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Twitch replaces its mature content mode with more granular 'labels'
Categories include sexual themes, gambling and significant profanity or vulgarity.
Valve explains 'progress' toward a new Steam Store content policy
It's been a few months since Valve announced an "allow everything onto the Steam Store, except for things that we decide are illegal, or straight up trolling" content policy and it's still working out the details. A new blog post provides some insight on how it plans to handle the store once sexual content is again admitted, and what kind of content will be banned.
'Doom' arrives on Nintendo Switch November 10th
Turns out that you won't have to wait too long to raze some Hell on your Nintendo Switch. That's because Doom will be released this November 10th, only a few short weeks from now. How's it look? Based on the video below, good and it seems to play just as fast, but it's a little soft/hazy compared to the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions. That's to be expected though, because the Switch is running on a standard NVIDIA Tegra X1 chip versus the PS4's and Xbox One's AMD Radeon processors. What's impressive is that the game's fancy lighting tricks appear to be intact. However, the video doesn't indicate if the game footage was captured during handheld mode or in TV mode.
Twitch: please don't broadcast Adults Only games on our service
Twitch is asking that its legion of video game broadcasters think twice before they share video of a game with gratuitous sex or violence. In an update to the streaming outfit's rules of conduct, users are asked not to publish their exploits if the title has been rated Adults Only by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. That's not to say that titles like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas are instantly banned, however, since the Mature-rated version of that same game is still allowed to run.
The Elder Scrolls Online tagged with Mature rating by ESRB
The Elder Scrolls Online has been given a Mature rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. Bethesda noted on the game's official Facebook page that while it does not agree with the ESRB's rating, intimating that it expected a "Teen" label, it is "unwilling to change the game's content to achieve a different rating." As a result, fans can expect Bethesda to promptly begin age-gating its Elder Scrolls Online materials, such as the game's website and trailers, though it mentioned that "the game we have created is the one we want our fans to be able to play." The Elder Scrolls Online is due out April 4 for PC and Mac with next-gen console launches following in June.
The Elder Scrolls Online receives Mature rating
The Entertainment Software Rating Board has given Elder Scrolls Online a Mature rating for "Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, and Violence," ZeniMax posted on its Facebook page. The studio is none too happy about the decision, stating, "The ESRB advised us that it has given The Elder Scrolls Online a Mature rating. While we may disagree with the ESRB's determination, we do not plan to challenge the rating, and we are unwilling to change the game's content to achieve a different rating. The game we have created is the one we want our fans to be able to play." ZeniMax said that the ruling has forced the studio to put the Mature rating and age gates on the ESO site, trailers, and ads.
Phoenix Wright Dual Destinies rated 'M' due to 'various crimes and storylines'
Capcom has confirmed to Joystiq that Phoenix Wright Dual Destinies has been rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB, making it the first game in the series to be given such a designation. Previous entries in the Phoenix Wright mythos have all been rated "T" for Teen. "Due to the nature of the various crimes and storylines in this latest title in the series, ESRB deemed the title an M," a Capcom representative told us. The ESRB, which declined commenting on its reasoning behind the game's rating, has labeled it with the same "Blood, Violence, Suggestive Themes, Language" descriptor given to the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Phoenix Wright Dual Destinies will be available exclusively through the 3DS eShop sometime this fall.
ESRB relaxes rules for trailers and demos of M-rated games
Good news for people who hate age gates. The ESRB has released revised rules for the marketing of games rated M for Mature (or games likely to be), reported by Giant Bomb, allowing trailers and demos of such games to be released on websites without age gates – as long as those trailers are designed for "general" audiences and approved by the ESRB. Such trailers will include green headers noting that they have been approved for a general audience, much like those in front of movie trailers.The ESRB also allows M-rated games to be promoted via demos included in other games, even if those games have a more permissive rating. This requires ESRB approval, however, and research suggesting that the two games have the same intended audience.Other new rules include removing the mandatory 4-second ESRB logo in front of demos, as long as the rating is shown on the download page, and a removal of a restriction on placing multiple regional ratings next to each other on websites.
Australian government finally introduces R18+ bill, to go into effect next year
Australia's game rating woes are almost over. After years of debate and legal discussion about an R18+ rating for video games there (that would allow for the equivalent of the ESRB's M-rated games to be released without, you know, being illegal), the government has finally agreed to the new rating, aiming to enact it as early as next year. A bill setting up the extra rating was introduced to the Federal Parliament this week, and is expected to pass easily through the House and Senate.The bill would go into effect sooner, but the Federal Minister for Home Affairs says the government needs time to finish all of the paperwork on the new regulation, and to allow each state and territory to draft its own laws enforcing the rating. The bill wouldn't mandate a nationwide rating, but simply allow each territory to create its own.But that shouldn't be an issue, according to those in the know. Apparently, there's plenty of public support already. There were almost 60,000 submissions from the public responding to a discussion paper from 2010, and 98% of those were strongly in support of games rated R18+. As soon as the laws go into effect, retailers will be free to sell games as needed to anyone old enough to buy them.
Addon Spotlight: Hermes, Extra Button, and the mature language filter addon
Each week, WoW Insider's Mathew McCurley brings you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, which focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same. One of the most often asked-about topics around these parts concerns the issue of raid cooldowns. A raid leader armed with sufficient knowledge and a knack for planning can orchestrate a cooldown rotation like no other. His excellence could only be improved by a cooldown monitor, allowing that intrepid leader to see what was at his disposal. Many players ask me where to find such a display. This week's Addon Spotlight pick is just the ticket. Allow me to introduce you to Hermes, a wonderful little addon that knows who has what raid cooldowns available. But first, we need to talk about a pressing issue, a dire matter that has threatened the very virtual world we inhabit. I am of course talking about the worst bug in the history of bugs: an eternal mature language filter. Let's fix that too, shall we?
Free for All: Why you shouldn't be worried while playing Second Life
Recently I've taken a great interest in Second Life. For the record, I've been interested in the game -- er, world -- for the past seven years. More specifically, my seventh "birthday" is coming up on May 26th, 2011, meaning that I have been exploring, building, discussing and watching Second Life for a long, long time. I truly enjoy wandering into groups of other players who seem to think that my fairly basic avatar means that I am either new or ignorant about the game. I love telling them that I have been playing a long time, probably longer than they have. I'm actually proud of it. Still, in spite of my history with the game, I do miss major developments. I am not consumed with the politics and goings on at Linden Lab (maker of Second Life). So when I heard about the changes that were being made concerning adult content, I sort of tuned it out and continued to play off and on. I typically disliked -- no, hated is a better word -- the adult content I came across in Second Life, so I simply avoided it. If there is one thing I am asked about Second Life, it's "aren't there orgies going on all the time?" Seriously. I get asked about orgies more than anything. I wanted to go over the official rules to reassure those curious and wary potential players that they will not be shot in the face with a sex toy -- unless they want to be. Click past the cut and let's discuss.
ESRB breakdowns say 5 percent of games were rated M in 2010
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has published its annual breakdown of classifications it applied to 2010's video game releases, arranged in the delicious-looking pie chart posted above. As you can see, Mature games made up a surprisingly small sliver of the whole -- only 5 percent of the 1,638 games rated last year received an "M" rating, a drop in the bucket compared to the 55 percent of games that received an "E" designation. These statistics haven't changed much over the past few years -- actually, Mature games actually fell by one percent year-over-year. So, you know, if anyone tries to convince you that games are solely designed to mold everyday citizens into unfeeling murderbots, feel free to drop that knowledge on them.
TUAW's Daily App: Aftermath
I'll be honest -- I heard that Aftermath was a zombie game and almost gave up on it. I wouldn't be offended if you did the same, since lots of developers (especially iPhone developers) are depending a little too much on zombies for their gameplay. Yes, it's fun to fight the walking undead, but they're used over and over again because a) they're easy to program, and b) they let you make a "shooting humans" game without getting involved in the whole morality thing. But Aftermath is still worth a look. While a lot of zombie games on the store go abstract or silly, this one sticks pretty close to realistic, and it has some serious quality and interesting gameplay behind it. You're fighting zombies and moving through levels, but instead of aiming and shooting a gun, you're actually aiming a flashlight, and your gun automatically fires for you. The projected light makes the whole affair very atmospheric; the game's just dark enough that it actually feels a little spooky trying to navigate the shuffling brain-eaters to your next objective. Particularly if you're a fan of Left 4 Dead or that ilk, Aftermath is probably worth a look -- it's US$1.99 on the App Store right now. And please, developers, unless they're as inventive and well-done as this one, let's keep the zombie games to a minimum. Maybe we could fight werewolves instead? Or angry robots?
The Anvil of Crom: Family unfriendly
There's been a lot of lip service paid to family friendly MMORPGs over the last couple of years, and deservedly so. Games like Free Realms, Mabinogi, and Toon Town Online have all done well for themselves by realizing that the first generation of gamers are all grown up and busy popping out future button mashers of their own. Free-to-play doesn't have the market cornered on family friendliness either, as pay-to-play titles like City of Heroes, World of Warcraft, and (I'm betting) the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic are or will be hugely popular with kids and their parents due to a lack of objectionable content. Isn't it refreshing then, when a game like Funcom's Age of Conan comes along and completely turns its nose up at all the political correctness? Even though that's a bit of a rhetorical question, I'll answer it for you. Yes, yes it is, extremely refreshing. Hit the jump to find out why.
Blizzard appeals StarCraft 2 Korean 'Adults Only' rating
Blizzard has zerg rushed an appeal together to combat South Korea's "Adults Only" rating for upcoming South Korean narcotic StarCraft 2. Shacknews reports that the rating was based on an old build of the game, and that Blizzard has already submitted a new version to petition the board for a lower rating. Blizzard is likely taking StarCraft 2's launch and accessibility in South Korea very seriously. The original game is popular enough to support many incredibly well-paid professional players, and there's lots of money on the line -- albeit not always legally.
New Australian AG backpedals on R+18 rating
Remember those fuzzy, triumphant feelings we felt when new South Australian Attorney General John Rau supposedly voiced his unswerving support for adopting an R18+ rating for violent video games in the region? Yeah, those feelings have officially been depleted -- in a recent interview with GameSpot, Rau stated that he "can neither support nor wisely argue against a position if I am not aware of the relevant factors." No, it's not like Rau's adopted the staunch anti-violent game stance of his predecessor, controversial AG Michael Atkinson. However, considering Gamers4Croydon president Chris Prior said Rau's stance on the issue was that it would be "just common sense to introduce" the mature rating to the territory, his actual, noncommittal stance is a little disappointing. We're not sure our delicate emotions can take much more of this back-and-forth. [Via GamePolitics]
The Daily Grind: How do you feel about mature content?
The game industry, in some ways, is akin to the film industry in that it grows up in fits and starts. Games such as Silent Hill 2 and God of War both have the same rating of "Mature" on the box, and both of them feature gore and some sexual imagery, but there's a world of difference in their attitudes toward them. Age of Conan is one of the few triple-A MMOs to really try and tackle mature content in the field as a selling point, with most of the market leaders eschewing it altogether. On the one hand, mature content opens the door for more adult and immersive stories to be told. On the other hand, it can also be used for cheap shock value and lead to less maturity in storytelling. Not to mention that it can lead to some backlash for developers (as BioWare experienced not so long ago). Where do you stand on the issue? Do you want unmitigated violence and nudity in your games, with all the concurrent issues they can bring, or would you rather keep things at a lower key to avoid the slide into immaturity?
Australian mature game detractor Michael Atkinson stepping down
South Austrailian Attorney General Michael Atkinson, the gentleman almost single-handedly responsible for preventing the nation from adopting an R18+ rating for games, is stepping down from the front bench. The controversial figure will remain on the Australian parliament until the 2014 elections, but is stepping down from his position to bring in some fresh blood from the Labor party. "I think there are talented people on the Labor backbench who deserve a go," Atkinson explained. There's no telling whether the new A.G. will share Atkinson's position on the outright banning of mature games, but judging by the cornucopia of tips we received from overjoyed Aussies last night, there's plenty of room for hope.
EB Games endorses R18+ rating in Australia
Australia isn't just dangerous because of its abundance of deadly, poisonous wildlife, it's also not a great place to live if you're an adult gamer. See, the country's maximum rating for video games has long been MA 15+, meaning that a mature game must either be censored down to what the country deems is suitable for a 15 year old individual or outright banned from release in the country. This forces many gamers to navigate the seedy streets and back alleys of the importing scene. Nasty stuff, believe us. But, there's hope. A new rating of R18+ has been a hot topic as of late. Recently, the government has been receptive to a change in the legislature, despite South Australian attorney general Michael Atkinson's vehement disapproval. The public is able to weigh in on the proposed change right now, but retailer EB Games has also decided to join the fight for more mature titles. And like anyone else trying to get something done on the internet, it's started a petition. The "Grow Up Australia & EB Games" petition pretty much mirrors the same form found on the Aussie government's site here, so if you're a bloke or sheila who has already voiced your opinions on the government site, there's no need to fill out this new EB Games questionnaire. If not, get on it. The deadline is February 28. [Via IGN]
Sega 'probably not' making more hardcore Wii games
Sega gave it the old college try in 2009, reaching out to "mature" gamers with the likes of MadWorld, The Conduit and House of the Dead: Overkill. But after none of those made much of an NPDent, it would seem the publisher may be abandoning the practice. While speaking on the performance of those games during the 4 Guys 1UP podcast, Sega of America studio director Constantine Hantzopoulos said, "That begets the question, you know, are we gonna do more mature titles for the Wii and it's like ... probably not." Hantzopoulos then pointed to the poor performance of Dead Space: Extraction on the Wii, saying he had been using it as a litmus test for the potential of mature titles on the platform. In other news, Sega has apparently decided on "be a little more arrogant" as its New Year's resolution.
