Ask GD – An Impossible Task?
Got another parent (and a seperate teenage – note: seperate teenager note not reprinted here) reader with one of those forehead smacking good ideas. But is it right for GamerDad?
Dear GamerDad,
Why don’t you have a master list or something that tells parents which games are co-op in which ways, which games have filters that can make them TEEN from M. And which games are a “hard M” (GTA, Manhunt 2) and which arent (Halo)? That’s what parents need! – J. Jaymes
JJ,
What a good idea – and like most actually helpful good ideas that means nobody is doing it. It’d be really easy for a site like WhatTheyPlay.com to do this with tags or something – but they don’t. The ESRB could do this – but probably won’t. And the ECA doesn’t care much about parents – so that’s out too. Any Venture Capitalists want to fund my attempting this? Are there Venture Capitalists any more? Someone purportedly “helping” parents want to fund this. Let me know, got lots of good ideas over here. Assuming helping parents is the goal – and not simply making money or driving traffic with gimmicks.
Anyway, there’s no way in my current unfinanced state to do something this useful. I’m having enough trouble just keeping up with the questions that come every day! So, sorry, you’re going to have to check the box, read some reviews, rent first and cross your fingers.
-Your Friendly Neighborhood GamerDad
June 17th, 2009 at 7:45 am
I have seen requests like this all over – co-op, split-screen, and so on. Every now and then you get a ‘best co-op games for game system x’ article, but it fizzles quickly.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:41 am
http://www.co-optimus.com/ is what you need, though it doesn’t go into age appropriateness.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I was going to suggest that, Simon — GD should offer his “services” to co-optimus. They did a really good job with their database, and if they added a “Gamerdad Age Level / Content Descriptors” that would make it even better.