More than 70% of respondents agree to network game grading

Network games do not grade the harm caused by many parents bitterly, but also let the society to make a bitter experience. The survey showed that more than 70% of respondents agreed to grade.

However, the classification of online games How to build, the approval of the grading of several parties have been divided. Independent third party classification of the "American Classification" is not omnipotent, depending on the executive power "one Blade" may let the game industry slump, and even lead to minors to contact those foreign to China as the imaginary enemy of the network game.

Where should China's online game grading approach go?

Online gaming companies: Support ratings

In the face of people who are not in the age of playing online games brought many drawbacks, the relevant parties to the implementation of network game grading.

The Social investigation center of China Youth Daily has conducted an online survey of 1718 people through Sohu and public opinion China network. The survey found that 72.4% of the people in favor of online games, opponents accounted for 11.3%. At the same time, 44.5% of people think that online games can effectively protect children.

For parents, the reason for approval is simple.

Like other parents, Shandong's Peng is full of worries: "My son began to touch the computer at the age of 5, and now he is absolutely going to look behind us." ”

"The father of Internet addiction" Liu Xiaoyan (a pseudonym) that the children's "play Heart" is not the pressure. It is because now children are online early, "there is an urgent need to tell the" layman "parents which games are suitable, which games do not have the standard. ”

Scholars are more concerned.

Bingqi, an educator, commented that it is necessary to protect minors from the negative effects of online games. In his view, network game grading is an important part of protection. For example, if there is no grading system, minors will have an "illusion": I play the legitimate and reasonable, but parents are too annoying, violate their own freedom. and the classification system can be from the source of governance, but also for parents to provide a clear basis for guardianship.

Yong, deputy dean of the Institute of Cultural Industry of Peking University, was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to conduct a network game grading standard research. The Ministry of Culture import online game content Review Committee expert members that the network game classification can not only protect minors, but also protect the legitimate rights and interests of adults.

He said that in the online game market, not only minors, there are many adult players. So he believes that now the banner of protecting the mental health of minors, in fact, also use the standards of minors to damage the adult spirit of consumer rights. Therefore the network game grading, is also satisfies the social multicultural consumption the demand.

By many parents think will obstruct the network game grading of the online games developers, also agree with the network game grading.

Beijing network Yuan Sheng Tang Co., Ltd. Vice President Su Fei in an interview, said: "If the online game grading, I am sure to support." ”

A network game company worker Fan (alias) also favours the network game grading. He felt that the current domestic network games, has been in the forefront of public opinion, in fact, a little "injustice." "Game grading is actually good for the industry," he said. First it is no longer a pole shot, is considered "electronic heroin". Also let more parents have a regulatory scope, there is an express. ”

In addition, for fan, the online game rating also means a more segmented user groups and clear market structure, can be more targeted to develop products. "In the game of minors, we can further avoid the factors of violence." We can do more lifelike games for adults. ”

Fan that the biggest problem now is how to build a game classification system. He felt that it was up to the government to set up an independent third party, rather than the administrative force itself, to demarcate the standards. and grading should be a reference standard, but does not force the distribution and sale of products. "After all insiders", the industry self-discipline method, in fan seems more feasible.

Parents and some scholars want to have mandatory administrative power interference supervision. "Companies act in their own self-interest and their self-discipline is unreliable." Liu Xiaoyan said.

American game ratings are not everything

Fan more recognized "third party classification", similar to the current European and American countries widely used grading model.

It is understood that the United States Game classification organization is the "Entertainment Software Grading Committee" (ESRB). It is an independent private organization tasked with the development of a standard grading system for interactive entertainment software products with the support of the entertainment software industry.

To get a rating, a game publisher needs to submit a complete picture and content of the game to ESRB. Three evaluators conduct independent audits based on the evaluation criteria, and finally recommend a level. ESRB's evaluators will play this game to make sure all the evaluations are correct.

ESRB's evaluators are made up of players of a broad background, race and age, and have nothing to do with the interactive entertainment industry. They include retired school principals, parents, experts and individuals from other fields. And it was graded only to inform consumers of the appropriate age level, not to tell consumers what they should buy, nor is it the only basis for choosing a product.

The current game-grading system in Europe is pegi similar.

With the spread of the grading system, the United States commissioned a ESRB2007 year survey, the results found that more and more parents began to limit the Games children play.

"There will undoubtedly be more and more people who know and use the rating system," "It is certain that fewer parents will be allowed to touch adult-level games, which shows more parents know how to use the grading system and strictly limit the behavior of minors," the investigation company commissioner said in a media interview. ”

But American ratings are not everything.

Wu Nan, a game programmer, told reporters that there had been a secret investigation by American citizens ' groups about the grading of market-age-controlled gaming software.

The survey found 12~16岁 's children to buy adult-level games, but were told to "not conceal their true age" and let the store decide whether to sell adult-grade work. In the end, adult games can be bought in 19% of the game's retail stores.

A study by the National Institute of Media and Family studies showed that 34% of 7-14-year-olds could buy "adult" video games, and 87% of boys playing video games played "adult" video games. Even many parents allow their children to play some adult games.

Even, some manufacturers will develop some suitable for the younger players to play the game products, as far as possible to expand the application of user groups, through the form of patches to release adult content.

One example is the "Hot Coffee event" in the United States.

The game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" was set to apply for more than 17 years old, the protagonist in the game can have sex with his girlfriend, those actions are closed the door. But through the "Hot Coffee" patch, you can open hidden erotic mini games, players can enter the room to watch, but also to control the action of the protagonist.

Do you have to watch a bunch of kids shoot the PLA in the computer?

Although Wu Nan does not believe that American ratings are "panacea", he does not think that relying on administrative power alone can make the online gaming industry develop healthily.

He told reporters that China's online game supervision of the implementation of the content review system. Network game companies must first obtain the Ministry of Culture issued the "Network Culture Business License", become the operating Internet culture unit, can operate network games. Online games can be opened to all players after they have been reviewed, first-instance, and tested. At the same time, in order to prevent young people addicted to online games, online game companies to use the "anti-addiction" system to limit the number of youth login games.

Wu Nan said the existing system, the loopholes are not small, "those who steal identity cards play games too many children."

Su Fei Also, for example, because of the continuous progress of network technology, a large number of web games have been developed, including the adoption of a nasty, exposed screen to attract players eyeball. "This type of web game avoids the content review smoothly because there is no client." ”

In addition, Wu Nan also said to reporters that the limited review is only a mixture, "gun shooting people do not bleed, is not still killing?" ”

Yong The review system from the perspective of the film is also an example: "Lust Ring", "Let Bullets Fly", in foreign countries is a restricted level, "in our side a little cut, height of 1.2 meters above the children can go to see, in fact, has caused the consequences." ”

If the regulatory approval of the administrative forces is more stringent, will the effect be improved?

Fan thinks, the present situation lets the developer very painful. "The definition of domestic violence is very general, like" World of Warcraft "introduced to China, for the approval of minors, to change the skeleton into a meat. This will cause the game to delay the market time, many Chinese players have run to the game has been listed in the country's servers to play, the loss of the manufacturer may be billions of dollars. ”

Yong in the media interview, said: "Only through the" black and white "content review and approval mechanism for content control and management will be very weak, or play a role is only a drop in the bucket, or the wrong to kill 3,000 do not miss one. Whatever the outcome, it is detrimental to the development of a new industry that has reached tens of billions of dollars in market size. ”

Wu Nan that money is not the most important. "The logic of abandoning an industry for the physical and mental health of minors can make sense." But the development of online games is really not just a counting. He believes that online games are a kind of national culture "position", if their own people do not occupy, there will be other countries to use this culture to expand influence.

"Our country's network game originality is weaker, does not represent other countries will not produce, now the last extranet is not difficult." And some American games are based on Sino-US confrontation. To put it bluntly, the game is to let you take the money to the front of the eyes said Chinese words, with Army Day shoulder-straps of the PLA to shoot! What is more frightening is that some Chinese still play these games. Extreme point, if China's online gaming industry to the brink of ruin, it is necessary to watch a group of children in the computer to the PLA shooting it? ”

"First pollution after governance" or "harmonious development"

Yong that the use of any single method is not possible: "grading is not a replacement for the current online game content review, but with the present multiple demand reality, the existing game classification, classification." ”

Su Fei concurs with this view and believes that the criteria for grading should be derived from third party civil institutions. "The composition of the personnel should be as broad as possible, such as education experts, psychologists, media people, etc., to form an objective and impartial evaluation of the game from different angles." "Although the government does not take part in the ratings, it has to introduce policy regulation and co-ordination, preferably legislative protection, otherwise it will not be binding, and it cannot impose penalties for non-compliance."

In addition, Su Fei also said that the classification system should be based on the existing content review system, can not replace the content review.

In fact, the controversy about the direction of online games, as early as nearly a decade ago has appeared.

2009, Beijing University and Normal, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture Marketing department, has conducted a hierarchical network game analysis, and in the next January, the Chinese Cultural Industry Youth Forum, convened a summit on the development of online games, the classification standards were published. But the project has yet to result.

"may be related to the government's grasp of the current position and status of the entire content management." Network game classification Management is more complex, it is not a static work, is a dynamic work, operators can also be added through the network, modify. "For no results," Yong, who had been involved in the project, speculated that he sensed a "cautious" approach to the network classification work in some sectors.

Su Fei that, although some of the game manufacturers, including their own, in favor of grading system, but the quality of online game manufacturers are not aligned with the status quo, so that the classification system is difficult to advance. "Too many manufacturers to make money by the explicit, vulgar ads, leading to Chinese online games are too little, negative too much." Chinese parents mentioned online games will be disgusted, the whole online games in China can not be taken seriously, this is a major obstacle to grading. ”

Wu Nan told reporters that some small manufacturers use some vulgar, violent game profit, they naturally do not want to see the emergence of grading system.

Yong that, the above main reason, the game classification system can be developed and promoted in the future, but also to see the Government's attitude and concept. "To say the big point, is to the cultural industry Idea Transformation, (government) starts to see its consciousness attribute only, then slowly sees its commodity attribute, the market attribute, sees we can carry on the cultural production according to the populace's demand." ”

Yong that a pluralistic creative atmosphere should be fostered to truly meet the needs of multicultural reality. "What kind of new cultural products, regulatory systems, regulatory standards should we try to do, and this requires a change of mindset," he said. ”

In fact, the online gaming industry and other real estate industry development routes are similar. I hope that the government can "work hard" and pay more attention to the "Road of sustainable development" instead of the extensive "lazy government" and "pollution first". So the parents will complain less and my job will be steady enough. Wu Nan smiled.