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ESRB President Vance On UT3's User-Generated Content

Posted by Zonk on from the gameplay-may-change-with-online-play dept.

Ars Technica's Opposable Thumbs blog passes on the comments of ESRB President Patricia Vance on user-generated content in Unreal Tournament III . As you may recall, it was announced at E3 that user mods will be available for the PS3 version of the game, and eventually the 360 as well. Vance clarified the situation from the ESRB's viewpoint: "The ESRB's Online Rating Notice, which warns consumers that 'Game Experience May Change During Online Play,' is intended to advise the buyer that, because the game enables users to play with others over an internet connection, they might encounter user-generated content that isn't a part of the ESRB rating ... That content can vary, whether it's chat or skins or maps or what have you, and it's certainly possible that some of that content won't be in line with the rating that we assigned to the product. That's why we created the notice in the first place."

10 of 56 comments (clear)

  1. Does not compute by Red+Flayer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...the comments of ESRB President Patricia Vance on user-generated content in Unreal Tournament III...
    (snip)
    That content can vary, whether it's chat or skins or maps or what have you
    Sounds very suspicious to me. I mean, this is a bureacrat who seems to have some understanding of what they are supposed to be administrating.

    Is it me, or is this ESRB bureacracy now broken?
    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
    1. Re:Does not compute by enjerth · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Why is this a story? I've seen that message on dozens of games on the computer. So it's a big deal because it's on a console now?

    2. Re:Does not compute by enjerth · · Score: 2, Informative

      why did GTA get spanked with a post-production AO for the Hot Coffee mod? Because the content was not user-generated. The content, while not directly accessible, was a part of the product.
  2. Compute? by Mark_MF-WN · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Given that the ESRB is a completely voluntary non-governmental organization created by game companies, I'm not really sure what you mean.

    How exactly are they broken, in your estimation?

  3. Re:Personally, I hope this isn't as bad as it soun by andrewd18 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't want to play against a stick and testicles. I mean, where do you headshot that thing anyway?
    Um... in the head?
  4. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Informative

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  5. Re:Personally, I hope this isn't as bad as it soun by ClamIAm · · Score: 2, Funny
    Uhm, stick and testicles, you say? Uh, er (*fidgets uncomfortably*):

    8==D/blockquote

    Shoot the "D".
  6. Re:Personally, I hope this isn't as bad as it soun by Raconteur · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This is a non-issue. User-created content cannot and should not be regulated by any agency other than server admins.

  7. This is news? by band-aid-brand · · Score: 2, Insightful

    User generated content is a huge part of the gaming market on PC's, and now that a console may get a piece of the action people start freaking out. Shows that people really aren't too concerned about PC imo, or they know the truth: we PC gamers are mature enough to handle it. I just hope they don't damage the customization of unreal tournament that gave it such a long lifespan in the past. Damn console's screw it up for everyone.

    1. Re:This is news? by DrXym · · Score: 2, Insightful
      we PC gamers are mature enough to handle it

      Generalizations are never helpful. Probably most gamers are mature enough to handle it, but some may not be. Parents are responsible for underage gamers and there is no doubt that ratings are useful.

      Parents probably wouldn't let their kits play Unreal Tournament but I wonder what the situation would be for something like LittleBigPlanet. That game would probably get rated an E for everyone but it relies totally on user content. Most is going to be great but you just know that someone is going to create a bukkake donkey show level or similar. Sony, or the community is going to have to enforce ratings on a per level basis to stop kiddies from seeing some weirdo's creation.