User:Fernando Jesús Fontes/Mexican Video Game Content Classification Equivalences system

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SMECCV
Mexican System of Equivalences for Video Game Content Classification
Sistema Mexicano de Equivalencias de Clasificación de Contenidos de Videojuegos
FormationNovember 27, 2020; 3 years ago (2020-11-27)
HeadquartersMexico City
Location
ProductsAge classification of video games in Mexico
Official language
Spanish
Secretary General
Dirección General de Radio, Televisión y Cinematografía
Websitehttps://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5606047

The Mexican System of Equivalences of Video Game Content Classification (Sistema Mexicano de Equivalencias de Clasificación de Contenidos de Videojuegos [SMECCV]) is the current legislation in Mexico regarding the regulation of the age classification of video games. Said legislation was adopted and published in the Official Gazette of the Federation by the Ministry of the Interior in November 2020 and entered into force on May 27, 2021.

History[edit]

Since the beginning of the commercialization of the video game industry in Mexico, there was no regulation for its classification by age and its restriction to the sale to minors in the case of video games with a high content of violence or of a sexual nature. Since the 1990s, manufacturers and distributors have marketed in Mexico the titles that were sold in the United States, these being already rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), resulting in the ratings given by this association being used accordingly. facto in Mexico although these were printed in English on the packaging of the games which began to be translated around 2012.

Given the growth of the video game industry in Mexico and within the framework of the Mexican drug war, in April 2017 the deputy for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Aurora Cavazos Cavazos proposed a reform to the Federal Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law so that the Federal Telecommunications Institute will regulate the classification and sale of video games to minors in Mexico,[1] being referred to the Senate, which finally approved on April 27 of that year that the Ministry of the Interior be in charge of classifying by age and regulating the sale of video games in Mexico after the Organic Law of the Federal and General Public Administration of the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents was reformed.[2]

The aforementioned reforms stated that it would be the Ministry of the Interior that would issue the guidelines for the classification and regulation of the sale of video games in national territory, which were not published until November 2020 and entered into force on May 27, 2021.[3] In accordance with what was published in said guidelines, the Ministry of the Interior established that it would be the responsibility of the Dirección General de Radio, Televisión y Cinematografía to classify the titles and monitor compliance with the standard. The first video game to comply with this regulation was New Pokémon Snap for the Nintendo Switch.[4]

Ratings[edit]

In the guidelines published by the Ministry of the Interior, a table of equivalences between the Mexican and American ratings issued by the ESRB is given. [3]

Rating Name Description Suitable age Equivalent ESRB
All public The content is suitable for all ages. May contain a minimal amount of cartoon, fantasy, or light violence, or infrequent use of moderate profanity. All ages.
+12 year The content is suitable for people 12 years of age or older. May contain more cartoon, fantasy, or light violence, mild profanity, or minimally suggestive suggestive themes. Adolescents from 12 years.
+15 years The content is suitable for people 15 years of age or older. They may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, or infrequent use of strong language. Adolescents from the age of 15.
Adults +18 years The content is suitable for people over 18 years of age. They may contain intense violence, bloodshed, sexual content, or strong language. Youth and adults over 18 years of age.
Exclusive adults The content is suitable only for adults. They may include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content, or real-money gambling. Adults only.

Labelled[edit]

Example of descriptive sheet according to Mexican legislation.

The guidelines mention that subsequent labeling should:[3]

  • The descriptive stamp will be located, printed or adhered, in the lower part of the back cover or reverse cover.
  • The application will contain on the left side, the Rating icon in a circle or rectangle. On the right side you will see the content descriptors according to the Classification and the content of the material (video game) and below both you will see the interactive elements according to the Classification and the content of the material.
  • The font that must be used for the Classification letter is Arial and the font size may not be less than 10 points, but the size of this letter and the icon may be larger so that it is proportional to the size of the box.
  • The font size of the content descriptors cannot be less than 7 points, but it may be larger so that it is proportional to the number and length, considering all the video game descriptors. Each content descriptor should be marked on a separate line to facilitate reading comprehension.
  • The font size of the interactive elements cannot be less than 8 points, but it may be larger so that it is proportional to the number and extension, considering all the descriptors of the video game. Each interactive element should be marked on a separate line or separated by a slash to facilitate reading comprehension.

Qualification criteria and requirements[edit]

The guidelines only mention the requirement of compliance with the labeling for the sale of video games in physical format and does not do so for the sale of video games in digital format.[3] On the other hand, the law mentions that distributors must ask the consumer to prove their age of majority by presenting their voter identification card in case they seek to acquire a video game classified as "C" or "D".[3][5]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "DIPUTADA PROPONE QUE EL IFT REGULE LOS VIDEOJUEGOS". El Cinco. 19 de abril de 2017. Retrieved 15 de agosto de 2021. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Aprueba Senado que Segob clasifique contenido de los videojuegos". Senado de la República. 27 de abril de 2017. Retrieved 15 de agosto de 2021. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e "LINEAMIENTOS Generales del Sistema Mexicano de Equivalencias de Clasificación de Contenidos de Videojuegos". Diario Oficial de la Federación. 27 de noviembre de 2021. Retrieved 15 de agosto de 2021. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)
  4. ^ "A menos de dos meses de la nueva clasificación de videojuegos en México, 'New Pokémon Snap' luce el nuevo diseño del etiquetado". Xataka. 1 de abril de 2021. Retrieved 16 de agosto de 2021. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)
  5. ^ Cruz, Ariadna (1 de diciembre de 2020). "Con la nueva clasificación de videojuegos tendrás que mostrar tu identificación para comprar algunos títulos". El Universal. Retrieved 17 de agosto de 2021. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)

[[Category:Video game content ratings systems]] [[Category:Translation]]

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