Author Topic: The ESRB is stupid (Read 5215 times)

The D · « **on:** Jul 21, 2005, 05:21:17 PM »

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/20/news_6129500.html

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Today, Take-Two Interactive announced that as the result of an investigation by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), all versions of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will now bear an AO for Adults Only rating for "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, [and] Use of Drugs." Previously, the game was rated M for Mature.

The rerating comes nearly a month after the first reports surfaced of the so-called "Hot Coffee" mod for the PC version of San Andreas. After being installed, the widely available mod lets users play a bonus sex minigame as a reward for completing the numerous "girlfriend" missions in San Andreas.

After video of the mod was widely circulated, such figures as ardent anti-game activist Jack Thompson and US Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) blasted the game.

The AO for Adults Only rating means that, according to the ESRB's official definition, the current version of the game now "should only be played by persons 18 years and older". This doesn't sound too far off from the ESRB definition for the M for Mature rating, which says games bearing it "have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older.

But while they sound similar on paper, the AO and M ratings have one very big difference in real life. Namely, most major chain stores, including the all-important retail behemoth Wal-Mart, will not carry AO-rated games.

It didn't take long for the effects of the rating to be felt. Late Wednesday, Target, and Best Buy issued press releases they were pulling all versions of San Andreas from shelves. Unconfirmed reports had GameStop following suit, and Wal-Mart told CNN/Money that it had issued orders to all stores to stop selling the game.

I really don't blame Rockstar for this... I blame the parents. This came about because parents found their 12-year-olds downloading the mod and applying it. Nothing is mentioned about 12-year-olds playing something with gang violence, drivebys, drugs, prostitution, and gangsta rap... but add sexual content and the fucking parents throw a god-damn fit.

Maybe I should show those whiny bitches how violent video games affect me by mowing them all down with an ak-47.

Wickedly Yours E · « **Reply #1 on:** Jul 21, 2005, 06:13:48 PM »

Dumbass soccer moms.

TM2 Rampage · « **Reply #2 on:** Jul 21, 2005, 06:37:09 PM »

Yes, you see, in this society, we tolerate violence much more than sex, although that might be changing. [/obvious]

TM2 Rampage · « **Reply #3 on:** Jul 21, 2005, 06:49:53 PM »

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I blame the parents. This came about because parents found their 12-year-olds downloading the mod and applying it.

Soooo, where and how did you learn of that?

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Nothing is mentioned about 12-year-olds playing something with gang violence, drivebys, drugs, prostitution, and gangsta rap... but add sexual content and the fucking parents throw a god-damn fit.

Nothing is mentioned? Not in the article, perhaps, because that's old news already.
But yeah, those parents are sure jacked up. Before Hot Coffee, every adult would of course let any child play an M-Rated Grand Theft Auto game! Nobody complained about it at all! Now parents suddenly don't like GTA games?! They never gave us any warning about that at all! It's highly uncharacteristic of them!

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Maybe I should show those whiny bitches how violent video games affect me by mowing them all down with an ak-47.

But of course you won't, because violent video games would never inspire real-life violence, nor even suggestions of it, m i rite?

Wickedly Yours E · « **Reply #4 on:** Jul 21, 2005, 07:59:41 PM »

Two kinds of people are actually influenced by Video game Violence: Weak-minded simps and Complete idiots.
This doesn't include underage children, in this case it would be blatantly the parent's fault, because the PARENT'S WERE FUCKING FUCKING FUCKING STUPID.

Derrick · « **Reply #5 on:** Jul 21, 2005, 10:07:29 PM »

Here's the real thing. WHO THE FUCK CARES!?

Fuck GTA. Plus you're old enough to buy it/ know someone old enough who doesn't care.

Rama · « **Reply #6 on:** Jul 21, 2005, 11:06:24 PM »

After I played Donkey Kong for the first time, I started throwing barrels at all Italians.

Fiero · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 22, 2005, 12:00:44 AM »

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After I played Donkey Kong for the first time, I started throwing barrels at all Italians.

I remember wanting to join a construction crew after playing that other one.

Bernie AKA · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 22, 2005, 08:15:38 AM »

And before video games, we all used to put on Acme bat wings and jump off of cliffs.

Wickedly Yours E · « **Reply #9 on:** Jul 22, 2005, 08:51:42 AM »

Ahhh that was fun...

Merla · « **Reply #10 on:** Jul 22, 2005, 12:23:45 PM »

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And before video games, we all used to put on Acme bat wings and jump off of cliffs.

Haha!

I remember as a kid see the coyote putting on roller skates so he could skate down a rope and saying it was my Aunt Becky. I don't know where that one came from but still makes me laugh.

Derrick · « **Reply #11 on:** Jul 22, 2005, 01:47:55 PM »

Did the Coyote ever fuck the Road Runner to gain bonus points? I think that's the issue with the game. Plus it's everywhere now. Of course a kid who buys it will dl the patch to unlock the game. That goes without saying.

PapaMidnight · « **Reply #12 on:** Jul 23, 2005, 11:09:30 PM »

It's not the Hot Coffee mod for the PC version that's the problem. It's the console version. The sex minigame can be unlocked with any of the cheat code devices which so many gamers already have.

MegatronYES · « **Reply #13 on:** Jul 24, 2005, 01:11:58 AM »

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After I played Donkey Kong for the first time, I started throwing barrels at all Italians.

Man, that is a classic. Solid gold.

:: steals and uses IRL ::

Nuriko · « **Reply #14 on:** Jul 24, 2005, 10:21:37 PM »

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Here's the real thing. WHO THE FUCK CARES!?

Fuck GTA. Plus you're old enough to buy it/ know someone old enough who doesn't care.

Yeah, it's just a rating. I've always thought that game was horrible anyway. And not from any sort of geek/player standpoint, just from seeing the commercials. Fuck it up the ass.

Derrick · « **Reply #15 on:** Jul 24, 2005, 10:50:34 PM »

Anyone who gets off playing a game where you commit the worst acts of society for over 3 hours on random, innocent people needs to be committed

MegatronYES · « **Reply #16 on:** Jul 25, 2005, 01:41:07 AM »

I love how every month at least, you try to break your own record for dumbest possible thing that could be typed with a serious tone. And how you usually succeed!

Derrick · « **Reply #17 on:** Jul 25, 2005, 11:15:24 AM »

How the fuck is that dumb? You want to play a rape game then to release your psychotic tendencies?

Doom = Shooting Zombies and Aliens

GTA = Carjacking and shooting random people

Doom is useful should hollywood prove right, otherwise I don't see anything like GTA, or even that other game by Rockstar (Iforget the name, the psycho one) being useful for anything but releasing pent up agression through digital violence, but dumbing down and reducing the tolerance of the person playing it.

Fucking 8 year olds play this shit.

Wickedly Yours E · « **Reply #18 on:** Jul 25, 2005, 08:51:23 PM »

O_o Someone's taking GTA too seriously...

Derrick · « **Reply #19 on:** Jul 25, 2005, 09:31:10 PM »

If you had a kid, would you let him/her play it? Esp. when there's hardcore sex in it?

I think the rating is fine, and violence is taken way to liberally in this country.

I also think Weed should be legalized. I'M A GODAMN HIPPIE!

TM2 Rampage · « **Reply #20 on:** Jul 26, 2005, 12:31:07 AM »

The GTA games are fun.

I played the first one (2d) when it was underground, maaaaan. I thought it was groundbreaking.

MegatronYES · « **Reply #21 on:** Jul 26, 2005, 01:24:51 AM »

It was groundbreaking.

I was going to take this moment to directly state that less than 25% of the country's populace are criminally insane based on my own poor evaluation of the nature of entertainment and human capacity for displacement of perception. But then I remembered that I'm actually someone worth listening to, and decided to actually think about the subjects that I attempt to cover through my unearned privelege to communicate with others using a keyboard and a picture of a Transformer.

So you know. Silly me.

Derrick · « **Reply #22 on:** Jul 26, 2005, 01:58:49 AM »

How about the percentage that are incredibly stupid?

The D · « **Reply #23 on:** Aug 03, 2005, 10:40:57 PM »

I just recieved a letter in the mail from Hillary Clinton. It's a survey and feedback form with blank space to write my own opinion in. It also begs for money.

Who thinks I should call her a bitch and send her a penny?

Derrick · « **Reply #24 on:** Aug 03, 2005, 11:12:43 PM »

A bitch who could be the best damn president ever.

Rama · « **Reply #25 on:** Aug 04, 2005, 12:56:55 AM »

Better make sure she actually runs for president in the country she is from, this isn't a Senate race.

Derrick · « **Reply #26 on:** Aug 04, 2005, 01:49:07 AM »

Hey, she won, which is alot to be said considering alot of the territories she won were republican majority areas.

Extra Zero · « **Reply #27 on:** Aug 04, 2005, 02:01:31 AM »

She'll get killed if she tries to... Whether it makes her a martyr or not, alot of people would celebrate as her crimson gray matter splattered on Secret Security agents...

Rama · « **Reply #28 on:** Aug 04, 2005, 03:00:13 AM »

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Hey, she won, which is alot to be said considering alot of the territories she won were republican majority areas.

So did Arnold. So excuse me if my faith in the public to choose leaders based on if they would be good, rather then how many times they see them on TV is not exactly at it's highest.

Derrick · « **Reply #29 on:** Aug 04, 2005, 03:36:22 AM »

But her numbers are still strong, while Arnie dumped into the toilet.

Author Topic: The ESRB is stupid (Read 5215 times)

Nuriko