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What They Play, the family guide to video games
Fall 2009 Website
Ages: Family
Developer: John Davidson
Developer: John Wegis
Developer: Ira Becker
Director: Michael Ng
Review:
Whattheyplay.com is almost an embarrassment of riches. Here, you'll find screens
jam-packed with offerings: enticing articles (such as an interview with Transformers star Megan Fox), a news blog with the game-related headlines, and lists of the latest games and the most popular games, sorted by ESRB ratings. Along the top, tabs offer entrance to each game system - WII, Xbox, PC, Mac, etc. In each section is a list of reviews, a gameplay summary, screen grabs and videos for hundreds of games. A robust search function makes it easy to find any game in the site's archives.
Expect a provocative Question of the Day. On one of my visits it was: Is it okay for Teen-rated games to include profanity such as the word s**t? And 77% of voters were saying yes! Accompanying the vote was a trend piece, noting that the language has gotten stronger in the last couple of years and discussing how ratings are assigned to games.
Don't be surprised that the What They Play site is supported by advertisers. But the advertisements are clearly labeled and are associated with the videogame industry.
Founded in 2007 by entertainment and media industry veterans Ira Becker and John Davison, the site's goal is to offer helpful resources within an "unbiased, non-judgmental environment" to guide parents through the videogame world. Bookmark it as a favorite, and you'll have easily accessible comprehensive videogame information - for you or your kids - at your fingertips.
Ann Oldenburg ©2009 Parents' Choice
Ann Oldenburg, a blogger and reporter for USA Today, has covered entertainment from the Washington, D.C. area for more than 20 years. She is a University of Florida Gator with a degree in journalism, and she began her career at The Washington Post. Throughout the years, she has written for TV Guide, Parents magazine and other publications. She is the co-author of a travel guide book titled The Dog Lover's Companion to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, with her husband, Don Oldenburg, a former Washington Post writer. She and Don live in McLean, Va., with their three sons and their two dogs.
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