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Japan Revamps Game Rating System

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the z-should-stand-for-good-things dept.

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."

6 of 29 comments (clear)

  1. What a shame... by dorbabil · · Score: 2, Insightful

    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.

    1. Re:What a shame... by Physician · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just to sum up. Artistic violence = good. Mindless violence = bad. Now we just need everyone to agree on what is artistic and what is mindless.

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  2. We're talking big chains, not little otaku shops. by Valdrax · · Score: 2, Informative

    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.

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  3. Re:We're talking big chains, not little otaku shop by Valdrax · · Score: 2, Funny

    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*

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  4. Older system was more meaningful... by cttforsale · · Score: 2, Funny

    Anime Hentai Tree-Root

  5. Historical violence by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 2, Interesting
    TFA: It appears that realistic violence is the main motivation of the Z mark. So, some developers are wondering if violence is okay as long as it remains in a fantasy world or in a historic context.

    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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