As my topic title states, Should iPhone/Touch Games go through evaluation by the ESRB? 

In my opinion they should and I believe this for two main reasons. 

One: The games just aren't evaluated throroughly enough given that the only people who ever look at them is the constantly rushed Apple evaluation team.

Two: There is an extra cost associated with getting ESRB ratings...and games are typically cheaper on the iPhone/Touch than on comparable mediums because that cost is not factored into the item.

What are your thoughts? Is this not a big issue? If the iPhone/Touch is going to be calling itself a gaming device...shouldn't Apple have to go through the same processes as...well every other game device I can think of on the market that sells their games to a large audience.

Sure, if you want them all to cost $10+

Sure there's a cost associated with the evaluation, but it helps to regulate what gets to people who shouldn't have certain games in their hands...i.e. children...Think of the children, Twesterm

I'm just curious, do you know anything about Apple and how it governs the App Store?

I understand that they have a thorough process over at Apple...I just don't think a company should be responsible for their own rating system...It just shouldn't work that way...that's why there is an ESRB to begin with.  I would much rather things go through a 3rd party committee myself.

I would really up on Apple's decision process before making a thread like this.

Note that I'm not praising their decision process, I'm just saying if you actually knew how they went about doing things instead of randomly making threads, well, you probably wouldn't make this thread in the first place.

Why do we even need the ESRB? I wish more people would take the time to themselves research and play games before letting their kids.

Twesterm, I didn't just wake up today and go "I think i'll make an random thread to knock Apple's game evaluation process "

I have actually looked into it and it really does make sense that, if they're going to keep calling the thing a portable gaming competitor...that's just one of the steps to go through...If you don't agree me on that you're by all means entitled to your opinion on the matter, but all it is on mine and your side is...opinions.

The whole point of the ESRB is to be an unbiased look at the game at hand and present what's in it in the form of a rating system...It's a difficult job, but someone has to do it because if it was up to the parents to look at every single thing a child of theirs wanted...they'd never have time for anything else but evaluation...yeah you can see a cover and guess at it, or you can play the first 30 minutes, but parents don't really have the time to dig too deep into what the kid's getting into...that's where the ESRB is a great thing...Look up the game, it gives a synopsis of what concerning things one will find in it, and done.

wel, you have to say your 18+ to download big boys games in your ipod/iphone