Is the ESRB doomed? How do you go from one of the most heralded review systems out there and suddenly you find yourself getting kicked to the curb? With Best Buy jumping on to have another company help provide ratings information, is it possible it's a sign of things to come, meaning either the ESRB will cease to be or at least change to fit a new demand? Questions, questions, questions.

From the article:

On Thursday GamePolitics reported on a deal between retailer Best Buy and watchdog group Common Sense Media that places CSM’s video game ratings alongside those of the ESRB on the BestBuy.com website.

While GamePolitics commented at the time that the move didn’t seem to bode well for the ESRB, the organization itself put on a brave face. Spokesman Eliot Mizrachi told GameDaily BIZ:

ESRB ratings are just one tool among many that consumers can and should use to help them make informed video game purchase decisions. Best Buy continues to be a strong supporter of ESRB ratings, and this move expands upon the resources they’ve been offering their customers…

But since the announcement a pair of knowledgable sources have painted a less optimistic picture of the Best Buy - Common Sense Media alliance. One industry insider told GamePolitics:

It really undermines the ESRB.

Another source, well-versed in the political aspects of video game content, saw the move as indicative of fading retailer confidence in the ESRB:

Really, it all goes back to Hot Coffee.

This individual claimed that retailers lost confidence in the industry’s rating process during the 2005 scandal. The source also alleged that pressure from major retailers prompted the ESRB’s public revelation that the Hot Coffee animations were included on the San Andreas retail disc by GTA developer Rockstar.

Read the full article over at gamepolitics.com