One Less Watchdog for the Video Game Industry

In a couple of days, there will be one less group keeping a watchful eye on the games industry, as the National Institute on Media and the Family is shutting down. NIMF was behind the annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card, which in years past has blasted the Entertainment Software Ratings Board for underrating some titles, making them easier for teens to obtain and play. However, in 2008, NIMF gave the games industry mostly favorable marks, with praise for the ESRB’s ratings guide and education efforts, and game console manufacturers including parental controls for content and timing. But now, the group, which also kept an eye on the movie and music industries, has run out of funding. There won’t be a Video Game Report Card for 2009, the Associated Press reports.

In addition to publishing the yearly report card, NIMF played a role in the controversy around Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ “Hot Coffee” minigame, which allowed players to act out a sex scene in the PC and Playstation 2 versions of the game by activating hidden code. NIMF claimed that it helped push the game’s rating up from Mature to Adults Only. Just one thought: As video games become more widely accepted as a pastime, is there less demand from donors for groups like NIMF? [via AP]