Tech Shout!

A parental control will apparently be levied on the forthcoming machine, PlayStation 3, Sony Corporation announced. The control will thereby promise to help parents restrict their children’s access to violent video games.

Amusingly, Microsoft Corporation’s Xbox 360, which was released last week, features parental controls that restrict access to DVDs and video games carrying ratings like “M” for mature or “T” for teen. Parental controls are present in Microsoft’s Xbox Live online gaming service as well; these allow parents to have a check on whom their children are interacting with.

Now-a-days the video game industry has come under the scanner, with increasing legislation restricting sale of violent video games to minors.

Doug Lowenstein, president, Entertainment Software Association, said that with the average age of game players now being 30, it is obvious that the industry is creating content to cater to a wide range of audiences. However it is commendable that game console makers are voluntarily applying parental controls not yet found in other media devices like music players or DVDs, Lowenstein said.