The ESRB, in a new press release (thanks Jeff), has raised Oblivion's rating to Mature:
NEW YORK – The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has changed the rating assigned to the game The Elder Scrolls® IV: OblivionTM from T (Teen 13+) to M (Mature 17+). The content causing the ESRB to change the rating involves more detailed depictions of blood and gore than were considered in the original rating, as well as the presence of a locked-out art file or “skin” that, if accessed through a third party modification to the PC version of the game, allows the user to play with topless versions of female characters.
-- The ESRB Officially Changes The Rating For THE ELDER SCROLLS IV: OBLIVION From T (TEEN) to M (MATURE) (PDF)The release goes on to mention mods specifically ... saying "It is increasingly important for parents to realize that PC games can be altered through the use of downloadable programs created by other players called 'mods' (short for modification), which are broadly available on the Internet and can change the content of a game."
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2 comments:
Uhhh... apparently they don't realise that it's trivial to mod pretty much any game such that it would be "offensive"?
Trivial example: switch out the animation strip for Pac-Man, et voila! Boobies!
Beyond dumb.
Once again, I think what you do with your game after you've bought it is your responsibility. This is Hot Coffee ... it's just smaller and even more stupid.
They'll continue with this distiction, which makes no difference or sense to the average consumer, that they're just rating the "hidden" content and alerting about the mods that "unlock" it.
At least until some group gets up in arms about some kid's new Genital Gun mod for whatever shooter is popular at the time. Then they'll either have to a) rate content by mods, b) get developers to lock out mods or put in child protection or somewhat, or c) recant.
I doubt they'll do c.
And a and b really sucks.
Truly beyond dumb.
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