North American Game Ratings Bizarre - Prominent Game Developer

[Nehkara]

GC 07: Factor 5 finds ESRB ratings 'bizarre'

LEIPZIG, Germany--A prominent developer has blasted the American Entertainment Software Rating Board, saying he thinks its ratings system "absolutely bizarre."

Eggebrecht said, "You can set up to 5,000 people on fire, and they run around and scream, and that's fine because there's no blood." The executive was not impressed with the games rating system in the US and called it "problematic." He added, "It's a flat-out bizarre system, and I think it has no relation to what is happening in other media." He gave examples of violent movies such as Bonnie and Clyde, Natural Born Killers, and A Clockwork Orange.

Eggebrecht also says that he wants to see more sex in games. He told the audience, "Games do not have sex and there is something wrong with that because it says essentially that games are what children play."

I wholeheartedly agree with him, the game ratings system is messed up and outdated. I, in fact, would also support the establishment of a Canadian game ratings board just as our ratings boards are separate from those in the US for movies.

[BlackArcher101]

I agree... more sex! Duke Nukem would have been a lot more fun.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

While I agree that the ratings are kind of goofy, perhaps this is just another example of why parents should actually pay attention to what they buy their children, instead of assuming that someone has done it for them.

[Flashpoint]

I think games are definitely moving towards waaayyy more mature titles. I see this industry as a lot like the movie industry of the 1920's. It is no longer a novelty, or something just for kids. You have people who have now spent their entire lives with video games as a primary means of recreation. They are in their 30's and 40's, and they want to see titles made exclusively for adults, just like they go to see movies made for adults.

There are some great games that are for 18+. Resident Evil 4 comes to mind. It was like being in a horror movie.

Anybody thinking video games are just for kids is missing the evolution of the medium. Not many kids these days with $60 to burn on a game - even if they had the $350 for a PS3.

Obviously there will always be a huge market for kids games, and broad spectrum appeal games. But it is nice to see titles that are as grown up as a lot of gamers are.

[MarchHare]

In theory, there should be a direct correlation between film ratings and game ratings:

E for Everyone = General
T for Teen = PG-13
M for Mature = Restricted
AO for Adults Only = NC-17

The problem with the ratings system is that any kind of sexual content immediately earns the game an AO rating, which means most retailers won't sell it, and if retailers won't sell it, then the game companies won't make it. The M rating should be similar to the motion picture R rating, which allows a certain degree of sexual content without having to be rated NC-17 or XXX.

[Ozy_Flame]

I've never had an inclination for sex to be involved in video games; good games don't need it to be successful. And games like The Sims and Grand Theft Auto, whose gameplay involve sex pretty openly, easily offer so many other great things that it could probably be done without. And I have a hard time beliving that games without sex are 'what children play', because Generation X and Y are now in their 20's and 30's and are still continually playing video games well into adulthood. Plus, interactive systems and games like the Wii are getting older people involved too, and lord knows that there's nothing sexual about Wii Bowling unless you considering throwing your balls down the wood a turn-on!

[Agamemnon]

Why are parent's cooler with their children playing games about killing than games about sex? Does that make any kind of real sense? Why is violent death an acceptable concept for children to be introduced to (graphically) but sex isn't? Are we living in a sexually-puritanical society? My vote = yes.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Why are parent's cooler with their children playing games about killing than games about sex? Does that make any kind of real sense? Why is violent death an acceptable concept for children to be introduced to (graphically) but sex isn't? Are we living in a sexually-puritanical society? My vote = yes.

Agreed. You can only see a breast on TV if a bullet is going though it.

Unless you get HBO of course...

[Ayrahb]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I agree... more sex! Duke Nukem would have been a lot more fun.

"Nobody steals our chicks--and lives"

[Jagger]

The rating systems for both movies and gaming are completely ridiculous, especially when it comes to sex. I've never understand why killing somebody is a better option to show people than sex. Without sex, none of us would be here!

[MaDMaN_26]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I agree... more sex! Duke Nukem would have been a lot more fun.

My young impresionable mind (at the time) remembers the adult movie theater on the first level quite well... lol

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I've never had an inclination for sex to be involved in video games; good games don't need it to be successful. And games like The Sims and Grand Theft Auto, whose gameplay involve sex pretty openly, easily offer so many other great things that it could probably be done without. !

I dunno, it sort of depends on perspective. I would say most Hollywood movies can do just fine without sex appeal too. That said, in a lot of cases it does add something to the picture. Be it comedy, romance, or mere titillation.

(har har, titillation...get it?)

I agree that sex in video games for merely the sake of having it doesn't add anything to gameplay enjoyment. But it would be nice to have it as an option without having to worry about it being rejected out of hand.

I'll give Deadwood as an example of entertainment that used nudity and sexuality in a way that helped the show - because it was depicted as reality.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I agree... more sex! Duke Nukem would have been a lot more fun.

You could get the stripper in Duke Nukem to flash you (and it showed you handing her money saying "Shake it Baby"), and the adult movie.

Ahhh good times.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

You could get the stripper in Duke Nukem to flash you (and it showed you handing her money saying "Shake it Baby"), and the adult movie.

Ahhh good times.

I'd forgotten about that. That was just an awesome game. Good times, indeed.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

Agreed. You can only see a breast on TV if a bullet is going though it.

Unless you get HBO of course...

ah good ol HBO. that helped me get through my early teen years

thank god for those enourmous old school dish's that brought in the American TV signal straight from the source

[Joborule]

Games are not just for kids anymore. It has matured a lot in the past couple decades. But I have to agree, this rating system is strange now.

But the bigger issue is Hillary Clinton.

[mykalberta]

Wowzers, someone from a country where hardcore magazines are available to purchase and view by minors in regular convienince stores thinks North American morality is strange.

Thanks for coming out - I will send you one of the post cards I picked up from Amsterdam or Munich as a reminder just what kind of country you live in.

PS - the ratings system is just that, a ratings system. I have yet to see one store in Alberta not sell a violent type game to a minor - why - becuase its FANTASY, not real life and even a 9 year old knows it.

MYK

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Wowzers, someone from a country where hardcore magazines are available to purchase and view by minors in regular convienince stores thinks North American morality is strange.

From their point of view it probably makes perfect sense. I wouldn't be surprised if Europeans think our prudishness about sex is puzzling. We allow our children to play games that simulate violent death, but abhor allowing children to play games that simulate sex. One is a normal social activity (sex), the other is completely illegal/heavily frowned upon by society (killing)... and yet video sex is taboo and video killing cool? I think we're the one's with the messed up morals...

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

From their point of view it probably makes perfect sense. I wouldn't be surprised if Europeans think our prudishness about sex is puzzling. We allow our children to play games that simulate violent death, but abhor allowing children to play games that simulate sex. One is a normal social activity (sex), the other is completely illegal/heavily frowned upon by society (killing)... and yet video sex is taboo and video killing cool? I think we're the one's with the messed up morals...

yep, north america could learn a lot from the euro's in how they deal with things like sex and alcohol. i'm actually a little embarassed to live in a culture where something as simple as a boob is considered taboo

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Thanks for coming out - I will send you one of the post cards I picked up from Amsterdam or Munich as a reminder just what kind of country you live in.

OMG!!! WERE THERE BOOBS ON IT?!! GROSS!!!