Praise in public, punish in private.

First rule of management in any organization. The ESRB should have sent a polite note in private first. As an organization created by the industry and paid for by the industry, they should start by being courteous and discreet ("Ahem, did you know your slip is showing?"). Only if they don't get any response should they escalate to public warnings.

OK then...

Is ESRB becoming a pack of bullies or something?

The ESRB should have used good cop to deliver the message (assuming that this is the first communication between the two regarding this matter):

3D Realms,
We at the ESRB just wanted to remind you that your website's ESRB info and graphics are out of date, follow this link to get the latest versions. Please keep in mind that you are contractually obligated to update them in 10 days after receiving this notice. If you have any questions or need further help please contact me and I will be happy to help.

Sincerely,
ESRB Good Cop

See, no need for Bad Cop to come around drunk on his own power (MH2 or malt whisky ;p ) and create a PR disaster. This is why Bad Cop is kept on a tight leash.

Um... please follow the contract you agreed too, you have 10 days to comply, or we will have to invoke the penalties you agreed to. Please contact our rep who will be more than happy to help you in this process.

Okay they were Heavy handed, but what do they gain from being "Bullies"? They are a non profit created by the industry designed to give the industry the cover they need to make games.

Is the credit card company a "bully" for sending notice that your account may be suspended because you haven't paid an overdue bill? Are traffic cops "bullies" for tersely waving you through the intersection when it's your turn to go, without politely asking "please" first?

I am a fan of 3D Realms for the technology they develop and the games they make, not for their contrived anti-establishment attitudes, nor whatever snide comments they make to one another in their private "underground channels."

The only example of "antics" I saw in this story is when Miller publicly accuses the ESRB of "antics" for calling on his company to comply with the business agreement it voluntarily agreed to. If that was a "sucker punch," it's only because Scott Miller set himself up as the sucker.

I'm not so sure the ESRB was being "heavy handed". They informed 3D Realms that their information was out of date. Big deal.

This is merely a case of he said/she said without the letter. Why did they not release the letter? Maybe the real Bully here is the people at 3D realms.

the ESRB is being a bit more forceful these days,I guess they have to start creating a solid front if the industry is ever goign to move forward and let AO games in.


Stinking Kevin
Mmm both Duke3d and Shadow warrior where ahead of their time,not for their themes but all the interesting things in game,sticky bombs,picking up thrown weapons,bouncing grenades,intrakit level design but now a days they are a diem a dozen,Prey was so so,Duke has been sold off to be put in various games (from the 3rd person PSX days to side scrollers and such) they are either lost or broke either way currently they are about as bad as ID/Raven who has lost almost all touch with games they made(sorry Q4 was a joke and D3 is underwhelming) it is bad when the over hyped Daikatana was more fun than the dark and dank D3....

I look at games as fun and flow and if they can keep my interest,so far these last 6 or 8 years level design has been striped for better graphics this has dmaaged FPSs the most , D3 is pretty much the best exsmaple of minimalist gun and run gaming, and I don't care for it,even HL2 suffers from it....

2K may be the parent company of Rockstar, but they're hardly a small target, and such direct and heavy-handed interference with marketing is not exactly wise. If 2K decided to tell the ESRB to stuff it and that they won't submit their games to them anymore, it will be the ESRB that bends, mark my words.

Of course the hysterical mob in congress would rush in to put a stop to that sort of freedom.

@Pixel

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY DOING THAT IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WHAT THEY INDUSTRY CREATED THEM TO DO!?!

@Chuck

Why? They are a non profit org last time I checked. Boohoo, they don't get the $4,000 charge for rating the game.

"If 2K decided to tell the ESRB to stuff it and that they won’t submit their games to them anymore, it will be the ESRB that bends, mark my words."

Nintendo requires all games published in the United States to be rated by ESRB. Microsoft requires all games published in the United States to be rated by ESRB. Sony Computer Entertainment requires all games published in the United States to be rated by ESRB. Wal-Mart requires all games published in the United States to be rated by ESRB. Best Buy requires all games published in the United States to be rated by ESRB. Who bends?

The ESRB has proven time and time again over the past 3 months that it has no interest in informing consumers, but of censoring potential controversy to cover their own weaselly asses from unconstitution legislation.

Fuck the ESRB, it's clearly broken, corrupt, and political

And it's unbelievable that you at Gamepolitics keep swallowing that shit up and saying "WELL THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS" No, it doesn't. What the ESRB should be doing is fighting back. not caving to pressure. But it's clear that the ESA is way too pussy for it.

This is what the ECA is here for, to fight for the consumer's rights. But it seems the ECA is always following the ESRB. They've never disagreed once. Yet you claim to represent us. BULLSHIT. So whose side are you on, Gamepolitics, the gamers, or the game industry?

If the ECA worked to represent us, you know what they'd do? They'd fix the industry for the consumer. They'd work to get the appallingly overpriced Micro-Transactions lowered so you don't have to pay 5 dollars to get a suit of armor that should've been in Oblivion anyway. You should be contesting the ESRBs gradual but obvious descent into MPAA style bully tactics, and you should fight FOR US, and not them.

I'm ashamed I ever gave you my money.

Inquisitor, did they really force them to remove the trailers or did they mandate people must verify their age first to see it? The latter is what they usually do.

Hayabusa...you apparently missed this:

"The ESRB also recently ordered D3 and 2K to withdraw web trailers for Dark Sector and The Darkness."

Sure fits the bill to me.

@Weatherlight

They did put the age gate up. They thought it was too violent DESPITE the age gate. Read the goddamn article instead of picking and choosing pieces for your opinion

Weatherlight, the ESRB is slowly, but surely, making it impossible to market mature video gaming content with ads that target adults. They're slowly, but surely, caving in to "community standards" set by non-gaming audience.

Taken into its inevitable conclusion, the self-censorship in the gaming industry with the help of ESRB's rules "everyone" agreed to will lead to actual game content censorship, whether self-censorship by gaming companies, or imposed on them by outsiders like ESRB. Some might argue that it's already happening.

I'm just waiting for the Dungeon Heroes trailer to be pulled, because you can see goblin balls in it.