Banned In The United States
We take a look at why the gaming industry has its limits, and what happens when a game goes too far.
Published: June 30, 2007
(Editor's note: This page is going to get a bit long, I apologize. If you're already familiar with the ESRB, you can skip it, but you may miss a few interesting facts. The information presented in this page contributes a solid foundation for the rest of the article.)
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) hasn't been around forever, although it may seem that way. First arriving on the scene in 1994, the organization evolved out of the need for an independent classification system in order to appease congress and concerned parents. Some eerie parallels can be drawn between the ESRB and the movie industry equivalent, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Both organizations hide the identities of their raters, nor do they specify exactly how they are recruited. To their credit, it's worth noting that the ESRB is much better about disclosing its procedures to those who are interested. More on that in a minute.
The ratings system has been refined over the years to allow for more detailed descriptions on the game's box to clarify the exact content in the game. Additionally, classifications have been added and modified to paint content with a smaller brush. Currently, there are 7 possible ratings, including Rating Pending (RP). In this article, we will be focusing on the Mature (M), and Adults Only (AO) ratings. Here is how the ESRB defines each:
"MATURE - Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
ADULTS ONLY - Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity."
On the surface, it appears as if the only difference between the two ratings is 1 year hike in the age requirement. But, as you will see, the AO rating might as well mean the game doesn't exist.
According to the ESRB, a game can be rated by as little as 3 people. When a difference between T, M, or AO can mean the difference in millions of sales, these raters yield a lot of power. To be fair, there is an appeals process handled by a separate appeals board, but it too consists of a mysterious group of people. The ESRB says that the appeals board consists of "publishers, retailers and other professionals".
The raters do not actually play the game for reasons of practicality. Not all content would be discovered if a game was played by the raters, and it would take an excessive amount of time. Instead, game developers complete applications filled with questions to disclose the most severe occurrences of any questionable material to the ESRB. Additional materials in the form of scripts, images, etc. are sometimes provided, but a reel of gameplay footage always accompanies the submission. Sometimes, early versions of the game are also provided. Retail copies of all finished games are also mailed to the ESRB to ensure that the rating is displayed properly, and to allow for random (or intentional) review of a game with hands-on gameplay.
This sounds like a pretty good system, and in theory, it works. That is, until a game is determined to be "Adults Only".
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) hasn't been around forever, although it may seem that way. First arriving on the scene in 1994, the organization evolved out of the need for an independent classification system in order to appease congress and concerned parents. Some eerie parallels can be drawn between the ESRB and the movie industry equivalent, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Both organizations hide the identities of their raters, nor do they specify exactly how they are recruited. To their credit, it's worth noting that the ESRB is much better about disclosing its procedures to those who are interested. More on that in a minute.
The ratings system has been refined over the years to allow for more detailed descriptions on the game's box to clarify the exact content in the game. Additionally, classifications have been added and modified to paint content with a smaller brush. Currently, there are 7 possible ratings, including Rating Pending (RP). In this article, we will be focusing on the Mature (M), and Adults Only (AO) ratings. Here is how the ESRB defines each:
"MATURE - Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
ADULTS ONLY - Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity."
On the surface, it appears as if the only difference between the two ratings is 1 year hike in the age requirement. But, as you will see, the AO rating might as well mean the game doesn't exist.
According to the ESRB, a game can be rated by as little as 3 people. When a difference between T, M, or AO can mean the difference in millions of sales, these raters yield a lot of power. To be fair, there is an appeals process handled by a separate appeals board, but it too consists of a mysterious group of people. The ESRB says that the appeals board consists of "publishers, retailers and other professionals".
The raters do not actually play the game for reasons of practicality. Not all content would be discovered if a game was played by the raters, and it would take an excessive amount of time. Instead, game developers complete applications filled with questions to disclose the most severe occurrences of any questionable material to the ESRB. Additional materials in the form of scripts, images, etc. are sometimes provided, but a reel of gameplay footage always accompanies the submission. Sometimes, early versions of the game are also provided. Retail copies of all finished games are also mailed to the ESRB to ensure that the rating is displayed properly, and to allow for random (or intentional) review of a game with hands-on gameplay.
This sounds like a pretty good system, and in theory, it works. That is, until a game is determined to be "Adults Only".