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[Keyser Soze]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=60172

The Xbox 360 will feature a parental locking system that can be used to prevent children from accessing games unsuitable for their age range, according to Japanese website Mainichi.

Parents will be able to set-up the console so it will only play games with appropriate age ratings. When users attempt to load a game, the machine will read data from the disk to determine whether it falls into the correct category.

In addition, parents will be able to programme the 360 to restrict children's access to online chatrooms.
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The Mainichi article states that the new features, which have never been included in a games console before, will be built-in to US and European machines as well as Japanese units. There has recently been a storm of controversy in Japan surrounding Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto, before even the Hot Coffee scandal emerged.

I am sure parents won't use it though and still fricken complain!

…and this good move by MS wont be late breaking new on CNN

 

[open_mouth_]

Rockstar should make the next GTA game exclusive to 360 now so they'll be protected from lawsuits if they *cough* mistakenly let some sex mini games slip in there again...

 

[pilonv1]

There has recently been a storm of controversy in Japan surrounding Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto

Tell me more...

 

[Apharmd Battler]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=60172



I am sure parents won't use it though and still fricken complain!

…and this good move by MS wont be late breaking new on CNN

Parents probably aren't using it now in the current XBox. Probably never even took a look at the dashboard........

 

[Fuzzy]

I've been calling for consoles to be able to block games based on the ratings for a long time. Will the console come pre-locked to anything but E-rated games?

 

[Unison]

Doesn't Xbox already have this?

 

[Pudding Tame]

Tell me more...

Well, I remember reading a story where they tried to get GTA III sold in Japan by making the main charecter an undercover cop instead of a criminal.

I know vice city is being sold here as one of my Jr. High students has it.

Doesn't Xbox already have this?

Yep.

 

[pilonv1]

That's neither recent or a storm of controversy. I thought there was something new going on, other than the late release into Japan.

 

[Pudding Tame]

Well, it is kind of hard for me to keep up with current news here as I usually miss the translated news telecasts and none of the English newspapers are sold where I live.

 

[Fuzzy]

Doesn't Xbox already have this?

I don't have an XBOX, how does it work currently?

 

[raYne]

I don't have an XBOX, how does it work currently?

You head into the options and set a parental guideline for game/DVDs that are allowed to be played on the system... G, PG, PG13, R, NC17 for movies and EC, KA, E, T, M, AO, RP for games. Then you "lock" the choice in with a button combination (similar to signing in to 'Live) and it saves it.

You're essentially setting a maximum rating for games/movies that can be used on the system.

 

[Pudding Tame]

I don't have an XBOX, how does it work currently?

Go into the Xbox settings menu, go to parental controls, then choose what you want the maximum rated movies and games you want played to be. It isn't really that hard, but for parents who don't have experience with these things it could be a chore.

 

[Fuzzy]

So perhaps the change will be to make it obvious that the option is there. I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing an ESRB screen on bootup soon like the Health & Safety screen on Nintendo-published GCN games.

 

[raYne]

Well, games on 'Live always had a similar warning that playing online affects the "gameplay experience", with all the cursing and all lol) so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch.

 

[sonycowboy]

And the number of parents who have ever touched thier Childrens' Xbox is...

 

[Dr_Cogent]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=60172



I am sure parents won't use it though and still fricken complain!

…and this good move by MS wont be late breaking new on CNN

This parent will be using it.

 

[Fuzzy]

And the number of parents who have ever touched thier Childrens' Xbox is...

To combat that MS should have it come locked to all but E-rated games and the code must be obtained by calling them.