ESRB Refuses To Detail Manhunt 2 Re-Rating Logic

Next Generation reports that the ESRB is flatly refusing Leland Yee's request to further outline their logic behind Manhunt 2's re-rating. Says organization president Patrica Vance, "It is simply not our place to reveal specific details about the content we have reviewed, particularly when it involves a product yet to be released. What can be said is that the changes that were made to the game, including the depictions themselves and the context in which those depictions were presented, were sufficient to warrant the assignment of an M (Mature 17+) rating by our raters."

Comments

What's the issue?

[steveo777]

Seems cut and dry. The ESRB isn't a news source and probably has in its guidelines that it can't release any game info anyway. Come to think of it, HAS anyone ever leaked info at the ESRB? That would be news indeed.

Next story.

Re:What's the issue?

[Sinistar2k]

What is also cut and dry is that the ESRB said that content that garnered the AO rating was changed or removed to bring it back into M territory. This is no different than films initially rated R cutting content in order to achieve a PG-13 and yet no politicians demand to see detailed change lists for every movie re-rating.

Re:What's the issue?

[Babbster]

Yes, but movies don't turn children into homicidal maniacs. Don't tell me you can't understand the difference!

Re:What's the issue?

[Khaed]

Actually, a better comparison is NC-17 to R, not R to PG-13. Most movie theater chains won't show NC-17 movies -- it's a kiss of death from the MPAA. Since most retailers won't sell AO games, that's a good way to compare.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated is a pretty decent documentary on the MPAA ratings and board. There are a few times when I feel like they go overboard, but the general information about the ratings process and history was interesting.

I'd be interested to know how the ESRB comes to ratings conclusions. I mean I know "Violence" or "Sexual Situations" but I'd like to know how they judge them.

Re:What's the issue?

[ravenshrike]

They take an Excel spreadsheet and put up 5 columns. G is weighted at one, PG 2, PG-13 3, R 4, and NC-17 5. Then they put the events in the movie/game under each category. Then they make a pie chart of the results, put it on a dartboard, and throw 7 times. Whichever rating area gets the most is the rating of the movie.

Translated:

[spocksbrain]

"We do not want people to scrutinize the way we arbitrarily make willy-vanilly decisions on the way we rate video games."

Re:Translated:

[jythie]

Better translation: We don't want to get our asses sued off for releasing other company's confidential information.

Oversight

[orclevegam]

I don't see any problem at all with requiring that the ESRB give details about what it objects to in games to those that request it. Likewise a think the MPAA should also be required to specify how and why it rates movies a particular way. For anyone interested in the MPAA rating process and exactly how shifty it appears to be, check out This Movie is Not Yet Rated which follows a movie as it makes its way through the MPAA and attempts to determine who rates it, and how they come up with the ratings.

It probably is a smart thing to do

[joeflies]

It probably is because that anytime there is a line drawn in the sand with something as arbitrary as a social standard, then you end up having to explain away yourself why some things fall above and below the line.

What happens if they say that "the game was rated AO because of graphic decapitation", and then the lawyers end up twisting that rule so that they can press the ESRB how come Baraka's fatality isn't an AO

It's a way that they can do ratings with an "I know it if I see it" type methodology without having to be held accountable why some things are AO and some are mature. They're an industry board, not a government agency, so I'm fine with that. I have no problems with the way the games are being rated now, and I'm ok with manhunt being sold as mature too.

Why is this surprising?

[Minwee]

Games are submitted to the ESRB with the understanding of confidentiality. All that the ESRB releases is a final rating, they don't leak the whole content of the game.

Doing anything different would be like the MPAA releasing movie ratings of "This film is rated PG for sci-fi action violence, with some mature content like that scene near the end where Darth Vader reveals that he is Luke's father" or "Rated PG-13 for intense thematic material, violent images and Malcolm Crowe really being dead all along but not realizing it".

If Dr. Linn or Senator Yee want to know what changes have been made to Manhunt 2 then they should be asking Rockstar about it. You know, the people who wrote it, made changes to it, and are in a position to release that kind of information. Hounding the ESRB for details is like calling someone's family doctor to demand details about their health.

Gamepolitics

[Hemogoblin]

For the last week, the website Gamepolitics.com has been covering the Manhunt controversy and related stories. Gamepolitics is one of the few high quality journalistic websites that covers gaming news. Check it out.

Heres a couple choice stories:
Yee: What is ESRB Trying to Hide?
Californias Leland Yee: Let Consoles Play Adults Only Games
Consumer & Game Industry Reps Weigh In On Dreaded AO Rating

Obligatory

[Ecuador]

What? Darth is Luke's father???
Damn you poster! I wanted to watch that movie!!!

At least I don't recognise "Malcom Crowe" so whatever that movie is I'm spared.

Anyway, since Star Wars is spoiled for me I guess I'll have to rent another flick. I guess I'll try that Bruce Willis thriller everyone was talking about a few years ago but I never got to see. Hmm... what was it's name...