
On the heels of Take Two's confirmation that hackers unlocked edited content on the PSP version of Manhunt 2, Parents Television Council president Tim Winter (left) has called upon the ESRB to reinstate the game's original Adults Only rating.
Among Winter's demands:
Immediately reinstate the ‘Adults Only’ rating.... This action is consistent with ESRB precedent as demonstrated in the Grand Theft Auto controversy surrounding the ‘hot coffee’ content.
Immediately suspend all ESRB review or consideration of any other software published by Rockstar or Take-Two Interactive. Given the clear pattern of contempt by Rockstar and Take-Two, these firms have breached the trust of the entire video game rating system.
Immediately disclose the content that was allegedly removed by Rockstar from Manhunt 2 so that parents can have a clear understanding of exactly what remains on those games which potentially can be accessed by their children.
Winter also raises the specter of legislation, writing:
Unless the industry as a whole, including the ESRB, steps up to the plate immediately and decisively, there is little doubt the video game ratings system will face the specter of government oversight.
Comments
For God's sake, this is entirely DIFFERENT to the Hot Coffee incident, we're talking about entirely different content here, as well. This bloke just doesn't have a clue.
This of course doesn't invalidate any other arguments made so far especially not the FACT that this game is NOT FOR CHILDREN.
I know I'm playing devil's advocate here, but it's hard to accuse the politicos of disseminating misinformation and then with out a second glance allow it to happen in my own camp.
"Immediately disclose the content that was allegedly removed by Rockstar from Manhunt 2 so that parents can have a clear understanding of exactly what remains on those games which potentially can be accessed by their children."
So they're saying that children who aren't old enough to realize that this video game isn't real and that its just for entertainment are going to be able to access the stuff only accessed by modifying the game? ...
How does one game constitute a pattern? And a game you had to alter using third party software to access the contentious material at that.
"Immediately disclose the content that was allegedly removed by Rockstar from Manhunt 2 so that parents can have a clear understanding of exactly what remains on those games which potentially can be accessed by their children."
It shouldn't be played by children. Why can't they understand that...
Hackers apparently have altered one of those edits to produce an illegally modified version of the game that can only be played on an unauthorized, modified PlayStation Portable handheld system.
Do politicians even see this? I'd like to run an experiment to see if they have selective intelligence (they had to pass college somehow!).
And don't get me started on the parenting side of the issue. But I'll say this. It takes 5 minutes to search your kid's room to find something you don't like. It's not an invasion of privacy if you actually do parenting and let them know the RULES!
You know nothing about video games or the video game rating process.
Go die in a fire you useless hacks.
I means seriously, you demand? What position are you in to demand anything! You're the head of a whiny pressure group that no one gives two shits about and your only job is to screech and whine about things you don't understand.
Considering I am thinking about buying Manhunt 2 when it is finally released in the UK, Rockstar are more likely to listen to me, a potential customer, than you, a whiny douchebag. In fact, I can safely say that my left nut has more power than you or your entire pressure group.
Game, set, and match.
Unlike a cheat device a moddfied PSP is a bit harder to come by thus you claims of hot coffee is pitiful and uninformed.
Perhaps if you fools worked with the console makers to let AO games be approved on the console then thos games would not fall in the hands of childern as easily as games for older teens, but no you want to boil the baby in the bath water and make a frothy demonic hot smoothy out of it.
And until you actuality start trying to inform parents to protect childern all your motive and opinions make baby shakes out of complete lack of logic and forethought you spew.....
"Immediately suspend all ESRB review or consideration of any other software published by Rockstar or Take-Two Interactive. Given the clear pattern of contempt by Rockstar and Take-Two, these firms have breached the trust of the entire video game rating system. "
The first one was a mistake at worst, even so without a 3rd party tool you could not do it, thus making it a joke for a joke when R rated movies have real sex scenes...
"Immediately disclose the content that was allegedly removed by Rockstar from Manhunt 2 so that parents can have a clear understanding of exactly what remains on those games which potentially can be accessed by their children."
What was removed is equal to whats in the SAW movies so until you mob wallmart for selling the unrated versions and bring them to thier knees GFY.
The fact that the game exists at all is the issue they care about. They want to put their own criteria and limits over what is allowed to be created. It's like if a committee decided that no one is allowed to paint their house blue because they think it's an ugly color. Whast gives them the right to make that decision for everyone?
I don't think I could evr explain this to any of these people, they'll never get it. It's frustrating.
That would be nice but unfortunatly the game ISN'T FOR CHILDREN.
Immediately reinstate the ‘Adults Only’ rating…. This action is consistent with ESRB precedent as demonstrated in the Grand Theft Auto controversy surrounding the ‘hot coffee’ content.
False. With "Hot Coffee", Rockstar/Take-Two didn't tell the ESRB about the hidden minigame still being in the game's code even though it was locked and needed to be hacked into get to. This time, the ESRB already knows about it since tsome content was locked out and other content was completely removed by Rockstar when Take-Two re-submitted the game after they finished editing it to get the M rating. Therefore, the AO rating should not be reinstated.
Immediately suspend all ESRB review or consideration of any other software published by Rockstar or Take-Two Interactive. Given the clear pattern of contempt by Rockstar and Take-Two, these firms have breached the trust of the entire video game rating system.
Unlikely to happen, as Rockstar/Take-Two followed the ESRB's rules this time, so there's no "pattern of comtempt".
“Immediately disclose the content that was allegedly removed by Rockstar from Manhunt 2 so that parents can have a clear understanding of exactly what remains on those games which potentially can be accessed by their children.”
Can be found anywhere on the net, so as your parents would have told you, "Look it up yourself". Besides that, as stated above, the content was no different than what's in movies like Saw and Hostel.
And besides that, it is highly unlikely that children can even get the game, as adults account for 90% of all video game sales, and minors by themselves only account for 1.26% of all video game sales.
The Parent Trash Cult are nothing more than a group of crybabies.
I'm irritated with R* for not managing their code or tools better to avoid these situations and I'm downright pissed at all the pundits condemning them for elements in disabled areas of the program.
But here is yet ANOTHER uneducated group that doesn't know how technology works. Forget that they're applying this to all three games and not just the PSP version for a second.
You need a MODDED PSP and MODDED GAME to have this happen. You don't get those from the games in the local Wal-Mart. Period.
As the saying goes, "Good luck with all THAT!"
Anyway, altering the INI already isn't needed anymore, there is a Codebreaker code to remove it, just like the Punisher game no one cared about.
Is he alledging that parents are OK with their kids playing even the blurred out version?
Oh, and if you have a child that is capable of hacking & dumping games- be proud since your child is gifted & talented.
I want some cotton candy!
I'd argue that, clearly, these people don't understand the facts surrounding the PSP HACK, but they obviously don't give a crap.
The movie Pleasantville came to mind....
Bob: [to David/Bud and Bill]] You are charged with desecration of a public building and the intentional use of prohibited paint colors in violation of The Pleasantville Code of Conduct and "Laws of Common Decency." Do you admit that on the night of May 1 you did consciously and willfully apply the following FORBIDDEN paint colors to the North Wall of the Pleasantville Police Station: Red, Pink, Vermilion, Puce, Chartreuse, Umber, Blue, Aqua, Ox Blood, Green, Peach, Crimson, Yellow, Olive and Magenta?
David/Bud: Yes I do. Where's our lawyer?
Bob: We prefer to keep these proceedings as "pleasant" as possible. I don't think a lawyer will be necessary.
I love wikiquote.
You are absolutely right. The problem is who is going to tell them the real facts and get them to understand what is actually going on? What we really could use is someone to either get in contact with them or on tv to explain the situation whether it be ESRB's Patty Vance or ECA's Hal Halpin. Someone that can prevent the spread of lies and misinformation. The PTC does a great job of looking stupid... but only to us because we actually understand what is going on.
To the rest of the world that is not educated in games and how they work, it would appear they have a point. Unfortunately for us and the industry, none of those people shouting actually know what they are talking about. Even if we as GP readers maturely and respectfully approached everyone of these people, we would be rebuked and not believed. Especially by politicians. That is just my take on it. But the best recourse to prevent things for getting way worse would be to put the truth out there and fully explain that this is not a simple process, there is no magic code like up up down down left right left right b a select start to unlock this code, that is not accessible by ordinary game play on ordinary consoles. Until then all these sensationalists will continue to mouth off.
A. The game to be rerated because of content that can only be access through illegal means
B. Because of what a third party did to the game, Rockstar should be punished by not being allowed to have any of their other games rated (sounds like someone's trying to stop GTA IV)
C. Reveal content from their game, that basically everyone at the ESRB and Rockstar are legally not allowed to reveal due to NDAs?
PTC here a suggestion: Stay the hell out of how I raise my kids and I will have the same respect for you.
ok settle down......
now instead of focusing on the gaming industry go bitch about movies or books because you will get your F***ing asses whoped in court just like video game because games are speech thusly protected by the 1st amendment
WTF? Why the hell do parents need to know whats in this game? Because regardless of what was taken out or left in, the game is not meant for children. So why does it matter?
Manhunt 2 was inappropriate for children under an M rating and it would still be inappropriate for children under an AO rating. So the sooner they do away with this redundant rating the better.
Yeah! So we can only sell it to 18 year olds instead of 17 year olds!
Wait, what? One year makes that big a difference? Oh wait, you want it rated AO because you know that equals auto-ban.
Ah, I see. You don't realize adult gamers exist. No, I get it, it's ok. There's a pill to treat that.
Easy, probably - I actually have a modified PSP right here - but the process of doing so is rather tedious, as some of the required files are actually buried rather deeply on the Internet, and finding them requires a fair bit of Googling and some prior knowledge of where the major hubs are for these files (for example, Sony no longer distributes the 1.50 firmware upgrader, which is necessary for most custom firmware upgrades or downgrader programs).
A 13-year-old with the intention of playing a game they're not supposed to is probably going to give up after the hours it will probably take them to figure all this out.
I agree, but I think the M rating could use a little tweaking. It should be 18+ not 17+. If you're old enough to go kill in Iraq, you're old enough to kill in a video game. That is completely indisputable by even the hardest-cored lefty.
Also, M rated games should be controlled. They should require ID for age verification and they should not be allowed to be sold online. If parents buy M games for their kids, they should be legally responsible in the same way they would be for buying their kids cigarettes or alcohol. However, in the same way that Tobacco companies are not held responsible, so too should developers not be held responsible from the incompetencies of retailers.
Warning - Game Experience May Change With Hacking And Modding
And do you feel the same way about movies? I am not trying to be rude or a jerk, but you are comparing games which have been speculated to have caused unknown damage to children's state of mind to cigaretts and alchohol which have done proven harm to childrens bodies and brains. That is a poor comparison. Speculated harm does not equal proven harm.
Also your comment that M rated games should not be sold online makes no sense. Why should they not be sold online when everything else in the world is sold online? You can buy cars, alcohol, tobacco, guns, porn, comics etc. Do you beleive that all these should not be sold on line? They have all had proven or speculated harm towards children as well.
Also unless you are unaware, the FTC has approved the use of a credit card as age verification as people under the age of 18 are not leagally allowed to own them.
This has been proven to be unconstitutional, the first amendment in specific, 8 or is it 9 times now?
That would be 9 times. :D
http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/15918
(nsfw contains violent images)
This link compares Manhunt 1, MH2 cut and uncut versions. Many of the censored scenes were in MH1 without edit. So why were they edited in MH2? Well it looks as if they may have went a bit overboard in the censoring to make sure they got the M rating in time for a Halloween launch. If the hack gets rid of the distortion it is no worse than MH1 which is rated mature. From what I understand, the more gruesome ones like the pliers and genitals one have been removed and NOT unlocked with this hack. So this hack may not be as bad as first seems if it only unveils things seen in MH1. If this is the case, it does not deserve an AO rating. Like some horror movies, they didn't have to cut out ALL of the gore to get an R rating from an N17, just enough that pushed it over the edge. Time will tell.
I dont live under your constitution.
Yes, I do feel the same about movies.
Are you going to address my other questions, or are you going to pull a troll and not respond to anything that can't be responded to with a yes or no?
Then why the comment about M rated games (a rating of the ESRB whose influence does not go past American borders), being controlled? So no. M rated games should not be controlled and as far as the land in which there are M rated games, it is unconstitutional.
Your mileage may vary depending on your country's laws and its rating system.
November 2nd, 2007 at 1:04 pm
@Erik
I dont live under your constitution
good for you, you can stop advocating the upheval of our constitution, then.
I think you are over estimating those numbers ;)
Unfortunately, it's not a question of taking pills. I like this quote, it explains everything
"You can't fix stupid. There isn't a pill you can take, there's not a class you can go to. Stupid is FOREVER!" - Ron White
Yeap, that's the Parent Trash Cult. Pills won't do.
Spoons.
blunt and good for scooping, but take one and file down te edges untill you have a jagged point and its capable of stabbing eyes out.
Shall we reprimand the inventor of the spoon for such actions? No, because its effing ridiculous!
Case in point, when you modify a game or any kind of invention you void the user agreement and thus take responsibiltiy upon yourself, this was porbably not intended by rockstar, not perpetrated by rockstar and thus not their fault.
1. Reformulate ESRB to wipe out the AO rating altogether.
2. Mount a counter-offensive media storm to paint the watch dog groups for what they truely are: freedom hating, moral facist, paranoid idiots.
3. Strike down all licensing agreements that enforce censorship through the prohibition the development of games of a certain level of maturity.
4. Challenge retailers inconsistent polices not to stock games designed for adults in stores. A case might be possible if the industry can illustrate unwarrented discrimination against games.
5. Release a series of insane tasteful, well designed, obscenely violent, and incredibly sexual games that challenge the market barriers established right now. Create demand for games tasteful, complex, violent, and sexual enough to attract a broad range of adult consumers.
6. Use the ESA to campaign against the false perception of "video games for kids;" instead, promote games as an art form devoid of an intrisinsic age demographic.
7. Never stop fighting against the moral facists who wish to strip us of our intellectual autonomy, rights as free consumers, and right to enjoy fictional works.
"Give Manhunt 2 an AO rating or you'll never see Billy again"
Fortunately the PTC has even less power than our good friend from Florida.
If the media wasn't covering this so much the game would have run under most everyone's radar, and I for one am sick of reading about these things especially when most of the "facts" are incorrect.
Understand the game is for 17+ your child should not be able to get it, if they somehow due it's your responsibility as a parent to get it out of the house, or at the very least use those parental settings. Someone apparently needs to put that on the news because, for some strange reason, people aren't getting the memo.
Now I just want the stupid game to be supportive of rockstar, and before something happens (such as sales actually getting blocked, or some other silly thing)
Oh yes because every kid is an expert hacker and knows how to modify thier PSP properly and can get the game given that stores are being vigilant about it's sales. Yesterday I was able to buy Dementium without being asked for ID but when I bought Manhunt 2 a few days earlier, I had to show them my ID to proove I was 17. This isn't being sold to children and it's the parents' responsibility to keep it out of thier kids' hands. You fail Mr.Winter. Try policing what your kids play instead of blaming everyone else because you failed as a parent.
Logic doesn't work on them. More to the point, the PTC are a bunch of Luddites (no offense to the actual Luddites, who made considerably more sense despite a similar reactionary fearfulness) and, because they don't understand this computer and video thingy technology and can't control everybody's children's access to it, they instead set out to paint themselves as some sort of hero to all the other people who don't understand technology even remotely.
This is why the comment keeps coming up that we just have to wait for all these old idiots to die off, but obviously they're not content to stick to what they know while they're still kicking, and instead insist on being as strident as possible in the hopes nobody calls them on their decided lack of knowledge or intelligence. Yet on the plus side, at least where I live, the PTC is considered nothing more than a comedy act by all the teachers and parents of young children. Apparently this type of hysteria isn't what people who actually want to raise their own children responsibly want.
btw im writing a paper for school saying that i want the esrb to lighten game ratings please help me if you can and give me your backing my email is crazyarseprogramz@hotmail.com