US video game regulatory board known as the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, or ESRB for short, has introduced a no-cost Digital Rating Service.

This means that downloadable games can now receive a free assessment via a questionaire and gain an official rating from the ESRB.

This means that smaller indie studios can still get their games rated without the burden found from the rather costly process. It also means parents and guardians can easily identify if the game is suitable from the recognisible ESRB logo.

“By simplifying the process and eliminating the cost to developers, the ESRB expects to broaden adoption of its ratings among game providers of all types,” an ESRB representative stated. “The resulting ubiquity of ESRB ratings will ease a parent’s job by presenting a single ratings standard across the many platforms on which their children access games. Increased adoption of ESRB ratings also means that developers will no longer be subject to differing and oftentimes conflicting rating systems and standards for their digitally delivered games.”

All in all this sounds rather good.