Media Centre: Press Releases

The Entertainment Software Association of Canada Celebrates National Media Education Week
Published November 3, 2008

Parents Are Encouraged to Use This Week to Discuss Video Games with Their Children

TORONTO – November 3, 2008 – National Media Education Week is an initiative to promote media education and encourage all Canadians to participate in media literacy activities throughout the country. This week is a time for parents and kids to discuss all media, including video games.

Parents need to take an active role in educating themselves as well as their children on issues such as age appropriate content, online interaction and gaming playing habits as with any other form of entertainment media. Taking an active role is the first step in creating a positive dialogue between parents and children on media habits. In connection with National Media Education Week, the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) would like to give parents some helpful tips when it comes to their child’s video game experience.

Check the ratings. Ratings are featured on the front of the game package, and give information as to age appropriateness.

Carefully read and look at the package. Game content is described on the back of the package, and is a helpful tool for parents to understand why games are classified for certain ages.

Monitor your child’s game play. Create a dialogue with your child about their game playing - their habits, feelings and with whom they play. Ask them about their experiences interacting with others while playing games, both in person and online.

Use the parental controls offered on all platforms. These controls allow parents to restrict content based on the age of the user/ESRB rating, set time limits for game play, set monthly spending limits for online gaming, and restrict chat functions with other users in a live setting.

Play with your kids. Recent surveys show that Canadian families are embracing gaming as a way to spend time together. According to Ipsos Reid, fifty-seven per cent of parents play video games with their children. Choose games that parents and kids can play together.

Go beyond the box. There are many other resources for information about video games, including game reviews, trailers and demos both online and in store, which can empower parents’ wise choices for kids video game play.

For additional helpful tips for parents and the rating system for video games, please go to the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website www.esrb.org

Take the time to talk to your kids this week …be media literate.

The Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) is dedicated exclusively to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies in Canada that publish and distribute computer and video games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers and the Internet. Association members include the nation’s leading interactive entertainment software publishers and distributors, which collectively accounted for more than 90 per cent of the $1.67 billion in entertainment software and hardware sales in Canada in 2007. The entertainment software industry currently accounts for 250 firms and 14,000 direct jobs and thousands more in related fields across Canada. For more information about the ESAC and its programs, please visit www.theesa.ca.