Activision Claims ESRB 'Highly Effective'

In a survey commissioned by Activision, the Harrison Group found that a majority of parents are familiar with the ESRB and put it to good use.

According to the study, 84 percent of parents are "very familiar" with the ESRB rating system while only 65 percent of kids ages 8 to 17 were aware of the ratings. Based on 1014 online interviews, the entire study paints a favorable light on the effectiveness of the ESRB.

89 percent of parents with children aged 8 to 12 say they pay very close attention to ratings, and 68 percent of parents overall feel that the ESRB is effective. Just over half the parents (56 percent) said that the ratings were the main influence over their purchase decision when buying for children. No mention was made of what other influence choices were offered during the survey.

"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."

This study contradicts findings from the MediaWise Video Game Report Card which cited parents for lagging behind their children in game awareness and education.