ESRB president Patricia Vance explained the justification for the grades in a public statement.

"In recent years, the report card concept has become increasingly arbitrary, simple-minded, and silly, more of a headline-grabbing tool than a parent-helping tool, and NIMF's 2005 report card continues that disappointing tradition. For years, ESRB respected the work of NIMF, recognizing it as a serious-minded watchdog group sincerely interested in helping parents make smart media decisions, and for this reason we have previously sought to engage them in a cooperative and productive dialogue. But this year NIMF made clear that its real agenda is to undermine parent trust in the ESRB. We will not allow NIMF to mislead parents about the accuracy and effectiveness of ESRB ratings. Accordingly, and reluctantly, we have little choice but to publicly challenge NIMF's numerous inaccurate and misleading claims."

While some may call the ESRB's grades uncalled for, it is no different from the F grade assigned by NIMF for Ratings Accuracy. When most surveyed parents believe that game ratings are correct, it is clear that NIMF was not referring to the industry as a whole but rather to the one standout example of the year, namely Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The grade was nothing more than a political jab, which has no place in such a report. After taking undue fire this whole year, the ESRB has finally responded in kind.