GTA: San Andreas recieves new rating after Senate controversy

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/20/news_6129500.html

Following an investigation, ESRB slaps dreaded 18-and-over rating on controversy-racked best-seller; Take-Two lowers guidance, still blames "unauthorized third party modification."

After percolating for weeks, the Hot Coffee controversy has finally boiled over. Today, Take-Two Interactive announced that as the result of an investigation by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will now bear an AO for Adults Only rating. Previously, the game was rated M for Mature.

The re-rating comes nearly a month after the first reports surfaced of the so-called "Hot Coffee" mod for the PC version of San Andreas. After being installed, the widely available mod lets users play a bonus sex minigame as a reward for completing the numerous "girlfriend" missions in San Andreas.

After video of the mod was widely circulated, such figures as ardent anti-game activist Jack Thompson and US Senator Hilary Clinton blasted the game. Clinton went as far as to publicly equate violent games with cigarettes and alcohol as a hazard to America's youth. In turn, political heat caused the ESRB to launch the aforementioned investigation, which looked into whether the mod was included in the original game or was made by a third party.

<snip>

"The ESRB's decision to re-rate a game based on an unauthorized third party modification presents a new challenge for parents, the interactive entertainment industry and anyone who distributes or consumes digital content," Eibler continued. "Rockstar Games is pleased that the investigation is now settled and they look forward to returning their focus to making innovative and groundbreaking video games for a mature audience."

every older brother and uncle in America is going to be prodedd to buy this game by the little brothers and nephews of America

They'll get access to this game for the same reason why 99.9% of teenage boys have viewed pornographic material before the age of 18. And its going to be as popular as ever because now its the "forbidden game" syndrome that'll be fueling GTA sales.

If I were Rock Star Games, I would milk this for what its worth, and push on how its for mature audiences only.

IT'S THE SEX, STUPID!

It doesnt have anything to do with violence as long as there's sex involved, right?

n/t

and we can't forget Tipper, either; Democrats are just as zealous in promoting censorship, and their justification is always the same: "We must protect our children!"

Which is bollocks, if you ask me; whioring for the "moral values" vote, while telling parents "the government needs to make these decisions for your children, because we don't trust YOU to".

My vote goes to Clark in the primary though I've already decided if the General decides to run again.

Although I'd say they're more like REPRESSED sex-obsessed psychos.

This is a pretty stupid decision on the part of the ESRB, too. Rockstar can't be held responsible for the actions of the gaming community in creating modifications.

for stores not enforcing the rules, which is part of the problem and the free ammo

Not selling to underage people? You ALREADY couldn't buy the game without presenting ID; this re-rating seems needless.

kids walknig out with copy, who were not possbly 17... fourteen maybe, butnot 17

That's like blaming the MPAA because a 14-year-old gets into an R-rated film.

Look there are ways to enforce the rules and it starts at the top...

There is this thing called leadership by example... and they fought it for years, when they had no choice they formed it... but there is this wing and a nod about not enforcing rules at all times... maybe this will finally get the member stores to ahem ENFORCE the rules.

The ESRB can't ensure that every store verifies the age of people who want to buy an age-restricted game. TO think otherwise is ridiculous. And how many teenagers have you seen getting into R-rated films wothout giving proof of age? Same rules apply.

Thank god they're all over the video games.

Fucking idiots.

What's more important - violent video games or Commander Cuckoobanana's game of middle-eastern whack-a-mole?

government intervention, as long as people realize what needs to be done), but you have to admit it, this earns the usual suspects brownie points with the so called moral majority....

As is tehre are things they should be paying far more attention to (medical research anyone, the war ) but this is good one stop pacakge and we can take that away fairly easily...

Kids can't see tits in a $50 video game? They'll go to google to see real ones for free.

Either way, it's up to parents to stop them.

like Action Replay, and some codes circulating on the net:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/15/news_6129301.html

Bashing a woman's head in with a baseball bat and stealing her money: OKAY!

Mowing down a bum with a delivery van: COOL BY US!

Setting police officers on fire with a flamethrower: ROCK ON!

Sex: HOLY FUCK, SHIELD THE CHILDREN'S FRAGILE INNOCENT EYES!