Facts for Consumers from the Federal Trade Commission

Video Games

     Video games are a popular pastime for children of all
ages. Some video games, because of their violent content or
mature themes, may be inappropriate for children, especially
younger ones. If you are shopping for video games for
children, be aware that some games appropriate for older
children or adults may be advertised and marketed together
with games for younger ones.

     If you are buying a video game for a child, you may
want to: look for ratings that now appear on some video
games; ask a salesperson about the content suitability of
various games; or check consumer publications, which may
evaluate video games.

     In addition, be aware that:

*    At least one video game manufacturer rates many of its
     games to indicate whether they are appropriate for
     general audiences (GA), persons over 13 (MA-13), or
     adults only (MA-17). These ratings are found on the
     front of some video games. In some advertisements for
     the games, however, the ratings may not be present or
     may be obscured.

*    Some manufacturers restrict the content of their games.
     There may be differences in some of the action
     sequences, even among video games with the same name,
     depending on the manufacturer.

*    The industry is now moving to establish an
     industry-wide rating system.

For More Information

     For a free brochure on "Toy Ads on TV" or "Best
Sellers," a list of more than 100 free FTC consumer and
business publications, write: Public Reference, Federal
Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580 or call:
202-326-2222.

     If you have questions about advertisements, write:
Correspondence Branch, Federal Trade Commission, Washington,
DC 20580. These comments help the FTC in its law enforcement
efforts