APB gunning for an M

Realtime Worlds president says developer is expecting a Mature grade from the ESRB for its massively multiplayer cops-and-crooks game.

Funcom's Age of Conan showed that a massively multiplayer online game can succeed despite (or perhaps because of) a lot of gore and a few stray nipples. Although the Norwegian developer's Hyborian Adventures may be the first mainstream MMO to carry an M for Mature rating, it likely won't be the last.

Realtime Worlds president Tony Harmon told GameSpot today that he's expecting his modern-day cops-and-robbers game APB to land an M from the Entertainment Software Rating Board. Though the game has no release date yet, the developer is planning to submit it to the ratings process next year.

Earlier this year, Realtime Worlds purchased the publishing rights to APB back from its original partner on the game, Korean outfit Webzen. Harmon said that the game has no publishing deal in place at the moment, but Realtime has been talking with "pretty much all the big players."

Little has been revealed about the game since Realtime founder and Grand Theft Auto creator Dave Jones made it the focus of a Game Developers Conference session in February, but Harmon said that Realtime will start talking about the project a little more sometime this fall. Until then, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

57 Comments

  • lopo30

    Posted Oct 10, 2008 12:04 pm PT

    cant wait :d

  • pure_desi

    Posted Aug 4, 2008 9:51 am PT

    wow this is gunna take a WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEE
    i hate waiting for games!!!!!!!!!

  • Baseman28

    Posted Jul 29, 2008 5:52 pm PT

    Well, this sounds interesting.

    I mean the game, not this very tiny bit of news. I never heard of this game before but now I think I'll keep an eye on it.

    Also, what exactly happened to Huxley?

  • ne0man

    Posted Jul 28, 2008 10:41 am PT

    i think dave jones should get another sandbox game but this time it should be nothing more than Gta2 in full 3d, with the industrial, futuristic-noir setting, gangs, respect, car upgrades, wallet robbers, car robbers, dark humour...how I would pay for that...

  • Vividnightmare

    Posted Jul 28, 2008 10:23 am PT

    This isn't news, I don't care what rating it gets. AND WHERE THE HELL IS HUXLEY!???? I've been waiting for Huxley since BEFORE the 360 release! This is retarded, by the time it comes out if ever I won't care...

  • tawagivercetti

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 10:11 pm PT

    This is not news

  • jmoney1500

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 9:12 pm PT

    I want crackdown 2 d*** it

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 7:47 pm PT

    AoC is fake. They tried to sell the game as a adult only game but forgot to put in enough content to satisfy an adult.

    Another MMO, at least it's not fantasy.

  • Wezker619

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 12:36 pm PT

    actually where the f*** is Huxley.

  • Mystoksor

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 11:45 am PT

    jesus, why are all these retards jumping on the MMO bandwagon? Sure, there are good mmos, and there will be more, but it's not a good substitute as far as REAL FANS are concerned for a real sequel. Where's KotOR III? Where's Crackdown 2? Come on....

  • czer7896

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 4:08 am PT

    i wonder will it get an 18 rating from PEGI and the BBFC? anyway the game looks amazing.

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 2:14 am PT

    I thought APB wa sunder MSFT's watch due to Crackdown and an early Teamxbox preview.

  • Emraldo

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 8:51 pm PT

    Slow news day?

  • oflow

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 7:36 pm PT

    cant wait this will be good, the original GTA creators are behind it.

  • sandshark8

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 6:25 pm PT

    I'm getting this game regardless of the rating. The customization looks amazing.

  • BulletsnOctane

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 12:17 pm PT

    I've been following this game for a while now.
    I'm glad to here something about it again.

    A mature rating isn't a bad thing. Then again, it really doesn't matter what it's eventually rated, because so many people - regardless of age - are going to get their hands on it. I can't wait. This should be a good one.

  • gameguruXG

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 9:43 am PT

    This game is going to be AMAZING, I follow it over at apb-evolved.com =D

  • necronaux

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 8:41 am PT

    If they already know they'll be getting an "M" rating, they might as well go all out.

  • BNOv5

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 6:37 am PT

    Ima be in jail by the time this is released Gzzz !!

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 10:26 pm PT

    I am definitely getting this. Awsomeness.

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 10:09 pm PT

    ...stray nipple....where :O. lol kidding. they just mean scandily dressed ladies, artistic blood, swearing, and mature themes....like kidnapping :O.

  • Viral-venom13

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 10:05 pm PT

    This game sure has been in development for a really looooonnnnngggg time!!

  • Vincent9mm

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 9:37 pm PT

    Oh no its a mmorpurger!

  • Gruug

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 8:48 pm PT

    AoC was only successful because it was over hyped. A lot of people of let their subs run out as the game just isn't finished yet. Maybe in a few months. Also, AoC went with M rating hoping to cash in on the "sex sells" mentality. Unfortunately, that is not why most people play games and it probably was the wrong focus. If they would have spent more time on quality they may have had fewer people leaving....are you listening Realtime?

  • Destroyeron13

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 7:49 pm PT

    AoC was successful?

  • Tactis

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 5:18 pm PT

    ehhh i am not too sure about this game but at least i liked Crackdown so maybe it will be good

  • Colsworl

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 5:14 pm PT

    Yes, very interesting article. I'm looking forward to the pending report that will discuss how the next Mario game will in fact be rated E.

  • doubleo_maestro

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 4:20 pm PT

    People can also come to http://apb-evolved.com to find out all they need to know about apb and it's development. It even has developers posting in the forums.

  • mista-bungle

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 4:05 pm PT

    ScribbleJam,

    People could also just go to the game's GameSpot section and read about it....

  • xbox360progamer

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 3:46 pm PT

    i never heard of this game before but for them to want a rated M rating it has to be pretty bloody and gory .

  • k2theswiss

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 3:18 pm PT

    to tohuman huxley is going to pwn. ign has alot more info on it they say it due sometime in 09

  • someguy503

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 3:03 pm PT

    Needs moar gore, swearing, and cheap hookers...

  • Avenger1324

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 2:44 pm PT

    no publishing deal in place and buying back the rights from the company that planned to publish it - sounds like APB is having difficulty finding someone willing to risk supporting an MMO on 360

    If even the ever-awake Koreans aren't interested in your MMO then you've got problems

  • tohuman

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 2:42 pm PT

    anybody else wondering about huxley? just asking
    can't wait to play apb!

  • cooldude03

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 2:04 pm PT

    Submitting APB to be rated next year that's plenty of time to change their mind.

  • mujeeb1

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 1:32 pm PT

    Nice.. first trailer came out 3 years, 1 month and 24 days ago, now they know what rating they're aiming for. By the time it's about ready, the next Xbox and PS systems will be ready to launch, so they'll have to rework it, so I say.. it'll be about by about 2012-2013. You heard it here first.

  • kerrman

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 1:29 pm PT

    God I've wanted this game for what seems like a decade. I want it to come out asap.

  • Thomasdeleo

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 1:17 pm PT

    I hope this game makes it out by late 09.

  • MrNib

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:54 pm PT

    This will probably be the only MMO ill pay for

  • KOTORkicker

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:34 pm PT

    Hmm. Sounds like fun.

  • razgriz_101

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:30 pm PT

    good game made bout 30miles from where i live up in Dundee.Gonna buy it for 1 they are scottish and 2 it looks pretty good.

  • shaggyaz

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:13 pm PT

    well a game like this is gonna have mature content so not really a suprise

  • killer_rabbit20

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:10 pm PT

    Wow. GTA turned into an MMO. Might just try it lol.

  • JayEss04

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:08 pm PT

    THE CUSTOMiZATION LOOKZ KRAZY. BUT.. IDK ABout THIS GAME iM JUST GONNA HAVE 2 PLAY IT OR GET MORE FOOTAGE 2 SEE iF ITLL BE A HOTT GAME

  • M0AB

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:03 pm PT

    duh

  • paullywog

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:03 pm PT

    well a game like apb is just lame if it isn't rated m.

  • NemesisLives

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 12:00 pm PT

    I predict... epic failure

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