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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.
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.
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."
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as long as tentacles aren't outlawed.
Then, of course, only outlaws will have tentacles.
There are Fry's stores in Japan?
"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.