Peter Moore on AO-rated games: 'You have to draw the line somewhere' Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Peter Moore on AO-rated games: 'You have to draw the line somewhere' Posted by XanTium | July 17 13:23 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From arstechnica.com: [QUOTE] Would Microsoft ever consider putting Adult Only (AO) games on the 360? The answer is icy: "No. As it currently stands, no." But the issue to me is, if you want to be an accepted and respected part of the media, you have to take risks, I've seen plenty of NC-17 rated films that were incredible pieces of art. Why not allow that sort of content in games? "There is a line that we draw, and we draw... if the ESRB says it's M-rated, then we're in. If they say AO, no." I'm a little skeptical, and he seems to pick up on it. "It's a hard decision; you have to draw a line somewhere. And Microsoft has a position in the community, and with corporate, and due diligence with content, and we draw that line. That's where it's at." [/QUOTE] Full Story: arstechnica.com

[Reaper527]

its a shame MS takes this stance. the ESRB is very shakey and i feel like their interests are more politically charged then they are about letting parents make informed decisions. the M rating is all that is needed as the AO rating is essentially in existence only to give them censorship power. there is no major difference in maturity between a 17 year old and an 18 year old, and hence no way they could justify the gaming death sentence in a way that would be sensible.

if microsoft had their own panel and judged ao games on a case by case basis, i think this would be acceptable.

This post has been edited by Reaper527: Jul 17 2007, 06:09 PM

[halofun121]

Regardless of content, Microsoft should allow AO rated games regardless. They think that by making these statements, it will make them look better to the general public. What difference does it make? Those that want them will buy them, and those that don't hardly talk about them. It may be a "sick" market depending on your opinion, but if you have the chance to make money, why not?

They seem to be becoming more and more like Nintendo every day.

This post has been edited by halofun121: Jul 17 2007, 06:40 PM

[steveju]

They just keep forgetting they're making the Xbox 360 for the entire world. These things affect their entire gaming audience and not just people in USA.

[Nightbird]

'18 only' rated games are allowed on the 360 in europe.

[Cyberdude93]

They just keep forgetting they're making the Xbox 360 for the entire world. These things affect their entire gaming audience and not just people in USA.

I for one am also pissed off when their decision on AO games doesn't clearly show what happens to the rest of the world (namely Europe). However I think this issue is as good as addressed.

Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude on Wikipedia. Europe only got the "uncut" version, which got rated AO by the ESRB. Now most retailers don't explicitly ban games with "18" ratings in the UK (and from what I can make it, most of Europe), so it seems Microsoft's and Sony's stance is entirely based on what the retailer with the biggest monopoly refuses to stock (i.e. Walmart in the US). Nintendo we don't know, but even with their kiddy image, they're probably the same.

If Manhunt 2 gets an 18 rating on appeal in the UK or Ireland, I'm willing to bet you'll at least see a PS2 release. North America, I'd get your PS2 swap discs and mod chips ready

Oh, and from Wikipedia's Manhunt 2 article

Manhunt 2 would have been released uncut in Scandinavia with an 18+ PEGI certificate if not for Take-Two's suspension

Sounds like Sony and Nintendo gave them the thumbs up for Scandinavia.

This post has been edited by Cyberdude93: Jul 17 2007, 07:09 PM

[Mega_mil]

They just keep forgetting they're making the Xbox 360 for the entire world. These things affect their entire gaming audience and not just people in USA.

Ummm, you make it sound like Sony and Nintendo would allow it Think about Manhunt 2, Sony and The Big N were the first to say no. I bet M$ would put the game on their system if convinced too. I think this whole AO rating thing is bull. It's a known fact that kids don't buy more games than adults. Adults buy games for themselves or their kids. If your kid ends up with a game they shouldn't have, then you as a parent have to take more responsibility and investigate your kids activities more often. As a kid, I couldn't get away with anything. It's like my mom knew where my Black Tail mags were all the time...lol When I had music that was explicit, I had to hide it something or else my mom would take it. The thing is, my mom is very lenient by she knows how to watch her kids.

[epsilon72]

I have no desire to play these excessively violent/whatever AO games, and I honestly don't know why any one else would need to. Barring all AO games from consoles is fine with me.

This post has been edited by epsilon72: Jul 17 2007, 07:23 PM

[verboten]

I have no desire to play these excessively violent/whatever AO games, and I honestly don't know why any one else would need to. Barring all AO games from consoles is fine with me.

It's more along the lines of, let me decide If I want to play these games not anyone else.

This post has been edited by verboten: Jul 17 2007, 07:28 PM

[Mega_mil]

It's more along the lines of, let me decide If I want to play these games not anyone else.

+1 That is exactly what it is about. Next they will tell us what color underwear to wear each day of the week and how many kids you can have.

This post has been edited by Mega_mil: Jul 17 2007, 07:32 PM

[epsilon72]

+1 That is exactly what it is about. Next they will tell us what color underwear to wear each day of the week and how many kids you can have.

Big Brother is watching you.

[SueMiBlitch]

this all boils down to special interest groups with nothing better to do than to raise a lobby against video game violence.... if they only spent their time fighting against something more important like hunger and disease in africa, stopping kiddie porn, improving healthcare then maybe they would make the world better

I don't see why retailers and consoles don't allow AO games... the point of having a ratings system is that it parents don't have to put a lot of time in (although they should) into desciding wether or not their children can play the game

GOW had a M rating... i'm 22 and futureshop checked my ID when i bought the game.... a M rating means that it is "suitable for ages 17 and older"... "Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language"

AO - Contains content that is considered suitable only for adults. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity

to me there isn't much of a difference between the two, unless AO has porn in it or something... i mean GOW had prolonged scenes of intense violence.... hell you cut humanoid things in half with a chainsaw spraing blood all over the screen

the only differnece between M and AO is excesive sexual content... if you look at the media today (games, movies, TV shows, the news) the amount of violence is exesive. I think the special interest groups are just trying to stick it to rockstar who has angered them with their very sucessful, mature oriented games like the GTA series, Max Payne and the like

i hope M$ will have the balls to let AO games onto the 306, subsequently i hope manhunt 2 gets released on the 360, or the original xbox, or both

[Mega_mil]

Big Brother is watching you.

lol

I hope not cause man, all that IIS Hacking I did when I was young would really mess with my current career

This post has been edited by Mega_mil: Jul 17 2007, 07:39 PM

[Landlocked]

I like shooting Nazis and aliens on my Xbox. I prefer AO stuff in real life...thank you!

It's a bad PR move to go AO. MS already has trouble appealing to the Wii/family audience. Don't lose any more public faith.

[Tiuk]

Big Brother is watching you.

Through your Live Vision Cam.