The Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) was an independent, non-profit organization founded in the USA in 1994 by the Software Publishers Association as well as six other industry leaders in response to video game controversy and threats of government regulation. The goal of the council was to provide objective content ratings for computer games, similar to the earlier formed Videogame Rating Council (VRC) and later Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The ratings were based on the research of Dr. Donald F. Roberts of Stanford University who studied media and its effect on children. The council formed RSACi in 1995 which was a branch which rated websites. The organization was closed in 1999 and reformed into the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA). The background, formation and rating process of the RSAC and RSACi may be viewed here.
Software Labels
|
 Level 1 |
 Level 2 |
 Level 3 |
 Level 4 | |
 Violence |
Harmless conflict; some damage to objects | Creatures injured or killed; damage to objects; fighting | Humans injured or killed; with small amount of blood | Humans injured or killed; blood and gore | Wanton and gratuitous violence; torture; rape |
 Nudity/Sex |
No nudity or revealing attire / Romance, no sex | Revealing attire / Passionate kissing | Partial nudity / Clothed sexual touching | Non-sexual frontal nudity / Non-explicit sexual activity | Provocative frontal nudity / Explicit sexual activity; sex crimes |
 Language |
Inoffensive slang; no profanity | Mild expletives | Expletives; non-sexual anatomical references | Strong, vulgar language; obscene gestures | Crude or explicit sexual references |
External Links
- Archived RSAC website (April 14, 1997) - Software and internet content rating charts and the introduction.
- 3d Realms Tech Support - Pictures of the RSAC content symbols, as these pictures were unavailable at the RSAC site listed above.