Demos, Trailers and you

re: Demos, Trailers and you

Cutriss — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:44:08 GMT

So, the solution is to get the ESRB to rate demos independently of games, like the MPAA already does.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

zeDuffMan — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:44:08 GMT

So why weren't the rules enforced before?

re: Demos, Trailers and you

zack11190 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:19:53 GMT

If the ESRB guidelines say that we have to 18 to download M content, then why is MicroSoft enforcing this rule now? Before the fall update, everything was fine, but now MS had screwed everything up.

I never had this trouble before with the Wii Shop Channel. Then again, they don't have any demos, so I don't think that was a just argument.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

zack11190 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:15:36 GMT

If it is part of the ESRB guidelines that we can't download anything from M content if we aren't 18, then why was it possible for us to download whatever the hell we wanted before the fall update? How come now MicroSoft decides to enforce this?

re: Demos, Trailers and you

Nerbil — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 05:10:53 GMT

M rated games require that you are 17 years old, not 18. AO games require that you are 18 years old.

www.esrb.org/.../ratings_guide.jsp

re: Demos, Trailers and you

AZRoboto — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 03:23:50 GMT

How is it possible that the demo is unrated/RP if the game already is?

That makes absolutely no sense, especially when in the dashboard it says ESRB: T [TEEN].

re: Demos, Trailers and you

HellfirePhantom — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:41:16 GMT

Wow, Major. This is slightly messed up (READ: understatement). You guys in MS put parental controls in your system for a reason. If parents don't want their kids playing Mature games or watching trailers for Mature games, then they will set up previously mentioned controls. If the children have already set up parental controls for the sole intent of having the password for it, thus thwarting the parents attempts; the parent needs to step up and either give their child an ultimatum: either hand over the password or lose the system. Microsoft does not have the right to block content from minors. Their parents do. Let me give you some examples. The Wii, PS3, and television itself do not contain straight blocks from the company itself. They do, however, provide options for parents to control what their children are exposed to. Again, this is not your decision to make. It is the parents. I am looking forward to when you will remove this senseless limit.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

ArmoredMirage — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:32:18 GMT

I'm kind of questioning the legality of this block.

The age of consent for M and R rated content in the USA is 17, and 17 y/o's are barred from downloading content that they technically should be allowed to have?

Something is wrong with that.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

SGTPepper23 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:01:38 GMT

This is seriously an issue. I am 17 and I can legally purchase and M-rated game in the store why should downloading a demo or trailer of a game of the same rating be an issue. I've also heard that if you made a child account and you turn older than 18 it is still stuck with the same issues. All these family protection issues are pretty flawed and are giving gamers a hard time.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

raitchison — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:26:22 GMT

"Anon 92" I don't think you really understand the situation:

"Someone in your own home chose to block you from that content."

Wrong actually the content is being blocked regardless of the content blocking settings on the console, this is the major beef, that the content blocking settings on the console are being completely ignored by Microsoft.

Also if you read the rules posted by Major you'll note that they are guidelines and IMO the guidelines posted don't even explain why Microsoft has taken this step.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

calderracrusade — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:08:35 GMT

Microsoft has had to play by these rules for a long time. Anyone who works retail should know that these rules are already enforced in any public venue. The ESRB has been slowly expanding that control for some time. ...and for all the geniuses out there... you can upgrade your account from a Child to an Adult account now if you're the appropriate age. Google it. And all you have to do to bypass these settings is go to your Family controls and, if you want M-rated content, make sure your 360 is properly configured. If your 360 has been set so you're not supposed to be viewing M-rated content, why are you whining at Microsoft for you not being able to view M-rated content? Someone in your own home chose to block you from that content. Blame them. All sound and fury, signifying nothing.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

Sigh — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:56:13 GMT

Sigh, the U.S. has gone downhill even farther.. I might just move out of this country if it gets worse...

re: Demos, Trailers and you

Blinkboy92 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:10:06 GMT

I think this is really dumb. even though im 15 i should still be able to download this content if my parents allow it. I think everybody on here should be able to get a refund or be able to fix it. I am not happy with this but I also noticed that its not just microsoft which makes me feel a little better.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

Spi Boy — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 19:28:23 GMT

People really need to read the post carefully. This has to do with advertising as demos and trails are ads, and can't be shown to people of a certain age. The ESRB has guidelines that play off the ad standards, but they don't made the actual rules. They are only following what is already a standard out there for movies and TV ad as demos and trails are considered ads.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

Goodeye84 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:57:43 GMT

I am not mad at him at all, I am mad at his company.

If any of my comments have seemed like I was mad at you major that was not intended.

re: Demos, Trailers and you

Carnage1290 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:35:35 GMT

Yeah the only way i see Microsoft getting past this one is if they had a feature to allow parents to dictate what their child can and cant download. Nobody should be mad at major for telling us this info, at least we got an answer.