The RSAC ratings were based on the research of Dr. Donald F. Roberts of Stanford University who studied media and its effect on children.
In 1993, senators Herb Kohl and Joseph Lieberman raised concerns over the levels of violence and other adult material appearing in video games which were available to children.
At the time, the largest trade group, the SPA had few members in the gaming field, but the ASP had many, and the two organizations decided to work together.
The SPA and ASP (and other industry groups) were opposed to an age-based rating system operated by a review committee as developed by the ESRB, which was proposed by several multi-national console game manufacturers and distributors.
[2][3] An ASP-sponsored committee, led by Jim Green of Software Testing Labs, and staffed by Karen Crowther of Redwood Games, and Randy MacLean of FormGen, developed the initial version of what would become the RSAC ratings.