i dont think so. im 15 and ive been playing m rated games since i had my ps1. ive tried to rent m rated games b4 and the cashier asks me for id. obviosuly im not old enough, to get it, but i play it anyways, and so do many other teens my age.

i think its the parents job to do what esrb does. kids get their hands on m or teen rated games anyways. theyll find someway 

people have this weird idea that playing violent video games will cause children to grow into psychopaths. I am also 15 but I still play m-rated games since my brother is old enough(he's 18). My mom does not mind if I play m-rated games since I am pretty mature for my age.

Young children will emulate violence (or anything really) they see on TV or in video games.  It's a natural thing.  The real disconnect is in the parent-child communication of what is and isn't acceptible behavior and that's something the ESRB can't remedy.

So not, I don't think it's really needed.

Yes, but changes need to be made MASSIVE changes. First off they can hire me.

I think the ESRB is needed. Some parents like to know what comes into their house and having this wonderful system helps out many family's in deciding what content to allow their children to play.

I know its not like: "oh i just played GTA vice city, I'm gonna go steal a car and kill 4 cops".

no, they're just fun ass games.

screw the M rating, screw ESRB, and screw Patcher!!!!!

Of course we need them.

Everyone needs a scapegoat for why their kids are hitting their siblings or messing around with their friends. Who better to take the responsibility off of the parents than a group masquerading as the "video game police"?

It's all about personal responsibility and power, and with the ESRB, all parents have less responsibility (with someone else to blame other than themselves), and some random people think they have power.

Everyone wins.

Yes, they are needed. They help parents make informed decisions about what they do and do not let their kids do. Although I believe that it doesn't matter much there are many families that exert a lot of control in their homes. The ESRB are for those families.

shhhhhh, don't let Hillary Clinton hear that. :)

I do think it's necessory, it's a good information for non-gamers (AKA Soccer Mom) to feel less guilty about not knowing what their kids are playing while they talk on the phone or surf the internet.

And that's the kind of security they feel justify them being bad parent.

Heck, who doesn't want the government telling you exactly what you should or shouldn't do? You know what they say... government knows the best!

I wouldn't let my kids play manhunt.

Possibly Halo 3, but not online untill there old enough to swear!

C'mon though! what good games are they going to play that aren't M rated!