ESRB Ratings Add Violence Descriptors

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to an ESRB press release saying they've added four new violence-specific content descriptors to their voluntary but near-universally used age/suitability ratings system for games. These descriptors are "Cartoon Violence, defined as 'violent actions involving cartoon-like characters. May include violence where a character is unharmed after the action has been inflicted'... Fantasy Violence, defined as 'violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life.'... Intense Violence, defined as 'graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons, and depictions of human injury and death'... Sexual Violence, defined as 'depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts.'" There's also mention of icon redesign to include recommended age ranges and new, more prominent labels on the back of game boxes, presumably in response to legal challenges regarding violent games.

Comments

Re:this is good

[Anonymous Coward]

I dont think the M rating in games or the R rating in movies works the same way as the "Explicit Content" thing does for records.
E-T games tend to do better than M (GTA excepting) and most studios will tone things down to get a PG-13 when they can. Its not a kiss-of-death, its actually the marketplace (probably accidently) voting with its dollar to keep mature themes in context. The content rating does seems to effect rap and new metal records, though. They would sound silly without the violence and sexism.

Re:This is all pointless...

[_xeno_]

Hey, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance got "Partial Nudity," and there is one section of the game where the main character (Raiden, not Snake) is running around naked. In Substance, they added a VR mode calling "Streaking Mode" where you run around naked and try to sneak past the guards.

And he's nude - no clothing, not much other way to describe it. I'd think the cutscene and the gameplay section would count as "prolonged" - it's not like he's naked off-camera while changing or something. I suppose they figure that the way he attempts to hide his important parts counts as "mild" - although you can get in-game characters to comment on him. (Apparently the Russian guards think he's a little on the small side.)

The game designers did go out of their way to ensure that a certain region in the front was never viewable by the camera, but his butt is hanging out there is plain view as you try and sneak past the guards. I still think playing a guy running around naked counts as prolonged nudity.

But apparently "nudity" only applies to females, when you can see to much of their brests. A guy running around butt-naked is "partial nudity," because watching a guy run around naked must be a "mild depection of nudity," whatever that means.

(I can't be the only one who thinks nudity = completely nude; partial nudity = strategic covering of important areas, can I?)