MediaBox 5: What They Play.
Way back — back when this here blog was just starting out — I posted some links on the right side of the page. Most of these have been detailed through various allusions and post thereafter. But one in particular has gone unexplained: What They Play.
Allow me to establish one well-known (but occasionally forgotten) fact: I am a nerd. I could blame it on my Nintendo-filled childhood or my electronic entertainment retail experience. Either way, it can be stated without exaggeration or hyperbole that I’m a bit of a videogame…uh…enthusiast.
What does any of that have to do with What They Play?
A few years back, editor John Davison left behind the familiar confines of 1UP to found his own game site. Instead of focusing solely on game reviews, news, and features for the sake of gamers (typically pre-teen to young adult males), Davison crafted a site tailored to parents and families in search of suitable and palatable interactive entertainment. To quote the site, it’s the “family guide to video games.”
Every news article, every review, and every editorial emphasizes not only game quality, but also game content. ESRB (Electronic Software Ratings Board) ratings are everywhere, and site searches can be filtered by the user’s ratings preferences.
What They Play gets the 1square Seal of Approval (which probably means nothing, but sounds pretty darn legit). As video games become a more and more pervasive part of family life, it is vital that parents are educated when it comes to game content. Thank you, Mr. Davison.
Tyler
