ESRB Demands Hidden Content Review

Gamasutra is reporting that the ESRB is now mandating an audit of hidden game content. The audit is retroactive to the 1st of this month. From the article: "Fully disclosing hidden content accessible as Easter eggs and via cheat codes has always been part of ESRB's explicitly stated requirements when submitting games to be rated. In the July 20 public announcement, which focused on the revocation of a specific game's rating assignment, we formally stated that any pertinent content shipped on the game disc that may be relevant to a rating must be disclosed to ESRB, even if it is not intended to ever be accessed during game play."

Comments

New Cheat Code Scandal!

[popo]

It has recently been revealed that young users of the Internet can unlock "hidden" pornographic content by using the following cheat code:

w w w . p e n t h o u s e . c o m

The ESRB has demanded a full recall of all software which works with the above code.

ESRB dupe

[75th Trombone]

"Prior to July 20, we explicitly said you had to tell us about all hidden stuff.

On July 20, we explicitly said you had to tell us about all hidden stuff."

ESRB's been learning from Slashdot. Unfortunately, it's been from the editors, not the posters.

Re:ESRB dupe

[Aranth Brainfire]

"ESRB's been learning from Slashdot. Unfortunately, it's been from the editors, not the posters."

What, would you prefer the ERSB to change its name to the GNAA?

What game publishers don't want you to know...

[hunterx11]

One of the best-kept secrets in the video gaming industry is that video games use "binary code." I'm sure every parent will be shocked to learn that this "binary code" is the exact same medium by which electronic pornography is stored. Even a seemingly innocent game such as "Super Mario Bros. 3" contains pornography with the constituent bits and bytes incidentally being placed in another order. In fact it can be demonstrated that merely by rearranging these bits and bytes, that any video game can be found to contain pornography. I must therefore sincerely reccomend that this licentious and decidedly un-American industry be placed under the most scrutinous regulations lest they should continue to corrupt our youth.