Finding out about upcoming unannounced games via the Entertain🔯ment Software Rating Board's online database is about to get a bit tougher, Next Gen has learned.
Curious web-goers often scour the ESRB's content rating listings in order to find evidence of upcoming unannounced titles. For example, earlier this y🉐ear, the ESRB rated🥃 and listed the cult favorite Earthbound for Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console, sending fans into a dizzied state of euphoria.
But a publisher contact forwarded Next Gen editors🎃 a memo from the ESRB on Thursday outlining a new policy that will crack down on early reveals of unreleased games on the organizatio🍬n's website.
A new functionality in the ESRB's online submission form will allow publishers to choose a date when a title is eligible to be upload෴ed on the ratings website.
The ESRB saiℱd in its memo that the move was made at the request of publishers, who we﷽re probably irked when a game was announced outside of their marketing schedule.
Still the ESRB doesn't want the new option to hinder consumers' ♔ability to learn about gamꦓe ratings.
"Unless there are specific concerns regarding premature disclosure of a title, weꦦ expect this field to be left blank," the♕ memo reads.
"...While we recognize some publishers have concerns regarding earlier-than-desired 'announcements' of product on our website, the ESRB system will not work for consumers if publishers arbitrarily selec💧t dates bearing no reasonable relationship to consumer interest in the product."
If the space is left blank, the game and its rating will be eligible to post on ESR🐻B's ඣsite 30 days after it has been rated.
The ESRB offered the 🍸following guidelines for using the embargo option. From the memo:
Publishers who have a legitimate basis for utilizing this field should select a date that coiꦕncides with the earliest of thಌe following:
* Product Marketing/Announcements, if any
* Ship Date, for physical product
* Product Availability, for dow🌠nloadabl♑e content without any prior announcement
.
Jun 20, 2008
