We were thinking the same thing: "What took so long" Why the Entertainment Software Rating Board wasn't rating download-only games all along is anyone's guess, but starting today the ESRB will hand out letter ratings to titles available on storefronts like Xbox Live Arcade, Nintendo Wii Shop, DSi Shop, and the PlayStation Network Store.

Up until now, part of a downloadable title's certification process did not involve getting a proper rating. Will the new guidelines delay the overall workflow Probably not, as publishers will be able to complete an online submission form that consists of multiple questions related to a game's content--a completely different process than traditional disc-based console games.

The ESRB has been proactive about parental education of the ratings system for video games, and recently released an app for Android and iPhone that will pull up extended ratings information when a game's UPC code is scanned via a smartphone's camera.