Today at the Dubai World Game Expo in the United Arab Emirates, a new video game rating system and board was unveiled. The Entertainment Software Rating Association will evaluate video game content for games released in the Middle East.
According to Dr. Behrouz Minaei, the managing director at Iran National Foundation of Computer Games, "The rating system is designed based on the culture, society and special values of Islam."
The voluntary system is planned to indicate when games "violate any of the Islamic traditions in Islamic countries," according to Eng. Anas Al Madani, Vice President of Index Holding, one of the companies behind the board.
The system will take into account violence, games that promote tobacco or drugs, sexual diversity or nudity, all with the aim of "maintaining the balance of children and player’s psychological behavior."
“The approach of Islam is based on human being innateness 'Al Fitra,' and the most important innate trends are truth, virtue, benevolence, excellence tendency, innovation and creativity. That’s why we made sure that ESRA team are proficient in these areas; Religion, Psychopathology, Educational psychology, Social psychology, Sociology of the family, Family Sociology, Emotional Psychology, Family therapy and Educational technology," said Dr. Minaei.
There was no indication of how, exactly, the ratings will look, whether there's a scale like the ESRB's. As of now, the ratings don't have the force of law in any countries.
I can see the need for a rating system like this. Obviously the values of Islamic countries are very different than the values of the West, so the ratings of the ESRB would be largely meaningless in a much less permissive culture. Still, it would be hard enough to be a gamer in the Middle East; I hope the ESRA ratings don't lead to any kind of censorship.
Overall, it reminds me of a more organized version of the Christian gaming websites out there that try to provide video game reviews from a Jesus-y perspective. Although I am a follower of the Great Elder Gods (Cthulhu! Ftgan!), I support Christians and Muslims making as much information available as possible when it comes to the content in video games... just as long as no one tries to use the ratings systems to influence the content for people like me, who prefer violence, sex and negativity over positive Christian or Islamic ideas.
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darkgrimTHEloonyRiPPer_21
well except every M rated games a (COD, or heavy rain, hell lets even try God of war 3 anyone) to be banned oh well atleast there an underground market
John-Galt
Does anyone else think this thread got hijacked by a ton of ignorance and anti-Islam? Can't we all agree that every religion has been used at some point in history for oppression and genocide and call it a day?
altizar
It will be rated on a scale of 1 - 5 suicide bombers exploding!!
Amillennialist
The "special values of Islam"? Like, "kill the pagans wherever you find them" (Qur'an 9:5)?
Violating "any of the Islamic traditions in Islamic countries" results usually in lashes, amputations, stoning, or beheading.
Islam is the last place to look for "the balance of . . . psychological behavior."
Considering that Muhammad is considered the "Ideal Man" in Islam and a "beautiful pattern of conduct" for those who want to please Allah, and he practiced and commanded genocide, pedophilia, rape, mutilation, torture, slavery, wife-beating, etc., I'd say that "Obviously the values of Islamic countries are very different than the values of the West" is a certain text.
Considering that Islam considers keeping prepubescent nine-year-old sex slaves as "wives," it's definition of "permissive" isn't what yours is.
"I hope the ESRA ratings don't lead to any kind of censorship," but Islam already does. For example, Muhammad commanded that "If anyone leaves his Islamic religion, then kill him."
Only someone completely ignorant of Christianity, Islam, or both can equate "a Jesus-y perspective" with Islam.
Since the author prefers "violence, sex and negativity over positive Christian . . . ideas," he's much more Islamic than he realizes.
Cheine
Islam is really actively trying to make the world a worse place. Now they are dipping their judging hands into one of our greatest forms of freedom of speech. But, what can we expect from a world where rape victims are punished by a painful death, women are beaten on the street for not being accompanied by male family members, and murdering non-muslims is encouraged by schools, parents, religious officials, and their "holy" book? All religions are bad, but islam is the worst.
3r00f
Goddammit! As a gamer in the Middle East I already pay a hell of a lot for games and a lot of games are banned here, just don't come out or come out months late. This is just going to add on more hassle for gamers in the Middle East, especially for those that aren't Muslim.
Somegamer
I agree with the idea of the Islamic world having their own rating system. Islamic countries should be supported in being able to rate video games according to their own religious criterion; it is their perogitive. Yet, they should follow the ESRB's example and rate the games and leave the decision-making of whether or not someone should buy it to the consumer.
Btw, I think Yog-Sothoth is a better choice.
sephirothcloud
.......W....what..the freaking hell is this??I read it......I do not like where this is going
NinjaCrisis
Well we can't really say anything good or bad until the rating system comes out.
It could be something drastically retarded like you have to be 30 with a goat of a certain age.
Or it could be a bit tighter version of our own ESRB, cause c'mon you've seen how much they let T-rated games slide these days >.> lol. But honestly that guy doesn't speak for all of Islam. Cause if you're a smart cookie and took and anthropology or sociology class then you pretty much know that the most populous muslim countries aren't in the middle east, they are Malaysia and Singapore, which share the same game rating system similar to our own ^_^. A lotta PS3 fanboys there, top selling system. Jk
(Don't dis I have PS3 and 360 too)
Chunky_2336
who says that all of us commenting are americans?? some could be canadian or from australia
totalnonsense
People wonder why other nations hate America. It's hard to argue a reason not to looking at all of the ignorant and hurtful remarks from the people above.
Tobi_IsAGoodBoy
Rated " I " for infidel filth
Tobi_IsAGoodBoy
I can already see there most offensive ratting.
Rated " I " for infidel filth
and the first game to get this, Super Mario for use of mushrooms with questionable side effects such as growing bigger, gaining unstable mass, street illegal fuel injector to increase vehicle horsepower.
Luck702
If theres a game centered around stoning unfaithful wives, would that get an E or an M?
linc77
so if theres a game that forces you to oppress women its gonna be rated M for mandatory?
NoBodysGamer
Clowns, this is soo Muslim-like to ban and censor.
Welcome to Israel, we dont have any ratings for Games or Movies, because we have more important stuff to do then censor entertainment.
John-Galt
Considering it does not seem the organization is government run, the rating system will simply restrict certain retailers from selling to certain ages. The end result might just be more games going under an "M" or "A" like rating. Of course if it is government ran then there is certainly a problem, as then actual content can simply be nonexistent for some people. Maybe the US government will finally back video games for another excuse to invade another Middle Eastern country?
firstmef
I think every game I've ever played would be on the 'extreme' side of this rating system.
Tactless_Ninja
So I'll get positive karma now for beating up little girls in Fallout? :D
DreamingDarklyRobin
The "Coalition" in multiplayer is now changed to "Infidels".
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