispute the right of mature adults to have access to it.

"The PTC thinks that there's room in our society for adult products, be they video games, movies, magazines, guns, whatever you want," he said. "But scientific research has shown and common sense tells you also that until [as children] we reach a certain stage, your mind and body are still growing and things have a different effect on you than they do as an adult and you don't have the perspectives to make the best decision."

"I know I was a blithering idiot when I was 16, and most people were," he said.

McKiernan believes that violent media actually causes harm to young people, pointing to studies from the University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Michigan State University, and the University of Oklahoma Medical School, among others, that appear to demonstrate a correlation between exposure to violent games and "aggressive" brain activity in adolescents.

"All of these correlations are the basis for preventative medicine... and the need for preventative steps to be taken, and the medical community accepts that on the whole," he said. "The potential for harm has been proven over and over again."

Video games like GTA IV are evaluated by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board and assigned a rating that indicates the age group for which it is - or isn't - appropriate. And these games are intended for adults, not kids. The Entertainment Software Association's data finds that the average video game player is age 35, and the average video game purchaser is 40 years old.

"If you go into your Wal Mart, the guns are not marketed at eye level to children," McKiernan says. "They are not promoted widely and broadly as something everyone should be heading over to the gun aisle to pick up... But the stores are not treating these games as adult products."

And the ESRB's voluntary regulations are not enough, he said. "Parents can punish their kids for drinking when they're 15, but we still have laws to keep alcohol out of kids hands to help the parents because they can't be everywhere at every time."

"Specifically with GTA, there is no legal ramification for selling this game to children," McKiernan said. "We ask that stores not promote it to the wider audience, to children, and that it be treated like any other adult product, like an adult magazine, that is kept behind counters and not at the sight line and within reach."

Dan Hewitt, the Entertainment Software Association's senior director of communications, said that the laws the Council hopes for have been found unconstitutional over and over again, at every instance.

Nonetheless, McKiernan is frustrated that the ESRB advocates a responsible use of its rating system without lobbying for adoption of these laws, and he feels industry groups like the Entertainment Software Association should be on the front lines of this battle. "It seems hypocritical, from our viewpoint," he said. "These rules should become law and that would increase the enforcement of them... voluntary things tend to meet with varying levels of success."

"An unconstitutional law that repeatedly gets thrown out by the courts is not an effective way to empower parents," said the association's Hewitt, who still feels the most effective regulatory methods involve a collaboration between parents and family advocacy groups to inform themselves, such as the efforts made through ongoing partnership between the Parent-Teacher Association and the ESRB.

"And it's setting up a parameter by which games are being treated differently than other First Amendment-protected material. Treating games differently than books, magazines and movies goes against the First Amendment. You can't codify the ratings system; you can't give it the rule of law, because then you're giving the power of government away to a private entity."

So according to Hewitt, information and communication is still the best way to protect kids from material inappropriate for their age level. "Really robust actions that drive the messages out there, that put tools and information into parents' hands are great ways to educate, empower and ensure that the games kids are playing are the right ones... the activities that we're talking about don't waste taxpayer money, don't waste state resources, and don't waste legislators' time," he said.

ESRB AND PTA LAUNCH NEW NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE PARENTS ABOUT GAME RATINGS, PARENTAL CONTROLS AND ONLINE VIDEO GAME SAFETY

Booklets Distributed to PTAs and Available Online; Free Educational Webcast Scheduled for April 23

NEW YORK - Furthering their shared commitment to informing parents, Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) have launched a nationwide education campaign through which a new booklet, "A Parents Guide to Video Games, Parental Controls and Online Safety ," is being distributed to all 26,000 PTAs. The campaign enables and encourages PTAs to educate their community's parents about the ESRB rating system and parental control technology available on the various game systems, as well as the concerns that exist when games are played over an Internet connection and what parents can do to mitigate those concerns. The booklets, which offer a step-by-step guide to setting up parental controls as well as an article about online safety from Andrew S. Bub of GamerDad.com , are available for free download in English and Spanish through both the PTA and ESRB websites.

In addition to the booklet, a free webcast featuring PTA national president Jan Harp Domene, ESRB president Patricia Vance, and Andrew S. Bub will take place at 7:00 PM EDT on April 23, 2008. The webcast will explain the ESRB rating system, offer information on setting up parental controls for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Sony PS3 and PSP, and Windows Vista, and include a discussion about online video game safety. It will conclude with a live text Q&A session with the experts.

"Video games continue to be a popular source of learning and entertainment for children, but today's games provide players with new abilities to interact with one another via online play. Just as with the Internet, that kind of interaction carries with it some risks," said Domene. "Using the ESRB ratings and setting up parental controls are important, proactive steps that parents can take to make sure their kids are playing games they deem appropriate. And being aware of the risks posed by online-enabled games and what can be done to keep their kids safe when playing online is crucial information for parents. We're very pleased to be offering them this guidance with the help of ESRB."

"Three in four parents use the ESRB ratings regularly when selecting games for their children, and the parental control features available in all the newest game systems give parents more control over the games their children play than ever before," said Vance. "But it's important for parents to fully appreciate what the experience of playing games today encompasses. Many online-enabled games allow players to interact in new ways, including online competitions or chatting with one another via text, audio or video. Parents should understand what type of content their child might be exposed to when playing games online, and what steps they can take to shield their children from content they deem inappropriate."

"Online-enabled games have opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Playing games online with others, whether they be friends or strangers, allows players to compete or cooperate with one another in new and exciting ways, and that enriches their experience with those games," said Bub, also known as GamerDad. "But with that ability to interact comes the ability to introduce content into a game that might not be appropriate for all players. Making sure parents are aware of the tools they can use to protect their kids is a central part of the GamerDad mission, and I'm delighted to have been able to take part in this initiative to arm parents with this information."

The ESRB engages in several ratings education initiatives that involve print, television and radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) among other vehicles. Most recently, the ESRB launched a new ratings search "widget," which allows parents to search for ESRB ratings from a portable mini application that can be placed on their desktops, embedded in social networking pages or other web sites, and even shared with friends via email. It is available for free download at www.esrb.org/widget .

While many of ESRB's initiatives focus primarily on raising awareness and use of the ratings, the partnership with PTA also provides parents with valuable guidance and resources about computer and video games, parental controls and online safety, and is among the most extensive to date in terms of ground level support for communities nationwide.

PTAs nationwide will begin receiving the booklets in the coming days, and are encouraged to share them with PTA member parents through their PTA unit programs and events. The booklet is also be available online to all concerned parents through PTA.org.

The world of Grand Theft Auto does contain violence and misogyny; but then, so does The Godfather, or Goodfellas. So, for that matter, does The Iliad.

It's exactly the same sentiment we've seen time and time again, honestly, and while I doubt it will have much impact on the bone-headed, brainwashed parents who read it, it is nice to see it in a major news outlet. Alderman uses Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (which she calls GTA 3) as an example in the article extensively.

Johnson is trying to clean up his neighbourhood. But as a dispossessed, orphaned young black man, he has no option but to re-form his neighbourhood gang to do so. The makers of this game, like the makers of any movie about gangland, can stand squarely behind the art they have created and say: this represents reality. If it offends you, don't criticise the art, but take action to improve the world around you.

Naomi's most effective point in the whole piece comes towards the end of the article, when she strays from the violent and tries to introduce parents to the more whimsical side of gaming.

Don't worry. The gaming world isn't filled only with violence and depravity. In fact, it's mostly enchanting. If you haven't already spent a little time online playing with the sweetly soothing Samorost game, or Eyemaze's whimsical Grow series, or Foon's delightful Hapland, I urge you to do so now. And then share them with your children.

If we deny children access to all computer games, we deprive them of a rich and magical experience [The Guardian - Thanks Everyone!]

Some video games teach children important skills, from cooperation to patience, but others really are just about gorily blowing other people's heads off. The more you understand about which games your child uses, the more you'll be able to guide their choices.

An hour later and she's played several full games and we've gotten exactly nothing accomplished. On top of that, all that bowling had made her tired, so we decided to reschedule the packing for another day.

It made me think though. Is my gaming addiction and general laziness hereditary? If video games had been around when my mother was a kid, would I even be here today or would she have been too busy playing an ancient ancestor of Mario to bother going out to meet my dad?

Hereditary or no, I am obviously much better at putting off work than she is. As I type this she is in my kitchen wrapping dishes in newspaper while I sit in a comfortable office chair and tell you folks about how lazy she is. I suppose we'll see just how lazy she actually is when she reads this and then commences kicking my sorry ass.

Until now, the most-publicized studies came from a small group of experimental psychologists, studying college students playing nonviolent or violent games for 15 minutes. It's debatable whether those studies are relevant to real children, playing self-selected games for their own reasons (not for cash or extra credit!), in social settings, over many years. But media reports and political rhetoric often ignore that distinction.

So how did the Harvard study differ? They polled over 1200 children between two states, asking them about their reasons for playing video games with an eye on how those motivations were different between different subgroups, such as children that showed signs of attention deficit disorder and depression. The findings indicate that many children see video games as a way to work out their aggression in a safe environment, or to help them feel less lonely and isolated. Poor lil guys.

The book, due out in April, also features chapters about parents themselves, as well as one chapter dedicated to explaining why all of the other studies are inaccurate, looking at how other researchers define aggressions, the games used, size of focus groups, etc.

As I said, I don't trust any of these studies at this point, but if you've got a parent worried about your game play habits or hell - even if you are a parent worried about your children's video game playing, nothing is quite as reassuring as having a big book by doctors on your beside table.

Hit the link below for a full interview with author Dr. Cheryl K. Olson at Game Couch!

Interview: Dr. Cheryl K. Olson co-author of Grand Theft Childhood [Game Couch via Game Politics]

"Exposure to violent video games, even E rated video games, increases aggressive thoughts, increases pro-social behavior and increases general arousal," said Dr. Greg Snyder, a psychologist at Omaha's Children's Hospital.

Probably not what he meant mind you. Snyder went on to theorize that exposure to violent video games desensitize our children to the real thing.

"The more normal it is, the more likely it is they're going to activate or engage in those behaviors when provoked or even unprovoked," Snyder said.

"Just like any new media, it gets attacked. When any new genre of music comes out, it gets attacked. TV will, of course, get attacked. I'm sure, way back when, books got attacked," Miller said.

Video Games Normalize Killing, Doctors Say [KETV 7 - Thanks Everyone!]

"There are cultural implications for feeding porn to kids in this way," and "when you do this, you're teaching them a distorted lesson about human sexuality and human dignity. These are lessons that they will take with them into adulthood and ultimately society," Ruse said.

Could she be right? I certainly hope not, as it would be horrible for children to grow up thinking that one day they might form a deep bond with someone and engage in sexual activities - especially if said activities involve someone of another race or similiar gender. That would be terrible. Media specialist Bob Waliszewki with Focus on the Family agrees.

"We never shy away from sexuality in the media. It's just a question of how is that sexuality portrayed. One can use the media to portray some very healthy forms of sexuality. And when done wisely with taste and age-appropriateness, it can be done well."

"Unfortunately," he said, "Mass Effect doesn't do that and even goes so far as to allow homosexuality to be on par with heterosexuality and heterosexuality outside of its proper context of marriage."

The article continues predictably. Waliszewki cites various reports linking video games to violent behaivior. Ruse calls out BioWare for putting the sex scene in to generate revenue without regards to what happens to the children who shouldn't be playing it in the first place. Bob does manage to talk some sense towards the end, cautioning parents to take a hands-on approach to their children's entertainment, but then Cathy comes back in for one last bit of foaming outrage.

Ruse noted that "most states have what's called 'Harmful to Minors' laws on the books that say that selling sexual material that a jury would deem 'patently offensive to minors, which lacks literary, artistic, political or scientific value.' ... might be prosecutable."

"With two sons of my own, I know about the tough decisions parents face today about the media they allow into their homes," said Lt. Governor Carney. "The simple fact is that there's no substitute for parental involvement, so it's important that parents play an active role in choosing games for their children. The ESRB ratings help parents ensure that they are bringing home suitable games for their families."

DELAWARE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JOHN CARNEY AND REPRESENTATIVE HELENE KEELEY LAUNCH PSA CAMPAIGN ON VIDEO GAME RATINGS

New Ads Explain and Encourage Parents to Use ESRB Ratings to Choose Age-Appropriate Games for their Families

WILMINGTON, DE - Delaware Lieutenant Governor John Carney and State Representative Helene Keeley were joined today by Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) president Patricia E. Vance to announce the launch of a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to explain video game ratings to parents and encourage that they use them when buying games for their children. The campaign is comprised of radio PSAs as well as billboards (images attached) and mall kiosk displays that were previewed for the news media at a press conference this morning, where Carney and Keeley underscored the need for parents to be involved and informed with the video games their children play.

"With two sons of my own, I know about the tough decisions parents face today about the media they allow into their homes," said Lt. Governor Carney. "The simple fact is that there's no substitute for parental involvement, so it's important that parents play an active role in choosing games for their children. The ESRB ratings help parents ensure that they are bringing home suitable games for their families."

"The ESRB ratings are an effective and informative resource that allows parents to decide if the video game their child wants is appropriate, and parents should be sure to check the rating each time they consider a game for their child so they know they're choosing one that's right for their age," added Rep. Keeley. "I'm proud to be participating in the effort to educate parents in our state about the tools at their disposal so they can make informed decisions."
The radio PSAs have been distributed to stations statewide, and will begin airing in the coming weeks. The print PSAs will be appearing throughout the state over the course of December and January.

"Just like movies and TV shows, video games are created for a diverse audience of all ages," said ESRB president Patricia Vance. "That is why it is so important that parents remember to check the rating when purchasing games for their children. I'm pleased to be joining Lt. Governor Carney and Rep. Keeley in announcing this effort to reach out to Delaware's parents and educate them about the ratings."

The ESRB video game ratings employ a two-part system. As seen in the illustration below, rating symbols on the front of virtually every game package sold at retail provide an age recommendation, such as EC (Early Childhood 3+), E (Everyone 6+), E10+ (Everyone 10 and up), T (Teen 13+) and M (Mature 17+). On the back of each package, next to the rating, are content descriptors that provide information about what's in the game that may have triggered the rating, or may be of interest or concern to parents.

Since its inception in 1994, the ESRB ratings have become a trusted resource for parents when choosing computer and video games. In April of this year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report1 which found that nine in ten parents are aware of the ESRB ratings, 87% expressed satisfaction, and nearly three quarters use them regularly when choosing games for their children.

"While many parents are aware of the ratings, and are making sensible game purchase decisions as a result, there is always more that can and should be done," concluded Vance. "We hope that these ads will help arm parents with the information they need to make the right choices about the video games they deem appropriate for their children and families."

A complete list of ratings, content descriptors and their definitions can be found on the ESRB website at www.esrb.org. More information about ESRB PSA initiatives is available at http://www.esrb.org/about/psa.jsp.

"The problem is not with the game; the problem is the use of it," Dr. Phil tells Lexie and Lezlie. "The game is very creative and it's there for you to use or abuse. Are you abusing it?"

Dr. Phil then takes things even further, stepping into downright crazy talk by suggesting that the mother actually stop the child from playing the video game she's so worried about.

Dr. Phil is baffled. "Four hours a day? It's ridiculous!" he says. "Mom, you've got to step up and shut this down. Once she's at a point where she can play the game instead of being absorbed in the game, then perhaps, she can attempt to go back to it."

Shocking Teen Trends [Dr.Phil.com]

Unsurprisingly, those not weened on joysticks, like 55-year old mother Karen Kimball, bemoan"the violence, the obsession" their kids are subjected to while gaming. One might think that more time alloted to spending time with your kid and a wireless controller might help one relate a bit better.

Kids, it's time to add copies of Scene It? and Wario Ware Smooth Moves to the Amazon wish list. Get a wireless controller into the hands of your crusty old folks the sooner the better.

Poll: Parents and video games don't mix [CNN]

However, be aware that the ESRB's "T" rating for "Lyrics" and "Mild Suggestive Themes" is no joke. The songs in the game deal with traditionally edgy themes of rock music, ranging from the sexually suggestive ... to the occult

Or on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare:

As you might expect from a game designed to evoke the intensity of a battlefield, the action is frenetic and often presents situations where the player is under fire from all sides. The blood and gore, though not gratuitous, is prevalent throughout. Bullets tear through body armor and into flesh, explosions throw combatants around like rag dolls, and corpses litter the battlefield in the aftermath of each skirmish.

What They Play [via Game Politics]

Study Finds Usability Problems with Parental Controls OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL, SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 - Ratings-based parental controls are often used to protect children from exposure to inappropriate media. To compare the usability of common parental controls, Chicago-based usability consultancy User Centric, tested four devices with 20 parents and 20 children ages 9-12.

During individual usability test sessions, all participants were asked to set up parental controls using a television with a V-Chip, a digital video recorder, a game console, and a mobile phone marketed specifically for children under ten. Participants were also asked to rate each device based on ease of use during set up and their confidence in their own success.

Findings:

* Failure rates were high: 31% (DVR), 36% (mobile phone), 42% (V-Chip), and 47% (game console). Across all four devices, parents and children had similar failure rates when setting up parental controls. Participants who reported prior experience fared no better than those who had no experience.
* The relationship between ratings systems and their impact on parental controls was unclear to many participants. When using the V-chip, participants were often uncertain if selecting one rating would be sufficient for blocking the more severe ratings. When using the game console, participants were confused whether their selection represented the highest rating allowed or the lowest rating blocked (despite explanations displayed onscreen).
* One third of participants failed to set up parental controls across all the devices. This contrasted sharply with the high confidence ratings given by participant; many participants believed they had successfully activated parental controls when they actually had not.
* Several participants failed to set up parental controls because they were unaware that they had to perform an extra step to save and then activate their selection. Parental control interfaces failed to provide sufficient visual cues on whether a specific rating was successfully selected or automatically saved as the current setting.

Overall, User Centric found that participants' lack of understanding about ratings compromised their ability to successfully set up parental controls and that parents may be more confident than they should be that the controls are properly set.

Computer Games Help Adults Bond With Their Children and Grandchildren

Largest-ever casual games survey reveals 70% of family gamers see educational benefits for children / grandchildren

Dublin, Ireland - 28th August 2007 — 92% of casual gaming parents and grandparents say casual games provide an opportunity for them to bond with their children/grandchildren.

PopCap Games (www.popcap.com) unveils the results of the largest-ever worldwide (including UK) survey of casual computer game players, which also reveals that 70% of 'family gamers' believe casual games provide educational benefits to their children/grandchildren - with greatest benefits of gameplay identified as learning, stress relief and hand-eye coordination.

In stark contrast to traditional perceptions of computer gaming, parents/grandparents said casual games helped them bond with their children/grandchildren (92%) and mentioned the following casual game benefits for children/grandchildren:

· 68% cited Hand-eye coordination/Manual dexterity

· 60% cited Learning (pattern recognition, resource allocation, spelling, etc.)

· 51% cited Mental workouts/Cognitive exercise

· 48% cited Memory strengthening

· 44% cited Stress relief/Relaxation

· 37% cited Positive affirmation/Confidence building

Among the nearly 7,500 adult respondents who took part in the survey, nearly a third (31%) indicated they had children or grandchildren under 18 who play casual games in their home. And of these 2,298 'family gamers', 80% play casual games with their children or grandchildren - while 66% said they would welcome the use of such games in their children's or grandchildren's schools.

Professor Mark Griffiths, Professor of Gambling Studies at Nottingham Trent University, UK says: "Empirical research has consistently shown that in the right context, computer- and videogames can have a positive educational, psychological and therapeutic benefit to a large range of different ages and sub-groups."

"Casual games span generations and genders in ways that traditional 'hardcore' video games never have," notes Dr. Carl Arinoldo, a New York-based psychologist and author of Essentials of Smart Parenting. "This universal appeal, and the 'G-rated' content of the games, makes them a great activity in which the whole family can participate, with each generation enjoying the games in different ways while also enjoying the interaction with other family members."

Almost half of respondents indicated they had multiple children or grandchildren who played the games in their home. Of these, 88% described the game-play interaction between the children as at least partly cooperative, with only 12% characterizing it as strictly competitive. "Casual games seem to promote more of a cooperative 'let's work on this together' type of atmosphere, as opposed to an aggressive, interpersonal competitive environment," observed Dr. Arinoldo. On a related note, only 28% of adult family gamers indicated they allowed their children or grandchildren to play so-called "hardcore" video games.

We'll only really be able to tell how successful this generation is when they have been around a while. Once our PS3's have been battered and scratched by various two year olds, our Wii's have had all manner of thin items inserted in their slots and our stylus-less DS's are played with a cocktail stick, only then can we sit back and see how well this generation's gaming project has worked out.

Thankfully, my friends don't come over and stick things in my Wii (there's just no really good way to word that is there?) and put scratches on my PS3, at least not if they value their lives. Just goes to prove my point though, one man's test of a system's worth is very different from another's.

The Family Gamer: A little Mii time [Play.tm]

Once everyone had gathered downstairs, everyone being my parents and brother, I popped in Wii Sports and let the Wii work it's magic. Within twenty minutes everyone was up, jumping around and playing and cheering. It was a wonderful experience... until it was time for me to leave. Let's just say that I barely made it out alive with my Wii in tact.

Upon arriving home, I got an email from my Mom saying that her and my Dad wanted to get a Wii for my brother for Christmas (yeah...right, for my brother) and could I please look around and see if i could find one. Well, as we all know, none of us would look a brand new Wii in the face for some time after that, so needless to say, my brother didn't get one for Christmas.

Fast forward to two months ago. I was visiting NYC and went to the Nintendo World Store where they happened to have a ton of Wii's just sitting behind the counter. I had a little extra cash so I went ahead and bought one, with an extra nunchuck and a copy of Wii Play which of course comes with an extra controller. So they were all set up with a Wii of their very own which I sent out as a combination Mother's Day/Father's Day gift. Needless to say, it was a big hit and my parents are now wii addicts.

Fast forward again to last night where my parents, now the coolest couple on the block, had a Wii party with two other couples. It was a great success and they were evidently up all night drinking wine and playing Wii until their arms were sore and they had to stop. Both of the other couple in attendance vowed to get Wii's as soon as they could get their hands on them.

Now, regardles of what you may think, I am not a Nintendo fanboy. I love all my consoles equally and I am well aware that each has their own strengths and weaknesses. But, the power Nintendo has harnessed in getting to people beyond the regular gaming set is nothing short of amazing. Maybe by bringing more gaming outsiders into the fold, people will start realizing that games are not something to be feared or looked down upon and that the Jack Thompson's of the world are something to be patted on the head and ignored.

According to the The Commonwealth Club:

Parents should play an important role in guiding their children's video game playing habits, and playing computer and video games can be a positive family experience. Our expert panel covers issues of content rating systems, parental controls in consoles and PCs, advice for checking in and better understanding your family's gaming habits, and how to participate.

This is something the New York Senate should watch before they make any hasty decisions. Oh wait, they did already? Nevermind. Kim Phu

Okay, not crazy exactly, but those predisposed towards violence, aggression and neurotic behavior. Call it crazy lite(tm). The study looked at 120 children in the early teens before and after a 20 minute Quake II session. While the already aggressive children were either more or less aggressive depending on their emotional state before playing, the majority weren't affected at all.

Prof Devilly said much of the research linking aggressive behaviour to violent video games had been unconvincing.

"It's the only message parents have ever received and it's just not accurate," he said.

The study showed aggression linked to game playing depended on a player's mood and predisposition to aggression, he said.

Most kids 'unaffected' by violent games [The Sydney Morning Herald via GamePolitics]

By: Brian Crecente

Denver's mass transit system voted down this week a proposal to ban video game ads from its buses and trains, deciding to side with common sense rather than Boston and Portland.

Earlier this week the Regional Transportation District rejected the suggested ban 12-3, citing concerns about freedom of speech.

The ban on adult-rated games was recommended by a committee to the full board after the Parents Television Council and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood floated the idea.

"It was a tough decision because I think our hearts as a board were with trying to limit exposure to advertisements that promote violence," Boulder board member John Tayer told the Associated Press. "But the overwhelming weight of the legal advice was that if we pursued this, we would face an uphill battle in court."

The council was not present at the vote this week, but a representative said in February that by running mature and adult rated video game ads RTD is doing the residents of Colorado a disservice "with its tacit approval for the dangerous content in the mature-rated video games."

On Wednesday Peggi O'Keefe of the Entertainment Software Association said the proposal was unnecessary and unconstitutional. The industry's Entertainment Software Rating Board enforces strict guidelines about which games are appropriate for minors and how those products can be advertised, she said.

Current RTD policy prohibits deceptive, illegal or obscene material and ads for tobacco products, while requiring that ads be "of a reputable character."

The Council's call for the ban comes after both Boston and Portland put similar bans in place for their mass transit systems.

I spoke with Gavin McKiernan, the National Grassroots Director for the Parents Television Council, earlier this month about the council's decision to try and have a ban passed in Denver.

He said the original idea came from the council's Denver chapter director after he spotted a Grand Theft Auto ad on an RTD train.

"He had seen some of the success in the group we had partnered with in a similar campaign in Boston," he said. "And decided to pursue it in Denver."

I asked McKiernan why they had decided to make their proposal so specific, asking only for a ban on adult or mature-rated video games and not for other things like mature television shows, movies or alcohol.

He said that while the group would be interested in expanding the ban to include adult programming on television, the current rating system would make that quite difficult.

"With advertising television programs its difficult to tie (a show) to a specific rating," he said. "With video games they have the ESRB ratings. "

"We don't put any credence in the television rating programs because they rate their own."

Is it the desire to ban adult and mature video games then, I asked, spurred in part because of the medium rather than the content?

"It's a bit of both," he said. "The bigger concern is with the medium."

What about movies, would the council seek to have ads for adult movies banned?

"There's a difference," he said. "For one, movies and movie theaters have a good history of policing themselves about who can see what. Anecdotally most people assume there is a law saying you can't go see an R rated movie if you are under a certain age."

"The video game industry doesn't have a good history of keeping adult video games out of childrens' hands. We don't anticipate having a similar campaign for movies because of the lack of enforcement (of ratings for) video games."

At least he's up front about his ignorance of the system.

The reporter doesn't overly resort to scare tactics and drama, and she doesn't condemn Microsoft in any way...in fact, she points out the parental controls the 360 has built in, urging parents to use them as intended.

A few weeks back I was talking to a computer forensics expert who told me the story of a young girl who played over Xbox live. She had several friends, and one day one of them offered to have his father drop off a copy of a game so they could play it together. The 'father' showed up, asked if her parents were home, and then raped and killed her. Some of you are thinking the girl was just stupid, and you're right. Kids are stupid. It's why they need adults around. To keep things like this from happening.

Don't even get me started on PC MMO games.

The bottom line here is that unless parents take an active role in their children's gaming, having their kids hear some bad words or a see nipple flash here or there is the very least of their worries. Michael Fahey

Online gaming world a forum for sex predators [KOMOTV.com - Thanks Nezumi]

GameStop managers and employees better be on their toes the next time an 8 year-old comes in to pick up a copy of The Guy Game. In a conference call late last week, corporate explained the new policy on M-Rated game sales to minors. In short, you're fired. Not only are you fired, but your manager? Also fired. I am assuming that afterwards they send someone to your house to fire your family. Then they hunt down any one you ever loved, regardless of whether that love was reciprocated or not.

I've confirmed the new policy with a local store, at least up to the manager bit. This is meant to make sure that GameStop managers, some of which are famous for not knowing jack about video games, keep their peons who know so much they figure they can be a stand in for the ESRB in line. "This is rated M, but it's mainly just shooting aliens and a couple bad words. Here you go lil' Timmy." That sort of thing. I've seen it happen many times. Hopefully won't be seeing it happen ever again.

This policy takes a load of responsibility off of parents, who can now go back to worrying about more important things, like getting their nails done down the way after they drop their children off at GameStop for an unofficial babysitting session. Michael Fahey

GameStop: Sell an M-rated game to a minor, enjoy unemployment [Destructoid]

Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive wants to remind parents this holiday season to pay special attention to the ESRB ratings on games they buy for their children.

"The holidays are a reminder for all of us to be aware of the ESRB rating when purchasing video games as gifts," said Paul Eibeler, Take-Two President and Chief Executive Officer. "Just as some movies are rated R, some games are rated M because they are intended for ages 17 and older - gift givers need to keep this in mind."

Take-Two Reminds Parents to Check the ESRB Rating When Purchasing Games This Holiday Season

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today reminds parents, grandparents or anyone planning to give video or computer games this holiday season to utilize both parts of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system - age ratings and content descriptors - to help them choose age appropriate titles.

"The holidays are a reminder for all of us to be aware of the ESRB rating when purchasing video games as gifts," said Paul Eibeler, Take-Two President and Chief Executive Officer. "Just as some movies are rated R, some games are rated M because they are intended for ages 17 and older - gift givers need to keep this in mind."

Mr. Eibeler concluded, "At Take-Two, we strongly support efforts to keep games intended for an adult audience away from children and encourage anyone concerned about game content to support the awareness and enforcement of the rating system. I am encouraged by the efforts of the industry, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and our retail partners who are undertaking efforts to raise awareness about the changes in the video game industry and to promote a broader understanding of the ESRB rating system."

Take-Two's holiday lineup includes: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system (rated M); Bully for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system (rated T); Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy for PlayStation 2 (rated M); NBA 2K7 for the Xbox 360 and Xbox video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems (rated E); NHL 2K7 for the Xbox 360, Xbox, PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 2 (rated E10+); College Hoops 2K7 for the Xbox 360, Xbox and PlayStation 2 (rated E); Family Guy for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PSP (rated M); Sid Meier's Railroads! for PC (rated E); Civilization Chronicles for PC (rated E-E10+); Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony for PSP (rated T); Stronghold Legends for PC (rated T); Deal or No Deal for PC (rated E); Family Feud for PlayStation 2, PC and Game Boy Advance (rated E); and Dora the Explorer: Dora's World Adventure! for Game Boy Advance (rated E).

About the ESRB rating system

The ESRB ratings are designed to provide information about video and computer game content, so you can make informed purchase decisions. ESRB ratings have two equal parts: rating symbols suggest age appropriateness for the game, and over 30 content descriptors indicate elements in a game that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern. To take full advantage of the ESRB rating system, it's important to check both the rating symbol (on the front of the game box) and the content descriptors (on the back of the game box).

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Titles rated EC (Early Childhood) have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older. Titles in this category contain no material that parents would find inappropriate.

EVERYONE

Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

EVERYONE 10+

Titles rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) have content that may be suitable for ages 10 and older. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.

TEEN

Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.

MATURE

Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.

ADULTS ONLY

Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

For a complete list of and definitions for ESRB rating categories and content descriptors, please visit www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp.

For more information about the rating system, please visit the ESRB web site at www.ESRB.org.

About Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation game console, PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Xbox and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube , Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes software, hardware and accessories in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

Some of the most prominent figures in gaming politics are gathering today on Capitol Hill to announce the launch of a nationwide television game ratings awareness campaign. Senators Clinton and Lieberman will join ESA president Doug Lowenstein, and ESRB president Patricia Vance for a press conference today at 3PM Eastern. Also attending will be GameStop President Steve Morgan and Best Buy President Brian Dunn, both of whom will be appearing in ad campaign.

What this boils down to is politicians, retailers, and the gaming industry combining their efforts to make sure parents understand the rating system on the heels of a disappointing MediaWise Video Game Report Card. Despite Activision's recent survey results, parents either don't know about or don't care about the games their children play. While the campaign will certainly raise awareness, I'm not sure it can do anything about apathy. Michael Fahey

BREAKING: Senators Hillary Clinton & Lieberman to Participate with ESRB Ad Blitz [GamePolitics.com]

An Activision survey released today found that an overwhelming 84% of parents surveyed were very familiar with the ESRB ratings system, with 79% saying they pay very close attention to the ratings of games their children play. In other just as accurate yet completely unrelated surveys, 95% of people in prison are not-guilty, 97% of men could have sworn she was 18, and 100% of women don't have sex on the first date.

You can go ahead and read the rest of the results after the jump, but the numbers really don't mean all that much. If I believed people answered surveys truthfully that would be one thing, but what parent is going to tell complete strangers that they don't pay attention to what their children are doing? The only way you are going to get accurate reports about parents and the ESRB would be to observe them without being seen, and for that you need ninja. Unfortunately all ninja are on holiday right now, so we get stuck with reports like this one, after the jump.

Activision Survey Reveals Strong Majority of Parents Find ESRB Videogame Ratings Highly Effective and Influential

Eight in Ten Parents of Videogamers are Very Familiar With ESRB Ratings and Pay Close Attention to Them

Nearly Three Quarters of Parents Are Comfortable with Videogames as Part of Their Family's Life; Over Half Play Videogames with Their Children

SANTA MONICA, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Parents overwhelmingly agree that the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system is a highly effective and influential tool for determining what videogames are appropriate for their children to play, according to a national survey released today by Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) as part of Activision's "Ratings Are Not a Game " educational initiative.

With the holiday shopping season underway, the survey was conducted by The Harrison Group to help determine the awareness and influence of the ESRB rating system among videogamers and their parents.

Among the key findings:

* Eighty-four percent of parents said they are very familiar with the ESRB ratings system, compared to 65 percent of children ages 8-17 who indicated the same.
* Nearly eighty percent of parents (79%) revealed that they pay close attention to the ESRB ratings on videogames, especially those parents with children ages 8-12 (89%).
* More than two thirds of parents (68%) believe the ESRB ratings system is effective in helping them determine whether a specific game is appropriate for their child.
* A majority of parents (56%) cited a game's ESRB rating as their top purchase influencer when considering whether to buy a videogame for their children, more than any other factor.
* Parents said they actively research over half (52%) of all videogames prior to approving purchase for their children - including reading game reviews/previews or visiting gaming websites.

The study also showed that a strong majority (74%) of parents feel that videogames are part of their family's life and that they are very comfortable with this. In fact, 58 percent of parents surveyed said they play videogames themselves, and among those players, 52 percent of their videogame playing time is spent with their children. Moreover, even when playing videogames by themselves, half of that time (49%) is spent playing their children's games.

"We were delighted to learn that parents and their children are very familiar with the ESRB ratings system, but it was even more gratifying to see that such a large majority of parents are aware of, researching and active in their children's videogame purchasing and playing," said Robin Kaminsky, EVP of Publishing for Activision. "Activision strongly supports the ESRB rating system, which we believe is the most comprehensive tool parents can use to determine which games are appropriate for their children. Looking ahead, these results will help strengthen our efforts to raise greater awareness among both parents and young people of why 'Ratings Are Not a Game.'"

"Video game ratings can only be effective if consumers understand the ratings and use them when making purchasing decisions for their families, and this study shows that parents greatly rely on and value the ESRB ratings in helping them decide which games to allow their children to play," said Patricia Vance, ESRB President. "The ESRB commends Activision on its 'Ratings Are Not a Game' educational initiative and its outstanding efforts to educate consumers about video game ratings."

The Entertainment Software Rating Board is a non-profit, self-regulatory body established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) that independently assigns ratings, enforces advertising guidelines and helps ensure responsible online privacy practices for the interactive entertainment software industry.

ESRB ratings are designed to provide information about videogame content to help consumers determine a game's suitability and to aid parents in making informed purchasing decisions. ESRB raters rate games part-time, are selected from a broad and diverse pool of adult applicants, tend to have experience with children, and are screened to ensure they have no ties with or connection to the video game industry.

ESRB ratings, which are found directly on the front and back of a game's packaging, have two equal parts. Six main rating categories suggest age appropriateness for a game, while content descriptors indicate a range of over 30 different potential elements that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern, such as violence, sex, humor, language and the use or depiction of controlled substances.

Content ratings also take into consideration how these elements are depicted, in addition to their frequency, intensity and context. Due to the unique interactive characteristics of videogames, the ESRB rating system also takes into account elements such as the reward system and the degree of player control, both of which can affect which rating category and content descriptors are ultimately assigned to the game. For more information on the ESRB rating system, go to www.esrb.org.

In a 2001 report to Congress, the Federal Trade Commission found the ESRB rating system to be more comprehensive than the rating systems used for movies and music, noting that "there is much in the game industry's rating disclosure requirements that merits duplication by others." Additionally, in September 2004, the Kaiser Family Foundation released a national survey of parents that found the ESRB ratings system to be the most useful of all of entertainment rating systems.

Methodology

For the Activision ESRB survey, 1,014 online interviews were conducted among a nationally-representative group of videogame players ages 8 to 24 and their parents. The research was conducted between September 21 and September 28, 2006 by the Harrison Group, a strategic marketing consulting and research services firm (www.harrisongroupinc.com).

Comments from Robin Kaminsky regarding the ESRB survey results are available at www.thenewsmarket.com/activision. Media can preview and request broadcast-standard video digitally or by tape at no cost from this site.

—-—

What confuses me here is how this survey directly conflicts the 11th Annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card, which didn't even bother grading parents on following the guidelines of the ESRB for fear of getting them angry. Michael Fahey

Second Life is the new internet, says embedded Reuters reporter Adam Pasick, whose SL name is Adam Reuters. The news outlet is just one of many descending on the virtual landscape, which is an appealing 3D successor to the net. Pasick will be bringing in real life Reuters news as well as writing news stories for SL residents and covering the community. And what about those who are hesitant to enter? Pasick says:

I've found the best way is to get them in front of a computer and show them. My parents love it now. They have avatars and hang out in the Reuters building.

And that's a good thing? Brian Ashcraft

SL Reuters Reporter [C|Net]

It's been about a month since the Entertainment Software Ratings Board launched their Commitment to Parents initiative.

I recently spoke with board president Patricia Vance for a story I was working on for the Rocky Mountain News about how the program was going.

Vance says that more retail chains will be joining the program soon and that the ESRB is about ready to launch the first in what will become a biannual mystery shopper audit of member stores.

Right after the program was announced in June, the Rocky sent a 15-year-old boy to four stores in the Denver area and one in Colorado Springs to see how the system was working. None of the stores sold the teen a copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Vance said she wasn't surprised:

"When you look at the issue of how kids are getting games that are treated as being perhaps unsuitable for them, in a vast percentage, it's the parents who have purchased the game. "It all boils down to parental responsibility."

I think the system in place is a good one, but I was surprised. I really thought at least one clerk would give up the game. Vance suggested we go back to the stores and try to get the same teen to buy an R-rated DVD and CD with an Explicit Lyrics sticker on it.

Yeah, I bet he would have had no problem there. Brian Crecente

Board Builds Its Rating Muscles [RMN]

Soon, Mario Party and Karaoke Revolution will replace those dusty old board games we were forced to play as children. You damn kids! You don't know how good you got it!

Passing the joystick to a new generation [Philadelphia Inquirer]