The ESRB is offically stupid.

[antaeus]

www.gamespot.com/news/6173894.html

I didn't even know an "AO" rating existed. I though M for mature was the highest it could go. I work in retail where we sell video games and I give parents all kinds of hell on a regular basis about M rated games and then I find out that Nintendo and Sony refuse to use part of the ratings system that is a step >above< M.

Maybe I've been looking at the ESRB wrong. I always thought it paralleled the movie ratings of G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17 and X...when that couldn't be further from the truth.

G = E for Everyone
PG, PG 13 = T for Teen
R, NC-17 = M for Mature
X = Adults Only.

So what is the point in having a rating that will never get used? Should Manhunt be effectively banned from release?
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UPDATE: lol Ok I went to the ESRB site and found a CRAPLOAD of rating I've never seen before.

EC = Early childhood. I can safely say I have never seen this rating on anything.
G= E for everyone
E10+ = "appropriate for ages 10 and up". I can't really think of a difference between that and regular E.
PG13 = Teen almost perfectly. No complaints here.
M = 17+ which I don't have a problem with untill...
R = M for Mature 18+ only. This seems sort of redundant. X rated movies would file under this category as well.

[Kensai]

I am actually with the ESRB on this one, a game like Manhunt 2 should be rated AO...

Nintendo and Sony refuse to have a AO on their consoles because then they lose their 'family' market - especially Nintendo after I hear their E3 presentation was all about 'everyday' games.

But a game that is a 'murder simulator' deserves a rating like AO because then only Adults, who have the mental capacity to understand the difference between real life and virtual life, can play it. Surely, the developers knew this was coming when they created the game?

It limits sales, yes, but it prevents some annoying little 13 year old brat from picking up the game and getting his parents to buy it. It means sellers must be aware of selling the game to minors because they will be held liable in court if they do.

I prefer the ESRB ratings to PEGI because they mean no one under the age should be playing it, PEGI [one of the European ratings] states that the age restriction on the box is a guideline... so a 5 year can play an 17+ game according the PEGI ratings board... but it is recommended that only 17 year olds and up play it.

In SA the movie ratings are: E, PG, PG13, 16, 18 and R18.
Kill Bill Vol. 1 was rated 18.
Hardcore porn is rated R18

Manhunt 2 would be R18

[antaeus]

Hmm...

My first question is of the validity of a rating that will never be used. The ESRB, like any movie rating, exists so that 'improper' content won't get into the hands of my 2 year old grand daughter or something. With proper enforcement games like Manhunt will never get to the crowd that they were never intended for, regardless of system.

Though truthfully, I could never see a game like Manhunt on a Nintendo product anywho. The same company that brought us Pokemon, Nintendogs and Wario would never allow anything remotely approaching GTA let alone something like Manhunt or Halo for that matter.

Sony is just being hypocritical. They made alot of their sucess on Grand Theft Auto and titles like it. The PS2 is littered with titles where I get a gun and shoot some unsuspecting person.

[Kensai]

antaeus said:

Though truthfully, I could never see a game like Manhunt on a Nintendo product anywho. The same company that brought us Pokemon, Nintendogs and Wario would never allow anything remotely approaching GTA let alone something like Manhunt or Halo for that matter.

Sony is just being hypocritical. They made alot of their sucess on Grand Theft Auto and titles like it. The PS2 is littered with titles where I get a gun and shoot some unsuspecting person.

Agreed, Nintendo will always be the family console Especially after what I hear about their new 'Games for Everyone' type of range.

Sony is being strange, as always, they obvious value their younger than 18 demographic more than Microsoft