shouting loudly

Clarifying the Video Game Rating Process

Rumor has it that the uncut version of Manhunt 2 is available for download through torrent files online. You may remember Manhunt 2 as a PS2/PSP/Wii game that was slapped with an “Adults Only” rating by the ESRB, a self-regulatory industry body, until the publisher modified the game for a “Mature” rating. The earlier rating decision effectively denied the game distribution, as Nintendo and Sony refuse to allow AO-rated games on their consoles.

Whenever video game fan sites post any news about Manhunt 2, of course, the fans chime in with comments about how unfair the ratings process is. A number of these comments tend to be somewhat uninformed, blaming the government for banning the game, when in fact retailers are legally allowed to sell unrated or AO-rated games just as they can sell unrated and NC-17-rated movies. It’s the self-regulatory system maintained by the game industry that prevents equivalent content from ever reaching audiences—unless, of course, it finds its way on the internet.

In response to the above post, one Kotaku commenter and game industry professional clarifies the ESRB system based on his professional experience dealing with the ESRB. An interesting point brought up in the comment is that the ESRB will tell publishers what sorts of content will earn a game an AO rating, but won’t specify which content must be adjusted in order to achieve an M rating. On the one hand, this leaves creative control with designers and publishers; on the other hand, it may be somewhat confusing to only give vague feedback, but then again, it’s quite possible that some feedback comes in off the record. It would be interesting to see someone eventually compare the rating and re-rating process of video games with the analogous process in the film industry.

Update: IGN suggests the specifics of Manhunt 2 for an M rating.