Publishers released fewer “M for Mature” games in 2007; but the M-rated games that were released generated more money than in previous years.
From ShackNews:
An examination of data provided by the sales tracking firm NPD reveals that the number of released titles stamped with an M for Mature rating fell 14% in 2007 versus the previous year. Revenue from those sales, meanwhile, jumped from $800 million in 2006 to $1.4 billion in 2007. Continued…
Surprisingly, videogames rated “Mature” by the ESRB tend to sell better than titles with less restrictive ratings, according to an independent study. It said:
Mature rated titles, comprising 10% of all US retail games examined, have both the highest average Metacritic scores and the highest average gross sales in the United States. This is despite not being offered for sale at some major retailers.
Hopefully, this kind of data will encourage publishers like Rockstar not to edit M-rated games, like their upcoming Manhunt 2. Many large retailers such as Wal-Mart refuse to carry “Mature” games; and several states have attempted unsuccessfully to ban sales of M-rated games to minors. Continued…
