Educational campaign aims to improve video games' public image

"Just because you have [the Supreme Court decision] on your side doesn't mean you have public opinion on your side." That (paraphrased) warning came from vice president Joe Biden when he spoke to representatives of the video game industry early this year, following some heat in the media aimed at games following the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre in December. It's not, he said, that video games have a content problem, it's that they have a public perception problem. Research may show the educated that there is no correlation between real life violence and video game violence, but unless voters are aware of this, they're likely to continue to vilify game creators. Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello recently commented that his company plans to be "a part of that solution," and now the Entertainment Software Assotiation has joined the fight to fix our image too. The industry representative group announced Monday that it is launching a new national public education campaign to increase awareness for the Entertainment Software Rating Board's age ratings for games. Specifically, the association says it will create and promote a new series of public service announcements, get ESRB materials more prominently displayed in stores, work with non-profits to encourage the use of "educational and pro-social purposes" through games, and try to get ESRB ratings in places they don't currently appear, such as in smartphone and social games. More information here.