Reservoir Dogs recalled in UK

Xbox version of Eidos' shooter pulled from shelves across the pond after printing error fails to place proper rating on disc.

Eidos' Reservoir Dogs is one of several games under scrutiny for what some feel is unnecessary violence. The game is based on Quentin Tarantino's bloody film of the same name, and puts gamers in the pressed suits of bank robbers who can torture policemen in various ways.

The game was recently released in the UK, and the Xbox version of the game has been pulled from shelves--but not for the reasons those who opposed it had hoped for.

Eidos has confirmed that the Xbox version was shipped with a printing error, which did not print the proper "18" rating (the UK equivalent of M for Mature) on the disc.

"This is a minor isolated incident which affects only the Xbox version of the game," said a representative from Eidos. "The incident results from an error at the printers and the 18 certificate was omitted from the disc. Eidos has an obligation to ensure that an 18 rated game can be clearly identified so new discs are being printed on which the 18 rating is clearly marked and these will be distributed very shortly. The PlayStation 2 and PC versions are currently available."

Reservoir Dogs comes to the US on the PlayStation 2, PC, and Xbox in late October. The game has been rated M for Mature. For more information, check GameSpot's previous coverage.

62 Comments

  • s0ild_snake

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 5:55 am PT

    this game not good

  • nazraq

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 3:19 pm PT

    I like this game a lot. I wonder what kind of trouble it will sturr up here in the US. You can kill tons of cops if you try, but you will be labled as a psyco. To play the game right, you shouldn't kill any cops. I'm only a few hours into the game but I managed to line up seven cops against one wall. I didn't kill anybody. The way you play is actually a new game mechanic. you have to negotiate with cops and take hostages. If you run and gun you wont really get what the devopers intended.

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Sep 3, 2006 11:02 pm PT

    Why was this released in the UK first????

  • boyinfridge

    Posted Sep 3, 2006 10:58 am PT

    In the UK if you sell 18 rated material to anyone under age you could face a £12000 fine and up to 5 years in prison. its taken that seriously

  • diablobasher

    Posted Sep 3, 2006 9:47 am PT

    @Irve
    There is no AO equivalent in Europe. 18+ is like MA but 18+ instead of 17+. Well actually it's not like MA cuz ya don't need to be 17+ and have an ID card to buy them. Some stores in the US do that. So yes even porn games are OK to sell to minors in Europe and ALL 18+ games can be found in regular stores.

    @You

    Wrong.

    18 is when you are considered an adult over here, so effectively, 18 is the adult only rating, and you do have to look over 21 to buy it, if you dont looke at least 21, they check ID before you can buy it, so i dont know wtf you are babling about. Other ratings are 15, 12 and Everyone.

  • princeofgames90

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 3:34 pm PT

    I'm getting it for shure And for the rating the rating wont stop kids from playing it

  • cmhawk

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 5:38 am PT

    the rating dont stop little kids from getting hold of the games anyways

  • cocomacoco

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:18 pm PT

    this game is really difficult, but delivers good action, i'm sure

  • StillWingless

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 10:25 am PT

    make it past the controversy, get the game in stores... then have to recall because you printed the packaging wrong. gg, guys.

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:36 am PT

    I'll wait for a review before getting it.......

  • phaves

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:34 am PT

    That is assuming the 18 rating on res dogs game is a BBFC 18 (same as a movie 18 ) which GTA had. If its a game rating 18 then its not legally binding but shops should still ask for ID.

  • phaves

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:27 am PT

    @Soulslayer
    I live in the UK and an 18 rated game or movie in the UK cannot be bought legally by anyone under 18. The 15 and 18 ratings in the UK are not advisory ratings they mean you must be that age to purchase. As Irve said thats why the hot coffee was not so much of a big deal here as GTA was already an 18. Oh and porn games are not for sale to minors.

  • robreloaded

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 6:04 pm PT

    That's one for the collectors.

  • veracity024

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 2:07 pm PT

    thats too bad cool movie tho

  • Gromstar

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:58 am PT

    I dont care, this game looks terrible!!! Graphics that is, torturing fools sounds AMAZIN' though!!!

  • SoulSlayer_

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:25 am PT

    @Irve
    There is no AO equivalent in Europe. 18+ is like MA but 18+ instead of 17+. Well actually it's not like MA cuz ya don't need to be 17+ and have an ID card to buy them. Some stores in the US do that. So yes even porn games are OK to sell to minors in Europe and ALL 18+ games can be found in regular stores.

  • P2L5NM

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:01 am PT

    M=/=18

    18 = AO

    That's why Rockstar wern't effected in UK because GTA always has been and always will be rated "18".

  • bigZmanship

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:00 am PT

    omfg. i hate u guys.

  • SuCuBuS_04

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 7:55 am PT

    sort of on the topic, my copy of SSBM has a rating of 11+ but every1 elses is 3+, wots the actual rating? the uk government doesnt giv a dam about games unlike the us so yay!!

  • roareh

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 6:27 am PT

    wouldve been funnier if they printed a 3+ logo on there instead of the 18.

    i know *i* would of laughed ^__________^

  • LordAndrew

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 6:16 am PT

    How does something like this even happen?

  • Havoc19

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 5:59 am PT

    hype marketing..

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 5:48 am PT

    Oops!!!

  • Irve

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 5:18 am PT

    ERROR .. the 18 rating is the equivalent to Adults only in the states... the rating makes it illeagal to sell to those under 18 punishable by big fines and whatnot. is it just me or is the idea of an RD game up their with the idea of a fight club beat em up ??

  • Matt7895

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 4:14 am PT

    I'm more confused as to why the game is only coming out on the old Xbox and not the new one....

  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 2:55 am PT

    Phew -_- just a printing error, for a minute i though i was gonna have to go make a picket sign not that i care about this particular game though.

  • ewjim

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 2:07 am PT

    Poor xbox... How pity...

  • s0ild_snake

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 1:46 am PT

    this is a good game but i play it one time no any more

  • faizali86

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 1:41 am PT

    cant wait for reviews!

  • dsrarrow

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 12:55 am PT

    the xbox curse begins! MOOOOHAHAHAHHAAA! I'm going to finad another goat, I have to keep this going.......

  • BounceDK

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 12:25 am PT

    hahaha, stupid rating.. Who gives a flip?

  • guslan

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 6:09 pm PT

    the ones without the 18 sign will be worth a lot on ebay

  • edubuccaneer Site moderator

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 5:00 pm PT

    They should re-call the game and never let it see the light of day again... it's horribly made, an obvious attempt at cashing in the fame of the movie among Tarantino's fans.

  • aramitz

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 4:40 pm PT

    It was the BBFC's decision to withdraw from shelves (due to the 18 Symbol not being on the disc), not ELSPA. ELSPA's ratings aren't legally enforceable. This is the kind of hoo-hah you get when you have two classification systems judging one form of media.

    Considering that the 18 rating /was/ on the front, back and spine unless your selling a boxless pre-owned copy I can't see why this was at all necessary. Rather than hurt Eidos (who would have already got their wedge from the distributers (GEM) the only person this has hurt is independent retailers who don't have stock on the shelves. Although I imagine any retailer who ordered more than 5 copies of this is already contemplating suicide judging by previous week sales.

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 4:37 pm PT

    lol, nice work.

  • plasmic7

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 4:36 pm PT

    wow this isnt a totally retarded movie to make into a game. Reservoir Dogs is such a great movie I dont understand making it into a game and no sh1t itll be bloody

  • mosespippy

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 4:33 pm PT

    That will be a sweet collectors Item

  • 99adgil

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 4:19 pm PT

    we have the bbfc for our ratings "british board of film calsification)
    films get U PG 12A 15 or 18

    games get FAMILY 3+ 6+ 12+ 16+ or 18+

  • TWOC2689

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 3:42 pm PT

    SCI and Eidos are British so it would be likelly we would of gotten it first

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 3:37 pm PT

    i guess thats too bad for people who oposed it

  • HuxleyHobbes

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 3:15 pm PT

    "Why was this game released in the UK prior to being released in the US?"

    Because you guys in the US get, quite literally, 90% of absolutely everything before we do.

  • Brokendemise

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 3:12 pm PT

    Lol, good on you guys I say, cuz if they didn't, they'd be getting sued by a whole bunch of moms who didn't care about what their kids played prior to this incident.

  • Aggie1295

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 3:08 pm PT

    Why was this game released in the UK prior to being released in the US?

  • gamez-elite

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 3:02 pm PT

    Ok, so a game based on a Tarantino movie... what was expected of it?

  • TWOC2689

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 2:52 pm PT

    "Interesting, I didn't know that there wasn't ESRB in the UK "
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    We have either PEGI (Pan European Game Information) or BBFC ( British Board of Film Classification) Not your slacking ESRB.

  • caesarbites

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 2:47 pm PT

    rokkuman, I know the UK doesn't have ESRB. I was responding to the guy who said the ESRB never has a problem like this one.

  • shockwave04

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 2:46 pm PT

    Thats too bad

  • _Sam_

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 2:43 pm PT

    Interesting, I didn't know that there wasn't ESRB in the UK

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 2:39 pm PT

    HEEHEE, THAT'S funny!

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 2:37 pm PT

    Everyone who is saying the ESRB is flawed here is clueless and obviously have not read the article! It was in UK they don't have the ESRB in UK!

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