Add ESRB game filter to game search

[yewtink]

Trying to introduce my young nephews to new games on Steam. But the current search option I can't see what is age appropriate for "everyone" or "young children"

[Gwarsbane]

Seeing as how ESRB is optional, its the games developer that has to submit a game for a rathing and most games don't seem to have it, this would be rather pointless to add.

[TBS AlexDK]

It would not be bad to add the ability to filter out games based on the age rating of ESRB and PEGI, and also be able filter out the games that does not have any ratings

[WolfEisberg]

I do wish Valve would add iarc system to their Store, it'll encourage developers and publishers to get their games ESRB/PEGI/other countries rating systems. Epic Store has the iarc system, and because of that it has greatly encouraged dev/pubs getting their games rated, literally there are so many games on EGS, that also exist on Steam, where on EGS there is a rating but on Steam there is no rating because Steam doesn't support the iarc system.

[yewtink]

Originally posted by Gwarsbane:

Seeing as how ESRB is optional, its the games developer that has to submit a game for a rathing and most games don't seem to have it, this would be rather pointless to add.

It would make it a lot easier to find young kid games. If the developer doesn't want to get their game rated that is on them. But I would think most kid friendly games get that rating so they can increase their sales and other sites will advertise for them. Other platforms offer a filter why shouldn't Valve/Steam? It would give them a chance to increase sales.

Just as an example if I would find a game that would be appropriate for their age I would be buying (3/4 maybe 5) copies. But since I can't find anything other than Minecraft and Astroneer. I am not buying anything. Astroneer I wanted to host my own dedicated server, then a copy of the game for myself and each nephew and niece so we all can play together. Then that will also leave the opportunity for their parents to buy a copy to play with them and any friends that they introduce to the game.


Right now Valve/Steam has 4220 games in their library. Who wants to read every title to see if it is safe for a 7 year old? Other option is to find a game list, and search by item by item. That would take forever. So most gamers will switch to a platform that will do the sorting for them and just buy.

[KalGimpa]

i like it

even if a dev doesn't use esrb

those that do will make it easier to find the games you want

[Ben Lubar]

Originally posted by yewtink:

Right now Valve/Steam has 4220 games in their library.

SteamDB reports 312,511 apps in its database and 4,313 games released this year.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Gwarsbane:

Seeing as how ESRB is optional, its the games developer that has to submit a game for a rathing and most games don't seem to have it, this would be rather pointless to add.

Perhaps they should also add visibility of foreign rating services when applicable. Yes I know it is a store not Wikipedia but still visibility of said info can't hurt?

[Gwarsbane]

Originally posted by Crashed:

Originally posted by Gwarsbane:

Seeing as how ESRB is optional, its the games developer that has to submit a game for a rathing and most games don't seem to have it, this would be rather pointless to add.

Perhaps they should also add visibility of foreign rating services when applicable. Yes I know it is a store not Wikipedia but still visibility of said info can't hurt?

Wouldn't know if it would hurt or not, I've never paid attention to ratings. From what I hear its like the BBB ratings for companies in the US, they pay the BBB money and the BBB gives them a thumbs up. If they don't, they either say nothing or gives them a thumbs down.


It could hurt them in a way, if the rating they are given is wrong for what ever reason. Like if they have what sounds like swearing, they get a teen rating but its actually just a kids game. Or something silly like that.

Again, I don't see the point. People need to do research before buying and that includes using search engines like google, and going on youtube and stuff like that.

If Valve wants to add something like this, fine by me, I won't ever use it, but I also see it as a waste of time and money programming in something thats not going to be used much.

Maybe Steam needs something that developers can select at the time they are putting their game on Steam. They would have 3 options. Meant for everyone, meant only for teens and adults, and only meant for adults.

But either way, this would not solve the issue of all the other games already on Steam where the developers/publishers are no longer around and the only thing the IP owners care about is getting that check from Valve every now and then and don't bother to do any kind of things with the page. And many of the 50,000+ games on Steam, no longer have people looking after stuff. Its more then likely all automated.

But at least it would be there for new games.

[TBS AlexDK]

Originally posted by Gwarsbane:

Originally posted by Crashed:

Perhaps they should also add visibility of foreign rating services when applicable. Yes I know it is a store not Wikipedia but still visibility of said info can't hurt?

Wouldn't know if it would hurt or not, I've never paid attention to ratings. From what I hear its like the BBB ratings for companies in the US, they pay the BBB money and the BBB gives them a thumbs up. If they don't, they either say nothing or gives them a thumbs down.

The ESRB and PEGI ratings, has nothing to do with the BBB ratings, it's better compared to the age ratings for movies, and most games already has those ratings ( at least if we ignore indie games, that has not had any kind of retail release / releases on I belive Microsoft / Xbox Store and PlayStation Store )

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Gwarsbane:

Originally posted by Crashed:

Perhaps they should also add visibility of foreign rating services when applicable. Yes I know it is a store not Wikipedia but still visibility of said info can't hurt?

Wouldn't know if it would hurt or not, I've never paid attention to ratings. From what I hear its like the BBB ratings for companies in the US, they pay the BBB money and the BBB gives them a thumbs up. If they don't, they either say nothing or gives them a thumbs down.


It could hurt them in a way, if the rating they are given is wrong for what ever reason. Like if they have what sounds like swearing, they get a teen rating but its actually just a kids game. Or something silly like that.

Again, I don't see the point. People need to do research before buying and that includes using search engines like google, and going on youtube and stuff like that.

If Valve wants to add something like this, fine by me, I won't ever use it, but I also see it as a waste of time and money programming in something thats not going to be used much.

Maybe Steam needs something that developers can select at the time they are putting their game on Steam. They would have 3 options. Meant for everyone, meant only for teens and adults, and only meant for adults.

But either way, this would not solve the issue of all the other games already on Steam where the developers/publishers are no longer around and the only thing the IP owners care about is getting that check from Valve every now and then and don't bother to do any kind of things with the page. And many of the 50,000+ games on Steam, no longer have people looking after stuff. Its more then likely all automated.

But at least it would be there for new games.

Developers already have to rate their games for 5 "Mature Content" categories:

• General Mature Content
  
• Frequent Violence or Gore
  
• Some Nudity or Sexual Content
  
• Frequent Nudity or Sexual Content
  
• Adult Only Sexual Content