80 per cent of parents follow age ratings - survey

A new survey by publisher Activision has found that over 80 per cent of parents take into consideration the age rating of a game, as awarded by the ESRB.

The research found that 84 per cent of parents were aware of the system, compared to 65 per cent of children aged between 8-17 years old.

Activision also found that 79 per cent paid close attention to the system, rising to 89 per cent of parents with children between the ages of 8 and 12.

"We were delighted to to learn that parents and their children are very familiar with the ESRB ratings system, but it was even more gratifying to see 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.

Sixty eight per cent of parents believe that the ESRB rating is effective in determining whether a title is appropriate for their child, with 52 per cent of parents stating they actively research all videogames before approving purchase for their children.

"Videogame 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, president of the ESRB.

The study also revealed that 74 per cent of parents view videogames as part of their family's life and that they are comfortable with this, with 58 per cent of the adults surveyed admitting they play games themselves.