ESRB reports lower percentage of Mature games

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the US body that hands out age ratings for games, saw the largest number of games in its 13 years of existence come through its doors in 2007.

It has revealed that 1,563 games were given ratings last year, a 22 percent increase from 2006. The E for Everyone category continued to have the most games, with 59 percent of ratings, followed by T for Teen (13 and over) with 20 percent, and E10+ (10 and older) at 15 percent. M for Mature (17 and older) rated games made up 6 percent of the total, down from 8 percent in 2006, and 12 percent in 2005.

A statement from the ESRB president, Patricia Vance, said, "Although we tend to hear from the media most about the more controversial Mature-rated games, the reality is the 8.5 out of every 10 games sold last year were rated as appropriate for ages 13 or younger."