97% of American teens ages 12-17 play some kind of video game.
99% of boys say they are gamers and 94% of girls report that they play games.
A typical teen plays at least five different types of games
40% of them play eight or more different game types.
While some teens play violent video games, those who do generally also play non-violent games.
76% of gaming teens play games with others at least some of the time.
82% play games alone at least occasionally, though 71% of this group also plays games with others.
65% of gaming teens play with others in the same room.76% of youth report helping others while gaming.

“The stereotype that gaming is a solitary, violent, anti-social activity just doesn’t hold up. The average teen plays all different kinds of games and generally plays them with friends and family both online and offline,” said Amanda Lenhart, author of a report on the survey and a Senior Research Specialist with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which conducted the survey. “Gaming is a ubiquitous part of life for both boys and girls. For most teens, gaming runs the spectrum from blow-‘em-up mayhem to building communities; from cute-and-simple to complex; from brief private sessions to hours’ long interactions with masses of others.”

On the subject of ratings, and age-appropriate gaming the report found that:
32% of kids aged 12-16 play games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.
32% of gaming teens report that at least one of their favorite games is rated Mature or Adults Only.
12-14 year olds are equally as likely to play Mature and Adults Only rated games as their 15-17 year old counterparts.

While the responses tackling Mature games are probably to be expected (what kids don’t aspire up to things intended for those older than they are?) the note about Adults Only games gave us pause. There are currently only 23 games that have ever been given the AO rating by the ESRB, and the current console and retail situation means that it’s very difficult to even find these products. What They Play has a feature about the Adults Only rating that can be found here. It seems more likely that the “Adults Only” content cited in the report refers to anecdotal comments about games, rather than the specific rating.

When it comes to the parents surveyed in the report:

90% of parents say they always or sometimes know what games their children play.
72% say they always or sometimes check the ratings before their children are allowed to play a game.
62% of parents of gamers say video games have no effect on their child.
19% of parents of gamers say video games have a positive influence on their child.
13% of parents of gamers say video games have a negative influence on their child.
5% of parents of gamers say gaming has some negative influence/some positive influence, but it depends on the game.

Don “The Dragon” Wilson - “Hall of Fame Kick Boxer” www.donthedragonwilson.com

Don “The Dragon” Wilson’s is known as the greastest Kick Boxer of all time, beginning in Cocoa Beach, Florida has Joined the Gaming Krib’s Advisory Board.  He solidifies the status of as “The Greatest” in the entire history of his sport is his record of winning 11 world titles in 3 separate weight classes under 6 different sanctioning organizations, and 11 straight years as a world champion. He racked up 71 wins with 47 KOs. He was the first kung-fu artist to gain a world title, and, to top it all off, was named the European Kickside magazine’s “Greatest Competitor of All Time” in 1996. Currently a Hollywood movie star, Don’s star is steadily rising, and there can be little doubt that he will feature prominently among Hollywood’s top action stars for many years to come. As well as acting in his films, Don has co-produced over 20 of his films. He has mutual approval over almost every creative aspect of film making.

It is a pleasure to have you on our Board and look forward with working with you forming our goals of getting children more involved in extracirrular activities.

The www.GamingKrib.com lists Games for Change…

3rd World Farmer
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 URL: http://www.3rdworldfarmer.com
Developer: 3rd World Farmer Team

Description: 3rd World Farmer lets players manage a small virtual farm in a developing country, and thus experience the hardships and dilemmas faced by the poor.
A Force More Powerful
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 URL: www.afmpgame.com
Developer: International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, York Zimmerman Inc. and BreakAway Games

Description: AFMP is the first and only game to teach the waging of conflict using nonviolent methods. Destined for use by activists, the game will also educate the media and general public on the potential of nonviolent action and serve as a simulation tool for academic studies of nonviolent resistance
Ayiti: The Cost of Life
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 URL: CostofLife.org
Developer: Global Kids and GameLab

Description: Ayiti: The Cost of Life is a game that challenges its players to manage a rural family of five in Haiti over four years and keep them healthy, get them educated, and help them survive. Develop in a unique partnership between youth in an after school program and a professional game developer, the game has been played over a half million times since its launch six months ago and has proven to be a hit as both an engaging game and as a tool for education.
Climate Challenge
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 URL: www.bbc.co.uk/sn/hottopics/climatechange/climate_challenge/
Developer: Red Redemption Ltd.

Description: �Climate Challenge� is a single-player game about climate change, playable for free on the BBC website. It is a sandbox-style strategy game based on real climate change data, where the player can try out different approaches, learn about the issues and have fun at the same time.
Community Organizing Toolkit
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 URL: www.organizinggame.org/
Developer: Doug Nelson

Description: The Toolkit is a set of resources that supports face-to-face training for residents and community leaders. The computer-based component (the “Organizing Game”) is used to introduce concepts, prompt discussion, and allow residents to practice skills in a safe, non-threatening environment. The initial focus of the Toolkit is teaching Doorknocking, an organizing technique that’s particularly effective in moving issues within a local community.
CONSENT!
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 URL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/GK%20Machinima%20Island/176/212/25
Developer: Global Kids/ Digital Refinery

Description: CONSENT! is a game in Second Life produced with Global Kids Youth leaders in the Global Kids Playing 4 Keeps program that offers a simulation of life as an African-male prisoner confronting five decades of medical racism.
Darfur is Dying
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 URL: www.darfurisdying.com
Developer: interFUEL, LLC

Description: Darfur is Dying is a web-based, viral video game that provides a window into the experience of the 2.5 million refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan. It is designed to raise awareness of the genocide taking place in Darfur and empower college students to help stop the crisis.
eLECTIONS: Your Adventure in Politics
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 URL: http://www.ciconline.org/elections
Developer: Cable in the Classroom

Description: eLECTIONS is a powerful online learning experience that demonstrates how broadband technology - with its capacity to deliver video, audio, excellent inter-activity, design and content - can support active, meaningful and memorable learning.
Food Force
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 URL: www.food-force.com
Developer: Deepend Srl for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

Description: Food Force is an educational action computer game that teaches kids about the problem of global hunger and the importance of humanitarian aid work.
Free Rice
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 URL: www.freerice.com
Developer: John Breen

Description: Free rice is a free online vocabulary gain that donates 20 grains of rice to the World Food Programme (WFP) for every correct answer. WFP ditributes the rice to hugry people all over the world.
Global Conflicts: Latin America
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 URL: www.globalconflicts.eu
Developer: Serious Games Interactive

Description: Global Conflicts: Latin America is a 3D-roleplaying game that let players explore key problems in Latin American countries. The region is one of the most turbulent, violent, and poverty-striken places in the world, yet we rarely hear anything about the nations that struggle with paramilitary rule, extreme poverty, and exploitation of the population.
Global Conflicts: Palestine
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 URL: www.globalconflicts.eu
Developer: Serious Games Interactive

Description: Global Conflicts: Palestine is a 3D role-playing game for players to explore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They will be confronted with issues around human rights, terrorism and the media’s role in conflict zones and will experience situations taken from real life events that are more complicated than outsiders may realise.
Harpooned
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 URL: http://harpooned.org
Developer: Conor O’Kane

Description: Harpooned is a free game for Windows. It is a Cetacean Research Simulator, where you play the role of a Japanese scientist performing research on whales around Antarctica.
Hurricane Katrina: Tempest in Crescent City
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 URL: http://tempestincrescentcity.ning.com/game
Developer: Digital Creations

Description: Our game is about the everyday people who became heroes during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The player is a resident looking for her mother. Along the way she must rescue people, and help neighbors help each other by distributing local resources and aiding comunication.
ICED - I Can End Deportation
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 URL: www.icedgame.com
Developer: Breakthrough

Description: Breakthrough’s video game, ICED – I Can End Deportation, (www.icedgame.com) puts you in the shoes of an immigrant to illustrate how unfair immigration laws deny due process and violate human rights. These laws affect all immigrants: legal residents, those fleeing persecution, students and undocumented people.
Karma Tycoon
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 URL: www.KarmaTycoon.com
Developer: 9mmedia (and Do Something)

Description: Karma Tycoon is an online strategy game in which players solve community problems, such as homelessness, in cities across the US. Players learn the ins and outs of the not-for-profit world as they apply for grants, receive donations and have to manage their budget efficiently. It is available free of charge at KarmaTycoon.com
McDonald’s Video Game
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 URL: www.mcvideogame.com
Developer: molleindustria

Description: McDonald’s video game is a business game that aims to demonstrate the social and environmental unsustainability of the fast food industry.

My US Rep
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 URL: http://www.boogaholler.com/myusrep/
Developer: Red Aphid

Description: Now you can role play your favorite US House of Representative with My US Rep! Your mission is to increase your rep’s popularity while you navigate a game space of legislation, lobbyists and media. Learn how your rep voted on key bills, then cast your own vote.
PeaceMaker
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 URL: www.peacemakergame.com
Developer: ImpactGames

Description: PeaceMaker is inspired by real events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It challenges players to succeed as a leader where others have failed: bringing peace to the Middle-East. Playing both perspectives, players could experience the joy of winning the Nobel Prize or the agony of plunging the region into disaster.
Pictures for Truth
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 URL: http://www.picturesfortruth.com
Developer: Florent Guinier, Karim Osman, Patrick Boutot, Vincent Theriault

Description: Pictures for truth is a full 3d adventure game where you play a journalist in China. You will take picture and publish article to help about human right related trouble.
Planet Green Game
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 URL: www.planetgreengame.com
Developer: Tree Media

Description: Starbucks and Global Green USA have teamed up to encourage individuals to learn about global climate change and smart solutions with the launch of Planet Green Game (www.planetgreengame.com). Planet Green Game offers real-world examples of how individuals can change their own behavior and also influence the actions of community, political and corporate leaders to engage in the effort to stop global warming.
Play The News
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 URL: www.playthenewsgame.com
Developer: ImpactGames

Description: An engaging, community-driven experience - imagine fantasy sports meets the evening news. Play the News is a web-based platform that changes the paradigm of news consumption from passive reading to active engagement.
Pos or Not
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 URL: www.posornot.com
Developer: VPI
RePlay: Finding Zoe
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 URL: www.metrac.org/replay/en/index.html
Developer: METRAC in partnership with Susana Ruiz, Huy Trong, Ashley York

Description: The RePlay video game is geared towards promoting healthy, equal relationships between youth aged 8 to 14 years old. It challenges mainstream gender stereotypes that children learn from a young age, and that often lead to the social proliferation of violence against women and girls.
The Arcade Wire: Airport Security
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 URL: www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/airportsecurity.jsp
Developer: Persuasive Games

Description: Airport Security offers a satirical critique of airport security practices circa early fall 2006, when security agencies in the US and abroad changed their policies to prohibit common items like toothpaste and hair gel.
The Arcade Wire: Oil God
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 URL: www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/oilgod.jsp
Developer: Persuasive Games

Description: You are an Oil God! Wreak havoc on the world’s oil supplies by unleashing war and disaster. Bend governments and economies to your will to alter trade practices. Your goal? Double consumer gasoline prices in five years using whatever means necessary.
The Redistricting Game
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 URL: http://www.redistrictinggame.org
Developer: USC Game Innovation Lab

Description: The Redistricting Game educates, engages, and empowers citizens around the issue of congressional redistricting. As is illustrated in the game, our system is subject to a range of manipulations and helps fuel long-term political polarization in the U.S. Those empowered to change the system – congress - have the least incentive to do so.
The Vinyl Game
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 URL: http://www.vinylgame.com/
Developer: Zelian

Description: Can you manage an industry sustainably? The Vinyl Game requires you to deliver shareholder profits whilst taking socio-economic and environmental decisions. The consequences of playing purely for economic growth become apparent as EU legislators levy fines, consumers boycott products and the trade unions vote to take strike action!
Wasteland Adventure
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 URL: a.parsons.edu/~cpeng/wastelandadventure/game.swf
Developer: Ching-Yun Peng (Grace)

Description: Wasteland Adventure is a game to help people raise the awareness of the concept of recycling and how this simple activity can teach sustainability and protection of our eco-system.
World Without Oil
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 URL: http://worldwithoutoil.org
Developer: Writerguy LLA

Description: WORLD WITHOUT OIL invited people worldwide to contribute “collective imagination” to confront a real-world issue: the risk our thirst for oil poses to our economy, climate and quality of life. It’s a milestone in the use of games as democratic, collaborative platforms for exploring possible futures and sparking future-changing action.

Ralph H. Baer Joins the www.GamingKrib.com as an Advisor…“Father of the Video Game” in 1966 Ralph made a revolutionary invention: the video game - many of them. He is noted for his many contributions to games and the video game industry. In 2006, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology for inventing the home console for video games and spawning the video game industry. In 2005, he recieved the “Legend Award” for his work in the development of video games.

R.H. Baer Consultants (RHBC) has been in the business of inventing, developing, and licensing electronic consumer products since I started it in 1975.

During the ’70’s and 80’s, much of RHBC’s work was involved in cooperative product development at Marvin Glass & Associates, the pre-eminent US independent toy & game designers of that period. SIMON, the perennially popular handheld game was the outstanding product of that period.

“Thank you for inviting me to participate. The program looks most interesting and I would be happy to join contributors…Thanks again and keep up the good work.”

97% of American teens ages 12-17 play some kind of video game.
99% of boys say they are gamers and 94% of girls report that they play games.
A typical teen plays at least five different types of games
40% of them play eight or more different game types. While some teens play violent video games, those who do generally also play non-violent games.
76% of gaming teens play games with others at least some of the time.
82% play games alone at least occasionally, though 71% of this group also plays games with others.
65% of gaming teens play with others in the same room.76% of youth report helping others while gaming.

“The stereotype that gaming is a solitary, violent, anti-social activity just doesn’t hold up. The average teen plays all different kinds of games and generally plays them with friends and family both
online and offline,” said Amanda Lenhart, author of a report on the survey and a Senior Research Specialist with the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which conducted the survey. “Gaming is a
ubiquitous part of life for both boys and girls. For most teens, gaming runs the spectrum from blow-‘em-up mayhem to building communities; from cute-and-simple to complex; from brief private
sessions to hours’ long interactions with masses of others.” On the subject of ratings, and age-appropriate gaming the report found that:
32% of kids aged 12-16 play games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.
32% of gaming teens report that at least one of their favorite games is rated Mature or Adults Only.
12-14 year olds are equally as likely to play Mature and Adults Only rated games as their 15-17 year old counterparts.

While the responses tackling Mature games are probably to be expected (what kids don’t aspire up to things intended for those older than they are?) the note about Adults Only games gave us pause. There are
currently only 23 games that have ever been given the AO rating by the ESRB, and the current console and retail situation means that it’s very difficult to even find these products. What They Play has a
feature about the Adults Only rating that can be found here. It seems more likely that the “Adults Only” content cited in the report refers to anecdotal comments about games, rather than the specific rating.

When it comes to the parents surveyed in the report:

90% of parents say they always or sometimes know what games their children play.
72% say they always or sometimes check the ratings before their children are allowed to play a game.
62% of parents of gamers say video games have no effect on their child.
19% of parents of gamers say video games have a positive influence on their child.
13% of parents of gamers say video games have a negative influence on their child.
5% of parents of gamers say gaming has some negative influence/some positive influence, but it depends on the game.