ESRB ratings are both good and bad for the games industry. On the one hand, they keep mature content away from young kids, but on the other, they hinder developmental freedom by forcing developers to target certain age brackets with their titles. If you ask people for opinions on what the ESRB does, you’ll probably find one opinion for each person you talk to. But, regardless of our personal opinions, the ESRB has a major influence over the world of game making.

Looking to expand its role into the rapidly growing mobile market, the ESRB, working with the CTIA, recently developed a rating system for mobile games, similar to what is already in place for other games. Microsoft, Sprint, Verizon and a few other big names are behind the new ratings system, but Google and Apple have officially declined to participate. This means the iTunes Store and Android Market will remain ESRB-free, for now.

It makes perfect sense from the outside – the big names that are onboard aren’t app companies, they’re mostly cellular providers. Google and Apple are really the only two companies that stand to lose anything with a new ratings system, with the possible exception of Microsoft. Of course, Microsoft is already participating with the ESRB on non-mobile games, so their hands are probably tied. Still, you have to wonder if this decision will have any major impact on either mobile marketplace.

What do you think of Apple and Google’s decision to keep the ESRB out of their games? Would you do the same if you were in charge?

[Destructoid]

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