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Japan Revamps Game Rating System
Next Generation reports on a controversial new game rating system recently rolled out in Japan. From the article: "The Z mark, which designates the most violent games, was the blocking issue for months while the new rating was in preparation. Game makers were hesitant to submit their new titles to the CESA rating check because they did not want to be the first to get this Z mark. Many titles were held back, including EA's The Godfather. Some shops have even declared they don't want to have Z rated titles on their shelves. On May 25, the CESA made its own list of Z rated titles already released on the market."
Z does stand for good things. Violence is a good thing, especially when it's something certain gamers look for. Like, say, myself.
You know y'all loved the Postal series. At least your id did. There's no denying it.
Have you seen the arrow?
It's good, and all, that the rating system is being revamped, but it lumps together artistic games like Killer 7 with mindless shooting like the GTA series, and (according to TFA) does not include games with fantasy or historical violence. Killer 7 probably deserves the Z rating (it's awfully violent, even though the player never attacks another human being throughout the game.), but man... it'd be a shame if Capcom didn't release a game like that just because of a ratings system.
We have a smattering of 17 year old and up, but you have to wait 1 full year before you can get access to the 18 year old and up stuff.
God spoke to me.
The site gave me a tribal fusion pop-up which was blocked, but damn, nothing like linking to a malware distro.
Some shops have even declared they don't want to have Z rated titles on their shelves
Yeah, god forbid such degenerate games share shelf space with the T rated tentacle rape and SQ (status quo) rated bukake.
Why do they mimic the (beyond retarded) US system? There's ONE FUCKING YEAR between 17 and 18, and that ONE FUCKING YEAR is enough to make a game pornographic?
I think I speak for most gamers when I say: What the fuck are they smoking?
That kind of stuff is only available in the basements of otaku-catering stores. I was not pleasantly suprised to find out that was what was in the basement of most anime / game stores in Akihabara when I visited there. Despite what you may have heard, porn gamers are not commonly available in Japan. You have to go looking for them.
The shops that are likely to not want Z rated titles are big name electronics stores like Yamada Denki, an equivalent of Best Buy which wouldn't have carried porn anyway.
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
The shops that are likely to not want Z rated titles are big name electronics stores like Yamada Denki, an equivalent of Best Buy which wouldn't have carried porn anyway.
You've never been to Fry's, I take it...
espite what you may have heard, porn gamers are not commonly available in Japan. You have to go looking for them.
I meant porn games are not commonly available. You don't want to go looking for porn gamers. *shudder*
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
Anime Hentai Tree-Root
Why the distinction of "historical" violence? As it is, it appears they can whip up an Old-West skin for GTA, relabel it "Grand Theft Horse: OK Corral" and get away with a softer rating for essentially the same game. Heck, they could even release "Vice City" as it is, if you consider the 1980s "history."
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
as long as tentacles aren't outlawed.
Then, of course, only outlaws will have tentacles.
There are Fry's stores in Japan?
- Kids will be less likely get their hands on extremely violent stuff. That's good news in my book.
- That's because adults can better help determine what is best for their kids. That's GREAT.
- Publishers can choose (ah, choice) to release games that suit more violent tastes without having to worry about toning things down to pass through the approval process for a rating aimed at broader audiences.
- Developers will potentially have more freedom bestowed upon them by publishers willing to risk highly restrictive ratings.
- The industry as a whole, depending on their own abilities to enforce adherence to the ratings system, will be able to sidestep Jack Thompson-esque legal interference. (Not to say that the Japanese political climate is anything like American government, but suspend that notion for a bit.)
Imagine the MPAA ratings without things like NC-17. Sure, NC-17 is the death-knell for almost any movie that wants a broad audience, but it means that such movies can get released for those who seek them. Without such a rating, these same movies would have to be toned down to make an R rating. Do most moviemakers aim for R rather than NC-17? Of course they do. However, ratings systems only have restrictive effects on the market landscape because potential customers of the product in question (movies, games, etc.) have MORE information about the content of the film. And anyone who thinks an ignorant customer is better than an informed customer is trying to sell you something.
Finally, imagine that the game industry in America had been better able to enforce sales of restricted games to minors. But they weren't until Jack Thompson and Leland Yee started making waves, so now the government is starting to step in wherever they can, meaning my taxes could potentially be paying for keeping the game industry's collective nose clean. That's just more bullshit I'd rather not pay for myself.
"I meant porn games are not commonly available. You don't want to go looking for porn gamers. *shudder*"
Hmm... i dunno... i wouldn't mind finding some female porn gamers.
I wish Ratings Systems were more like HBO's. There would be a letter for each "objectionable" thing. There wouldn't be a "really really bad" letter that blanket sweeps whatever is being rated. Some people don't care if there is a little sex in a movie, while some people don't like violence. Having multiple letters to describe what exactly the issue with the rated thing would be nice. Plus, parents might have to investigate a little more into what their children are up to, which isn't always such a bad thing.