PlayStation 3 to Offer Parental Controls

The Entertainment Software Association says Sony plans to parental controls for the PlayStation 3, making it the last major console maker to promise built-in content restriction.

The Entertainment Software Association says Sony plans to integrate parental controls into its forthcoming PlayStation 3 gaming console, making the company the last of the major console makers to sign on to integrating content controls in to game units. Microsoft shipped parental controls in its just-debuts Xbox 360 console and Xbox Live online service, and in October Nintendo announced it planned to include parental controls in its forthcoming Revolution console.

Parental controls let users limit players’ access to video games and DVD based on the ratings such as those given by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). Using the controls, parents could prevent consoles from playing games or viewing content carrying particular ratings, such as “T” for teen and “M” for Mature.

The video game industry faces increasing scrutiny from parents and watchdog groups