[casual_games] ESRB - Vista, MSN - clarification

[Scott Austin]

Jason

You are correct that one of the requirements for Level 2 ad rev share with MSN Games is ESRB ratings.  You are also correct that it is one of the requirements that the developer gets to pick from (pick 3 of 4).

If and when we have advertising in download games, these same rules will apply (unless they are updated before then).  As we do not have advertising today in download games, game ratings is not required by MSN for DLs.

Glad to see people reading the ad rev share doc!

Scott Austin
MSN Games

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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:54:52 -0700
From: "Jason Akel" <jasakel at hotmail.com>
Subject: [casual_games] ESRB - Vista, MSN - clarification
To: <casual_games at igda.org>
Message-ID: <BAY122-DAV3EAB1F8497C5644DA538DB44C0 at phx.gbl>
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Hi Kim,

ESRB is not required for Vista compliance - true. I should have clarified
that the need for an ESRB rating affects developers looking for advertising
revenue share on MSN, but Vista comes into play here, too, though
indirectly. While the "Microsoft Casual Games Advertising Revenue Sharing
Program" document refers specifically to web games, my understanding from
the GDC session on the topic is that this applies to any ad revenue
generated from downloadables around-game/in-game now and in the future (I
asked Scott Austin this specific question). Correct me if I am wrong.

I quote with excerpts from the document referenced above:

"Level 1
- 10 percent of ad revenue
- Game must meet all basic requirements of the GDK, including compatibility
with Microsoft Vista...

Level 2 Game Criteria
In order to receive 20 percent of ad revenue, a developer must first meet
all Level 1 requirements AND meet these additional requirements...

...Developers must also meet three out of the following four requirements
(Developer's choice of which 3) when creating a Level 2 game:
- Obtain an ESRB rating - Microsoft will not accept ESRB M-rated games.
...". [The other two options are related to exclusivity and multi-language.]

In short, if you want to reach Level 2, you are going to be Vista compliant.
In turn, many publishers/developers are likely to pick the ESRB option due
to its now lower cost versus multi-language or offering an exclusive. But as
you said, ESRB is not essential for Vista or MSN.

Thanks.

-Jason

Jason Akel
Marketing & BusDev Consultant
Chair, IGDA Casual Games SIG
510 964 9094 (Office)
646 221 8885 (Cell)
510 722 1604 (Fax)
jasakel at hotmail.com (MSN IM)
jasakel5 (AIM)
jasakel (Skype)

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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 13:09:13 -0700
From: Kim Pallister <kimpall at microsoft.com>
Subject: Re: [casual_games] ESRB - new pricing now public
To: "casual_games at igda.org" <casual_games at igda.org>
Message-ID:

<B696D8811D33684FBF0333898C8FE9B33C39012D49 at NA-EXMSG-C105.redmond.corp.micro
soft.com>

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> The ESRB hopes that this will assist your goals of becoming Vista/MSN

compliant.

I'm going to add my 2c since the above comment falls in my court on the MSN
games front.

We too had numerous conversations with the ESRB, and are glad they see the
casual games segment as important and realized that a different price
structure was warranted. I personally am a bit apprehensive about the
'budget threshold' division, but am sympathetic that no approach is perfect,
and this approach may be a better one than others proposed in discussions on
this list and elsewhere (by segment, by tech platform, by business model,
etc).

Anyhow, the points I wanted to add regarding the mail-quoted comment above.

- Vista-compatibility doesn't require ESRB ratings (nor any other rating
body's). I covered this in some detail in the last casual games quarterly.

- 'MSN Compliance' (which I read as "to get your games on MSN Games")
doesn't require ESRB ratings either. We *DO* require that games be
Vista-compatible to be distributed on our site going forward. ESRB ratings
are a nice to have. (They are a must-have for Xbox Live Arcade, for what
it's worth). We *do* like to see games rated where possible, but at this
time it's not a must-have.

Also, the ESRB announcement has some language in their announcement about
display/prominence/etc of the ratings. In the casual space, they seem to
have realized that how the game is merchandised on different portals may be
out of the control of the developer, but require that best efforts be made
to ensure its displayed properly. I encourage anyone getting their game
rated to read through this stuff and ensure their distribution deals
encompass the needed requirements.

My 2c,

Kim Pallister