Controversial Manhunt Game Rated 'R' in Ontario

GrimSean writes "Well, it looks like someone in power up here in Ontario finally noticed the level of violence in Rockstar's Manhunt, as the Ontario Film Review Board has given it an R rating, much like a movie. The Toronto Star has an article here and the CBC has also covered the story - according to an article at CJAD, businesses could be fined a minimum of $25,000 Canadian for selling it to minors. It seems like they've completely sidestepped the ESRB's M rating and gone directly to the Restricted to 'control the thing'."

Comments

Film Board Rating Video Games

[leadfoot2004]

If you read the story carefully, it is the Ontario Film Board that is rating video games. As I watched the CBC TV on this news story, the representative from the Ontario Film Board mentioned that Manhunt has every element that contributes to the R-rating, as in film: excessive foul language, grotesque violence, etc. If we were to rate video games the same way as film, then a lot of other games should have gotten the R-rating as well, yet this is the first video game that has received such a rating. This implies that they are looking for a quick and easy way to regulate the sale of violent game to minors, and the ESRB rating is not as effective as they like.

Re:This is OK

[Daetrin]

One could consider it good or bad though, on one hand videogames being judged by a group well versed in making these types of judgements is defintely a plus, but on the otherhand this group probably doesn't have experience with games and dealing with their level of interactivity....

Some would even argue about their competency to judge films.

I seem to remember that a few years ago there was some artsy type film that involved some females talking to each other about their sex lives. No actualy sex, just talking about it, and the MPAA wanted to rate it NC-17.

Ok, after five minutes of Googling i think i have it narrowed down:

"And some suspect that the MPAA rates films about female sexuality tougher than those focusing on men. For example, an independent teen comedy called Coming Soon that was a hit at the Seattle International Film Festival has had trouble finding a domestic distributor (20th Century Fox bought international rights) after being rated NC-17. The film, which is about three teenage girls who talk frankly about sex and their interest in it, contains no nudity and no violence. The filmmaker has said that when she accused the board of having a gender-based double standard she was told that the board was merely reflecting the mores of the nation."

(Excerpt from this site)

So if we can't even trust the review boards to judge movies fairly, how can we expect them to judge video games?

Re:Ontario

[Slashdot Insider]

Hmm, this is not much different than what the ESRB is asking. The ESRB suggests Manhunt should be 17+ while the R rating in Ontario means 18+ (it's different from an MPAA R) so we're talking a difference of one year.

Perhaps a small distinction, but unlike the ESRB rating, the rating from the Ontario Film Review Board was given by persons that actually played the game. That alone gives it a leg up in my books.

Re:Ontario

[alphaseven]

Actually imdb says i'm wrong about Hannibal and Eyes Wide Shut, that they were rated 18A (18 or older unless with an adult, like an R rating in the U.S.), but I could of sworn those movies had the harsher 18+ rating, anyway here's a list from imdb of Canadian R (18+) movies). Okay films like 8mm and Kill Bill got the harsher 18+ rating, along with Life of Brian!?

And you're right a lot of films actually get a lighter rating in Ontario, I don't think swearing matters much, so an American R-rated film like 13 Conversations About One Thing, which has nearly no sex or violence but has some swearing, gets a lighter rating in Canada. Still violence will generally get a harsher rating.

Re:My thoughts...

[John Gaming Target]

The movie ratings (PG, R, etc.) are legally enforceable. The store owner can be fined or imprisoned for allowing the sale or rental of an R-rated product to a minor. Video game ratings are voluntarily provided suggestions to the consumer about the content of the game.

Sorry, but that's bullshit. There is no law that "enforces" the MPAA ratings. It's enforced solely by the MPAA through the use of fines and the threat of withholding major movies from violators.

Actually, much the game industry says they would do to offenders of the ESRB ratings. The movie industry is just better at it.

You'll need to do better than that!

[Lewisham]

As a gun-fearing UK-type, I'm actually quite astonished that this is new for you guys. It's no wonder Senator Libermann hasn't been locked up yet!

Ever since Night Trap on the Mega CD, games have been regulated by the Britsh Board of File Classification. They're *video* games, and have been treated as such under the law. The publishers submit their games to be rated voluntarily in the main, but the BBFC would have had no qualms about slamming an 18 certificate on Manhunt, submission or no.

I don't see how people can seriously argue against this. I now fully understand why the whole selling games to minors (was that Washington?) was such a big deal! Here I was thinking that retailers were just disregarding the law :) These games shouldn't be in the hands of minors, a voluntary ESRB rating simply isn't enough to justify controlling a character who chokes people to death with a plastic bag and then the player is "rewarded" with a pretty cut-scene of it. The fact that I personally find that quite disturbing and morally reprehensible doesn't really bother me, it's been given an 18 certificate and firmly stamped as being for adults. What more can you ask for? Censorship above that which we have in movies now? No thanks.

The current problem in the UK in regards to this are the retailers (hence my previous confusion). They're quite happy to sell 18 games to parents who'll then give the game to their children, without even pointing out the certificate in the first place. I always made a point of telling parents that the game was certified 15 or 18, and the response was always the same: "Really? But it's just a game!" I'd then proceed to tell them the actual content of Grand Theft Auto III, and that was the end of that. The game would be put back, and not given into the hands of the child whom the BBFC has decided really shouldn't play it. And that's how it should be.

Not that the blame lies entirely there. Games magazines aimed at minors were shipping with demo discs that contained adult content and had a 15 certificate. I had to refuse selling a magazine to kids because of irresponsible disc compilation.

So yeah, the system in the UK doesn't work, but the idea is there :)