« Hot Coffee Hits the Boiling Point | Main | Indigo Prophecy Previewed »
July 21, 2005
San Andreas Rating Revoked!
We never would have guessed it would come to this. The ESRB - the ratings board that provides the voluntary ratings for video games, has decided to revoke the "M" rating of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and re-rate it as "AO" or Adults Only, at least until a new version is put on shelves, without the hidden but sexually provocative content revealed in the "hot coffee" mod.
If you have no idea what we're talking about, scroll down and read the previous post. But once you're caught up, it should seem obvious that this is a pretty bone-headed move.
Pretty much all games have some extra code that was removed from the game, but not entirely deleted. But even though this case seems to be a more complete game segment that might well have been left in as an easter egg for clever programmers to decompile and discover, that doesn't mean it's a case for changing the rating, which was already pegged at gamers 17 and over.
We're sure the ESRB will be roasted by the gaming press in the coming days for spinelessly caving in to political pressure, especially since we have yet to see a commentator or mainstream media account that accurately describes the situation.
Of course, the hidden content in GTA:SA is barely PG-13 level - fully clothed mannequins playing a little bedroom wrestling. But regardless of that, we're always shocked by how much violence is considered acceptable, but add the slightest touch of sex, and it's major freakout time.
Whew - we're done ranting for now...
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050721/ap_en_ot/video_game_sex
Posted by gamegal at July 21, 2005 12:56 AM