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ESRB Revokes San Andreas Rating
Alex Blonski writes "In a stunning move, the ESRB has advised retailers to stop selling Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This report follows public pressure over the Hot Coffee debacle. Rockstar, the publishers of the game have given retailers the option of restickering the game with an 18+ rating or exchanging it for a new version with the controversial content removed. ESRB head Patricia Vance says 'After a thorough investigation, we have concluded that sexually explicit material exists in a fully rendered, unmodified form on the final discs of all three platform versions of the game (i.e., PC CD-ROM, Xbox and PS2). However, the material was programmed by Rockstar to be inaccessible to the player and they have stated that it was never intended to be made accessible. The material can only be accessed by downloading a software patch, created by an independent third party without Rockstar's permission, which is now freely available on the internet and through console accessories. Considering the existence of the undisclosed and highly pertinent content on the final discs, compounded by the broad distribution of the third party modification, the credibility and utility of the initial ESRB rating has been seriously undermined.'"
This makes me want to kill the ESRB board, but I will do one better, I will run around naked in front of them. Well at least now we have a new scapegoat, the Doom one was getting old...
In a move equally stunning to neglegent parents everywhere, Captain Obvious has advised that people stop paying attention to the ESRB and take a more proactive stance in monitoring the content that they're buying for their kids. He also advised that parents pay more attention to other aspects of games, such as violence and racial overtones, and not use sex alone as a deciding factor for whether or not to buy a game, movie, music CD, etc. Experts predict that people will ignore this advice and continue to rely on other people to raise their kids for them.
People found to be naked under clothes.
Merkins.
'Nuff said.
One can show pixel people gettin blown up by all kinds of pixel weapons, yet when there's one pixel nipple to be seen, the whole country goes up in arms about it?
"However, the material was programmed by Rockstar to be inaccessible to the player and they have stated that it was never intended to be made accessible."
Right. Sure.
What would the reason be to put it in there then? Perhaps the publicity that they are getting now? My 8 y/o son would not have known about GTA except that it has been in the news lately. (Yep, an 8 y/o that watches the news)
"Rockstar, the publishers of the game have given retailers the option of restickering the game with an 18+ rating or exchanging it for a new version with the controversial content removed."
Well, I suspect that most will put a sticker on the game and continue to sell as usual. I also suspect that if a 15 y/o wants to buy one, they still will be able to do so.
It could be worse, it could be Monday.
I believe that Penny Arcade's news and comic today sum up this whole situation best.
Work sucked, until it became unemployment, when it became slightly more tolerable. -Tet
GTA San Andreas "Hot Coffee"
s /hotcoffee.wmv
Coral Cache of some of the content in question:
http://files.gtanet.com.nyud.net:8090/gtasa/video
Get it while it's hot?
because of the "nude Sims" patch floating around?
This is rediciulous. What if I release a patch that will just replace the textures of any game (say Windows Solitair, or some Harry Potter game) with hardcore porn? Assume the patch becomes widespread after the game has been released.
Will this... organization... advise stores to stop sell this game too?
As a British person (of 15 years of age), I pity you Americans. What the fuck is your problem with the human body? Why an 18+ when the 17+ was appropriate for the game, even with the minigame?
Clearly in that critical year you become mature enough to be allowed to consume renderings of fully clothed individuals in sexual positions.
Seventeen year-olds just aren't ready for that kind of stuff yet. Their exposure to sexual situations should be limited to what they do with their boyfriends/girlfriends in the back seat of their parent's car when they're "at the movies."
Oh, BTW, to all the parents out there... Your 8 year old probably says 'fuck' all the time when he knows you're not around, so you can get over yourself already.
Today's Penny Arcade news deals with this, where Tycho lays out the crucial difference between a "Mature" title and an "Adults Only" title : time.
Yup, that's it. Time. Pretty incredible.
-EvilMagnus
From TFA:
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO - News) announced today that the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has changed the rating of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on all platforms from "Mature 17+" (M) to "Adults Only 18+"
So basically, they've made the decision that 17 year-olds just shouldn't see this two-bit low-res porn hack, and stick with the carjacking, wanton murder, and other wholesome activites within GTA. 18 year-olds are qualified for the whole ball o' wax, though.
Amazing...
Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
This whole debacle is bad news. If retailers don't stop selling it, we're all in trouble. If the ESRB loses all credibility, the only thing stopping a full-on onslaught of legislative parenting will be gone. If the video game industry 'can't be trusted' to rule itself, the government will have to step in. Australia-like bans will be coming to a USA and Canada near you.
CC Licensed Serialized Story and Podcast: Ingenioustries
Bicycles are made illegal because children can go on the Internet and download porn.
If that's true, then I need to look into changing my citizenship status to become French! I'll take sex over violence *any day*.
I can get sex in a patch now? Like Nicorette?
That would save a lot of wrist strain.
The thing that amuses me the most about this whole episode is that senators and other publicity hounds never noticed the game when it was just violence, madness and mayhem, but shock of shocks, a character "gets a cup of coffee" and skin friction ensues, and the next thing you know, this is the worst thing that could ever possibly have happened to our kids!
Me, I would prefer my kid watch a porn flick any day rather than "Natural Born Killers" or play a video game with tawdry pixels as opposed to trying to see how many crimes can be committed in order to get a high score.
After all, who gets hurt by a good (consensual) boffing?
Well, yeah, I know about sex and responsiblity. So spare me the usual screed. But if you do, pleas explain at the same time a way to "responsibly" carjack or murder someone.
In other news...
Hillary Clinton (who makes ~$162k http://people.howstuffworks.com/question449.htm) has decided that it's in her best interest to waste her time (and our tax dollars). I'm sure that the FTC has better things to do than to investigate RockStar Entertainment... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4682533.stm
i mean really. if a kid can download and apply a patch, he is already in a position to see way more nudity than what is offered in this game.
you may think that's a strawman, bringing up internet porn, but think about it. the point of the ESRB rating is to inform the parents of the content of the game. which, in my opinion, the "M" rating did accurately. the sex scenes aren't in the game. they were disabled.
from a parent's standpoint, what is the difference between downloading a third-party mod that enables disabled content, and applying a third-party mod that adds newly-created content? they are identical in their difficulty/accessibility to a kid, and both insert content into the game that the developer did not intend to appear there!
it is drawing boobies on the title page of "Harry Potter" and then sueing JK Rowling, citing an unfinished but steamy scene she deleted from her hard drive as evidence.
i could live a little longer in this prison
Maybe your grandfather's girlfriend shouldn't have been such whore to have had sex with your cousin.
Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
The game allows you to...
- Pull people out of their cars and drive away in them
- Steal military weapons
- Destroy property
- Injure and kill completely innocent bystanders
- Develop a criminal enterprise
- Carry out the orders of corrupt police officers
- Pick up prostitutes
- Burn down a pot farm
and so far it's been pretty smooth sailing, but once you can have vivid consensual sex, but only through extensive third party modification, everyone flips out?!Am I the only one completely overwhelmed by the sheer idiocy of this situation?
I mean ignoring the fact that violence is alright while sexual intercourse sparks a massive outrage.
The content is UNPLAYABLE!!! It cannot be played! If you get a copy of the game can you just pop it in and see this naughty content?
No.
Why?
Because it's UNPLAYABLE!!
Wait!! You mean you can download something off the internet that lets you play this naughty content **GASP** What an outrage!! That someone going onto the internet could gain access to pornographic content. It's completely unheard of. Clearly this is a matter of national importance that a game can be made pornographic with things downloaded off the internet!
This whole situation is just a bizarre combination of sexual prudism combined with a complete lack of technical knowledge, I'm ashamed to be on the same continent where stuff this ignorent stupidity occurs.
I stole this Sig
The SIMS has an ESRB rating of E-T (Everyone/Teens). However, there is a patch available for The SIMS that removes the dithering done when they are changing clothes, allowing one to see buck naked SIMS!. Doesn't this mean the ESRB should also revoke The SIMS "Everyone" rating?
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Unfortunately, show me a country that doesn't rely on war to keep the peace and I'll show you a country that is ripe for the taking by one that does.
Switzerland?
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
From what I understand the sex scenes aren't even particularly explicit. Who does it with their clothes on, I mean really?
Oh wait, considering how objectionable these people seem to think this scene is, they probably ARE the type of people who do it with their clothes on.
---If you can't trust a nerd, who can you trust?
This nonsense is coming from American morons and Shrubby is their moron king.
Actually, this specific non-sense is pouring from the liberal side of the US governemnt. Clinton, Lieberman, etc. They have been itching to go after GTA for years, but could not as Americans love the macho gore as part of the entertainment. Thus they waited until they can make that into a "think of the children" deal.
The funny part is that I have not heard a word from the conservative side, although the religious right I am sure is on the same side. It is currently the moderate republicans and libertarians that have the most sense these days.
Oh, and do not blame the GTA deal on Prez. Shrub. He is not turning those gears in motion. Blame the nanny-state liberals for this one.
badness 10000
The internet has been banned because of the possibility that children may buy bicycles online.
Think about it. GTA is the perfect medium by which to teach guys how to *really* pleasure a woman. As long as the gameplay makes you work for the woman's orgasm, meaning you're going to have to work those controls for more than 5 minutes guys, I say bring it on.
GTA: Turning Geeks into Better Lovers
~tokengeekgrrl
They maintain their sovereignity through the threat of force and retaliation. They have more active military personnel than any other country. I believe it's every male between 18 and 45 that is armed and trained. You're required to do service as part of your citizenship.
;-)
Also, they have much of the world's money.
Switzerland?
I think the more technically correct challenge should have been "show me a country that doesn't rely on it's ability to fight a war to keep the peace". In that case, Switzerland doesn't qualify as practically every dang person in the country has a government-issued assault rifle and attends Schutzenfest regularly, the idea being that the whole country is the army, even the women. This (plus the terrain) is the real reason why the Schweiz have been able to stay "neutral": they're essentially unconquerable.
If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
Basically Wal-mart won't carry AO.
Senate Testimony to that effect
That is all.
Here is a overly simplified, but rather useful demonstration of what is now called "The Nipple Pixel Effect" Please examine the images below carefully!
.
.
.
This is a (highly magnified) default pixel:
The pixel is devoid of content, ready to receive nuance and meaning. As many Slashdot regulars know, the scientific name for this state is "boring".
This is a (highly magnified) weapon pixel:
Note that the pixel is now filled with violent energies. Careful examination of this pixel shows its propensity to do damage to peace-loving liberal agendas. The scientific name for a pixel in this state is "fun".
This is a (highly magnified) nipple pixel:
This pixel is heaving with throbbing unquenced sexual desire. Take the time to examine this pixel more closely and you will notice how it seems to be renlentless thrusting at your closed, but oh so moist mind with expansive heat which melts conservative agendas. The scientific name for a pixel in this state is "more fun" to male computer scientists and "yeah, whatever" to female computer scientists.
Now, if we examine the firm, yet silky nipple pixel, gently take it between our fingers, so to speak, we can see that the pixel is actually composed of discreet... OH MY GOD ITS ZOMBIE STROM THURMOND AND HIS NEO-CONSORVATORS OF MORAL DISCIPLINE. HELP! THEY'VE MADE IT THROUGH MY FRONT DOOR. ACK! RICK SANTORUM'S SECRET TWO-HEADED FETUS-MONSTER IS CHEWING ON MY CABLE MODEM. AGH! I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I CAN HOLD OUT. ECK! BILL FRIST JUST DISECTED MY CAT! OH THE HUMANITY! PLEASE TELL MY WIFE I LOVE HER VERY M...
Children are banned, having been found to be a result of pornography.
I don't think that a Schützenfest is what you think it is. It's a festival, also held in other German-speaking countries, that was originally rooted in archery and shooting competitions, but is now just a big celebration for the whole family. It involves fair-type games, parades, concerts, and other tourist-enticing activities.
UNIX: A computer user is defined as a programmer. WINDOWS: A computer user is defined as a consumer.