Sony And Nintendo Agree, No AO Games On Our Systems
Take Two has been stewing in the pressure cooker for the past two days with some terrible blows to Rockstar’s forthcoming title Manhunt 2. First the British Board of Film Classification banned the title in Europe, then they got slapped with the ESRB rating of doom, Adults Only. That’s enough to toll the death knell for the title. Well, this dangerous dish gets deeper, girl.
Two out of two console companies agree. 'We do not allow AO games on our systems.' Okay, that's not a direct quote, but the sentiment stands the same. Gamespot confirmed with Nintendo and Sony, and they have both agreed that they forbid third-party publishers from releasing AO games on their systems.
A Sony spokesperson stated:
“It's currently our policy not to allow the playback of AO-rated content on our systems.”
A Nintendo representative had a considerably more verbose response:
"Games made for Nintendo systems enjoy a broad variety of styles, genres, and ratings. These are some of the reasons our Wii and Nintendo DS systems appeal to such a broad range of people. But as with books, television, and movies, different content is meant for different audiences. That's why the ESRB provides ratings to help consumers understand the content of a game before they purchase it. As stated on Nintendo.com, Nintendo does not allow any AO-rated content on its systems."
I think the water’s boiling right now Take Two, you might want to take the kettle off the burner. Seriously now, the only way for Take Two to even publish the game is to appeal to the ESRB to reduce the game to a Mature rating, or go back and rework the title and resubmit at a later date. The July 10th release date is quickly approaching, so a Take Two representative needs to speak up soon and address the public on this issue. We are expecting the game to drop in less than three weeks.
Sony, Nintendo forbid AO-rated Manhunt 2 [Gamespot]
Toots
Posted to Video Games on 20 June 2007
· Comments (11)
Other stuff like this: ao, manhunt, ps2, psp, rockstar, wii
chickens
idiots these companies are. nintendo contradicts its self "Nintendo systems enjoy a broad variety... Nintendo does not allow any AO-rated content".
what harm can it be? there are some nasty movies and porn but the movie industry is still lucrative and enjoyed by pretty much all kinds of people. just ignore it if you don't want it.
hohhh, will this mentality ever come to be
there are some nasty movies and porn...
Can you imagine? "Sony does not allow the playing of any Adults Only film content to be played on any of our home entertainment systems."
It's just silly, really.
Yeah, what makes this especially offensive is the huge difference between the "won't someone think of the children" AO rating and the "oh, well that's okay then" M rating.
That is to say, M-rated games can only be bought by ages 17 and up, while AO-rated games can only be bought by ages 18 and up. Age 17? No simulated sex with clothes on for you. Age 18? Oh, well that's okay then. (Age 16? You can't buy either version of the game.)
Well, at least now all those impressionable 17-year-olds will be safe. Wouldn't it be a hoot if Take Two said "to hell with you all" and reworked the game as a 360 exclusive? I mean, I don't care because I don't have a 360 and can't imagine playing a game like Manhunt in the first place, much less the apparently much grislier sequel. But it would be a hell of a statement.... an expensive one, but a strong one.
Anyway, I don't see that they have any choice but to rework the game as rated M now. But Microsoft does have a market opportunity here if they want it, whether with Take Two or someone else down the line.
Good to know Nintendo doesn't allow adult content on the Wii...whoops what have we here? http://gaygamer.net/2007/01/wiifriendly_porn_now_available.html
Apparently Microsoft views AO games in the same way. All three companies are united. No AO games, unless the parent company makes them. Hmm... Sounds like the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism all over again. "Have you now, or ever been a member of the Communist Party?"
Well, look at Night Trap back in '92. They tried to censor that game, before there was a rating system. Now there is a rating system and it's happening again. There really is no place for AO in the ESRB rating system, unless you are an independent developer of PC games.
Manhunt 2 has NOT been banned from Europe (yet), it's been banned in the UK. The rest of Europe has it's own ratings board, PEGI.
But even if The rest of Europe won't baned the game, can it survive?
Manhunt fans got two hope left: Either Microsoft steps up and get a Nobel price or Rockstar release the game with the "M" grade criteria and mysteriously let loose a patch revealing the original taste (coffee anyone?)
I don't know if the game is good or not but I'll still say that this may be a big blow for game developing history: censorship.
And sadly this is not the first time either, Jack Thompson indirectly won this case...
Big brotha watching us all my friend, atlas...
Yeah, now that Microsoft is on board I think that's the end of the AO rating being at all useful or constructive.
Not that I was interested in Manhunt, but I am interested in freedom of expression. Oligopolies are no better than monopolies.
so, nintendo will allow a game like Killer7 onto it's systems, but not Manhunt 2? I loved Killer7; I thought was mind tripping awesome game. And not only did it have a scene of a young woman screwing a barely self-aware elderly man, but a scene where a murderer tosses the head of a little girl to her FATHER.
You know what? Spice up the graphics and stick it on the 360. I'll buy the system and get that game. Heck, I was gonna get the 360 for Trusty Bell anyway. This might a good way to switch away from the cuteness for a bit.
So... before that news release, Sony must have issued patches barring the playing of movies on the PS3 or the PSP right?
I mean.. NO "AO-rated content" on their systems means... NO "AO-rated content" right?
They wouldnt allow something like say, the PSP or the a PS3 to play an r-rated, nc-17 or *gasp* an x-rated movie would they???!