The All-India Game Developers’ Forum (AIGDF), in partnership with the Indian Governance and Policy Project (IGAP), has published a white paper titled “India’s Gaming Industry: Time For Age & Content Ratings?”. This comprehensive report underlines the critical need for a structured age and content rating system specially tailored to India’s fast-developing gaming industry’s unique cultural and constitutional landscape.
India’s Booming Gaming Industry Needs Age Rating System, Report Says
With an estimated 425 million players, India has seen an unparalleled increase in gaming content consumption. However, unlike other digital content industries, such as OTT platforms, India lacks a consistent age-rating game framework. This regulatory vacuum has resulted in the unregulated exposure of inappropriate material to younger audiences, raising worries about the possible dangers of an unregulated web, particularly for children.
The report discusses how global age-rating systems, such as the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in North America and the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system, might give useful insights for developing a domestic model customized to Indian sensibilities. Despite the fact that some publishers have adopted foreign-origin rating systems, the paper contends that a domestic rating framework, based on locally recognized vocabulary and criteria, would be more effective.
The AIGDF report also emphasizes the need for regulated and responsible industrial procedures to ensure children’s safety and mental well-being. The gaming ecosystem provides several advantages, including increased creativity, problem-solving ability, and cognitive abilities. However, without a controlled environment, these advantages may be outweighed by the hazards of improper material.
The paper concludes with a call to action for stakeholders to discuss the best methods to govern and promote India’s thriving gaming sector. Using worldwide best practices like as parental controls and age verification systems, the industry can build a secure and responsible gaming environment that fosters growth without suffocating potential.
As India’s gaming industry expands, the necessity for a standardized age and content rating system becomes more urgent. The AIGDF and IGAP paper provides a plan for creating a framework that balances gaming’s entertainment value with the safety and well-being of its younger users.
2024: a "forum" for RMG decides to peddle a whitepaper on what video game ratings in India should be. Maybe first make video games instead of changing your name to sound like you are game devs when you don't represent the interests of those in the business. Gross.
— Rishi Alwani (@RishiAlwani) August 27, 2024
Rishi Alwani questions the AIGDF’s report regarding its legitimacy and motives. The veteran claims that the AIGDF is funded by real-money gaming companies rather than actual video game developers, suggesting that the report is a ploy to gain relevance. Additionally, the veteran argues that the AIGDF should focus on developing video games before attempting to influence industry regulations.
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