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What We’ve Learned About Parents and Games
John Davison is the co-founder of What They Play, the parents guide to videogames. Previously he was the editorial director of the 1UP Network.
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It was a year ago this week that we launched What They Play. It was back on November 12, 2007 that we took our first brave little step into the world outside the comfortable familiarity of the hardcore gaming audience, and tried to build on the growing interest in video games from parents and families. It’s certainly been a surprising first 12 months, and we’ve learned a lot of unexpected stuff, so indulge me for a moment to share some of these with you. Pretty much everything you see here is based on feedback from readers, or our friends in the industry. They are based on responses to stories, or to polls and surveys that we've fielded over the past 12 months.
Parents are more worried about the possibility that their kids might play Grand Theft Auto while at a friend’s house, than they are that they may end up drinking beer or watching pornography. We assume this is because they would never expect your kids to do the latter, while the former is more of a possibility.
When asked what they would find the most offensive in a video game, they said that a man and a woman having sex would be most offensive, followed by two men kissing, and then the sight of a graphically severed human was ranked third in a list.
Polls can get picked up in the strangest places. Like scenes in the TV show Boston Legal. In a recent episode, James Spader's character, lawyer Alan Shore, in defense of a sexual therapist, quoted the above poll word-for-word.
As a general rule, people worry about sex much more than they worry about violence.
When it really comes down to practical considerations, what moms really worry about the most is the language used in games. Why? Because it's the one thing that can be instantly copied, and change your kids' behavior at home. We had more moms ask about the language in Assassin's Creed than about the, y'know... assassinating. “It’s called Assassin’s Creed, I get it,” they told us. “But why does it have a ‘Strong Language’ descriptor from the ESRB? Isn’t it set in medieval times? Did they say ‘fuck’ back then?”
When people initially hear that we're a site about video games aimed at parents and families, their initial response is to think that we're all about family-friendly games, and nothing else. That, or we're some crackpot anti-games group crusading against the evil industry that’s corrupting our nation’s impressionable youth, but that’s another issue entirely. In fact we've found that there's a great deal of demand for coverage of M-rated games from moms and dads, because it is these that parents need to know the most about when their tweens and teens are demanding to play them. For many moms, the gaming tastes of a 14 year-old boy are quite terrifying.
Game reviews have a strong influence on what moms and dads will spend money on, but the initial spark always comes from the kids themselves.
When it comes to saving money, given the current economic situation, parents have told us that they are more likely to simply "buy less" than turn to renting games, or seeking cheaper alternatives like buying used games.
The tension that we see and feel in this industry between the content being "for kids" and "for adults" goes beyond content, and beyond intent. As the games industry fights it's "toys for boys" and woefully out of date "only for kids" image, the kids themselves defend their turf aggressively. We have both parents and kids posting comments on our stories, and we've found that those identifying themselves as boys aged 11 to 13 are the most aggressive and defensive. They seem to take considerable offense at the notion of parents becoming more informed, and choose to express this in the most disdainful manner possible.
The fact that Spore was based on real science, and arguably had some educational benefit didn't really influence parents’ feelings about it, if they’re completely honest.
Gore and language filters in games don't really change the way parents feel about them. They are tools for the kids who will use them to justify requests for games with ratings outside of their reach.
A kid talking about a game is the single most important factor in making a parent pay attention to its content.
Kids only have indirect spending power. Mom and dad (usually mom) controls the budget, and she increasingly wants to know more about what she’s letting into the house.
Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros. Brawl have been in the top 20 most popular games on What They Play since they were each released.
Games aimed at moms and girls are going to be huge in the coming year. Interest in game content designed specifically for girls on What They Play has steadily increased all year, with the free-to-play virtual worlds taking the lion’s share. Our single most popular article was a parents guide to Club Penguin.
While we knew that the games industry was starting to look at family initiatives, and focus outside the "core" gamer more, we've been overwhelmed by the level of support and positive comments from publishers, developers, and the platform holders this past year. Along with this, we've received more notes of thanks from parents, educators, librarians, caregivers, grand parents, and families in the past 12 months than any of us have in our entire careers. For all of this, we are truly humbled.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a year ago this week that we launched What They Play. It was back on November 12, 2007 that we took our first brave little step into the world outside the comfortable familiarity of the hardcore gaming audience, and tried to build on the growing interest in video games from parents and families. It’s certainly been a surprising first 12 months, and we’ve learned a lot of unexpected stuff, so indulge me for a moment to share some of these with you. Pretty much everything you see here is based on feedback from readers, or our friends in the industry. They are based on responses to stories, or to polls and surveys that we've fielded over the past 12 months.
Parents are more worried about the possibility that their kids might play Grand Theft Auto while at a friend’s house, than they are that they may end up drinking beer or watching pornography. We assume this is because they would never expect your kids to do the latter, while the former is more of a possibility.
When asked what they would find the most offensive in a video game, they said that a man and a woman having sex would be most offensive, followed by two men kissing, and then the sight of a graphically severed human was ranked third in a list.
Polls can get picked up in the strangest places. Like scenes in the TV show Boston Legal. In a recent episode, James Spader's character, lawyer Alan Shore, in defense of a sexual therapist, quoted the above poll word-for-word.
As a general rule, people worry about sex much more than they worry about violence.
When it really comes down to practical considerations, what moms really worry about the most is the language used in games. Why? Because it's the one thing that can be instantly copied, and change your kids' behavior at home. We had more moms ask about the language in Assassin's Creed than about the, y'know... assassinating. “It’s called Assassin’s Creed, I get it,” they told us. “But why does it have a ‘Strong Language’ descriptor from the ESRB? Isn’t it set in medieval times? Did they say ‘fuck’ back then?”
When people initially hear that we're a site about video games aimed at parents and families, their initial response is to think that we're all about family-friendly games, and nothing else. That, or we're some crackpot anti-games group crusading against the evil industry that’s corrupting our nation’s impressionable youth, but that’s another issue entirely. In fact we've found that there's a great deal of demand for coverage of M-rated games from moms and dads, because it is these that parents need to know the most about when their tweens and teens are demanding to play them. For many moms, the gaming tastes of a 14 year-old boy are quite terrifying.
Game reviews have a strong influence on what moms and dads will spend money on, but the initial spark always comes from the kids themselves.
When it comes to saving money, given the current economic situation, parents have told us that they are more likely to simply "buy less" than turn to renting games, or seeking cheaper alternatives like buying used games.
The tension that we see and feel in this industry between the content being "for kids" and "for adults" goes beyond content, and beyond intent. As the games industry fights it's "toys for boys" and woefully out of date "only for kids" image, the kids themselves defend their turf aggressively. We have both parents and kids posting comments on our stories, and we've found that those identifying themselves as boys aged 11 to 13 are the most aggressive and defensive. They seem to take considerable offense at the notion of parents becoming more informed, and choose to express this in the most disdainful manner possible.
The fact that Spore was based on real science, and arguably had some educational benefit didn't really influence parents’ feelings about it, if they’re completely honest.
Gore and language filters in games don't really change the way parents feel about them. They are tools for the kids who will use them to justify requests for games with ratings outside of their reach.
A kid talking about a game is the single most important factor in making a parent pay attention to its content.
Kids only have indirect spending power. Mom and dad (usually mom) controls the budget, and she increasingly wants to know more about what she’s letting into the house.
Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros. Brawl have been in the top 20 most popular games on What They Play since they were each released.
Games aimed at moms and girls are going to be huge in the coming year. Interest in game content designed specifically for girls on What They Play has steadily increased all year, with the free-to-play virtual worlds taking the lion’s share. Our single most popular article was a parents guide to Club Penguin.
While we knew that the games industry was starting to look at family initiatives, and focus outside the "core" gamer more, we've been overwhelmed by the level of support and positive comments from publishers, developers, and the platform holders this past year. Along with this, we've received more notes of thanks from parents, educators, librarians, caregivers, grand parents, and families in the past 12 months than any of us have in our entire careers. For all of this, we are truly humbled.
It's good , the work you are doing.
Although I'm suddenly having flashback's of myself asking my parents to get me Mortal Kombat for my birthday...... Ha ha!
The one area I think parents should be informed of is each consoles parental control functions - I'm really surprised at how few people actually read the manual -if they use it parents shouldn't have to worry what their kids get up to when they're not around.
You're right about kids using content control filters as leverage, however if these filters are directly tied into the consoles parental control - with no in game control - it could work.
As for children wanting 'inappropriate' games , it's mainly peer pressure and the fact that having things like that makes you look cool infront of your friends ( or at least that's how I thought when I was younger!)
I think part of the problem arises- as alot of these mature games ( e.g. GTA) are good games, whereas alot of games aimed at the younger audience, like movie-tie-ins, are quickly made, patronisingly simple, or just plain rubbish.
Another problem is about advertising in general. It's easy for a company to slap an 18rated symbol on a product and say 'adults only' , but if they're constantly waving the product around infront kids, and put in no effort whatsoever to discourage them from buying it (cough, cough, GTA, cough) then that doesn't help.
I think the state of the entertainment industry is also a problem. Kids are impressionable and can/will imitate their heroes ( if just in play) . Who here hasn't had a pretend light-saber fight with friends after watching star wars ???
Controversy is a sure seller nowdays. Think of how many celebrities we have who are only famous for a) taking drugs b) taking their clothes off/ sleeping with everyone c) swearing/violence or some other attention seeking activity . Even though their antics aren't shown before watershed on TV they're still well known by all - via the news/internet/magazines etc .
Many such products by the said celebrities are marketed as being essential/cool/fashionable , and seeing how kids just want to 'fit in' with their social circle / be accepted they can just as easily impersonate the acts of whomever they idolise if they think it'll make them more popular .
I know a number of girls from school who started drugs so they could be like Amy Winehouse....
It'd be better if product advertisement was more thoughtful , and less aggressive in regards to making kids feel like they'll be unpopular without it.
I also think if celebrities want to make their fame + fortune via more mature means should have ALL their airtime + publications limited appropriately for mature audiences only.
Also, I wish something was done about the smutty ads in videogame magazines. It seems a little bit wrong to buy a mag featuring 'Animal Crossing' on the front cover + then have several pages of chatlines and xxxHardcore mobile vids at the back.
I'm not trying to be a prude, I just think there's a time and a place for everything, and that children should at least be given the chance to be children, without having to 'grow up' just to try and fit in.