ESRB launching new game-trailer clampdown?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 25, 2007 6:32 pm PT

Source: See below. What we heard: Without question, the big gaming news of last week was the hubub around Manhunt 2. After being banned outright in England and Ireland, Rockstar Games' controversy-courting title was given the dreaded AO for Adults Only rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings...

Source: See below.

What we heard: Without question, the big gaming news of last week was the hubub around Manhunt 2. After being banned outright in England and Ireland, Rockstar Games' controversy-courting title was given the dreaded AO for Adults Only rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). The decision was essentially the kiss of death for the Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable title since neither Nintendo nor Sony will allow games with an AO label to be released on their systems. (When Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was re-rated AO in 2005, it was already on the market.)

In the wake of the AO rating, Rockstar parent Take-Two Interactive delayed the July 10 release of Manhunt 2 pending an appeal. Today, though, an e-mail from another Take-Two subsidiary sparked speculation that the ESRB is expanding its clampdown. This morning, 2K Games sent out a notice to games press outlets demanding that the latest trailer for the forthcoming game The Darkness "MUST be behind an ESRB compliant age gate." (Emphasis and capitals in the original.) Age gates are the pop-up screens, which requirevisitors to enter their age before viewing a trailer, theoretically preventing anyone under 17 from seeing mature content.

The 2K Games notice was quickly followed by the straight-up retraction of two new trailers for Dark Sector, the forthcoming sci-fi shooter from D3 Publisher and Digital Extremes. "We recently received a ruling from the ESRB stating that the two officially released Dark Sector gameplay montages have been deemed to contain excessive or offensive content; and to this end are not to be available for download or viewing, regardless of being placed behind an age gate," said the statement.

Since the two trailers were first posted in March, their withdrawal raised the specter that the ESRB might retroactively ban any number of game trailers. Several online media outlets took the Darkness warning and the Dark Sector withdrawal announcement--which came within hours of each other--as an indicator that the ESRB was launching a new crackdown beyond games themselves.

The official story: As it turns out, the timing of the ESRB's double-dose of caution was purely coincidental. Also, the self-regulatory body has always had a division that oversees game trailers and other publicity material called the Advertising Review Council (ARC). "The notices issued recently by game publishers to third-party Web sites are simply steps in a chain of publisher compliance with ARC guidelines and the ESRB enforcement system that have been occurring since their establishment seven years ago," ESRB president Patricia Vance said in a statement.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus that it's new. Not bogus that the ESRB is keeping a careful eye on how games are promoted.

379 Comments

  • Kill1390

    Posted Sep 19, 2007 12:53 pm PT

    F*cking Nazi b*strds. This has gone way too far and has blown way out of proportion. It's completely uneccesary to block or ban video game trailers, I mean they can't be shown on t.v. with blood and gore, the internet is exactly for that. Ridiculous.

  • Silver_Crow

    Posted Jul 23, 2007 8:23 pm PT

    u.u, This isn't under control anymore. The ESRB, Entertainment Software RATINGS Board (NOT BANING BOARD), just said that some videogames aren't for "KIDS", but isn't that the reason of the problem, THE PROBLEM IS THIS NEW "STRANGE LAW" where people like us is losing his patience, and at the same time his faith... his hopes of a FREE LIFE AND WORLD FOR GAMERS... u.u . This is something very disappointing, and nobody want this i think................... Right? =S

  • zeus_gb

    Posted Jul 14, 2007 11:25 am PT

    Age gates are completely ridiculous. If someone underage wants to see something they are going to lie about their age.

  • zeus_gb

    Posted Jul 14, 2007 11:23 am PT

    Age gates are completely ridiculous. If someone underage wants to see something they are going to lie about their age.

  • ch-ch-chaoguy

    Posted Jul 8, 2007 11:32 am PT

    You must be retarded if you are under 17 and you want to see the clip to not to enter an age over 17...it just makes sense.

  • walrus1

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 7:31 am PT

    All Hail the Free speech Censors!!!

  • eminemv414

    Posted Jul 4, 2007 3:55 pm PT

    This is crazy!!!!!

  • eminemv414

    Posted Jul 4, 2007 3:53 pm PT

    This is carzy!!!!

  • Chameleon1990

    Posted Jul 4, 2007 11:58 am PT

    time to get rage against the machine to play a show completely naked with only crazy feedback playing and tape over their mouths again, only with ESRB written on their stomachs instead of PMRC.

  • cyberkap-JL_QGJ

    Posted Jul 2, 2007 8:30 pm PT

    I am going to simply say this: What the hell man! It is complete bull to let groups sensor from the public, and much WORSE when the public is knowledgeable that a particular group is sensoring particular things. Soon, enough will be enough, and there will be hell to pay.

  • thomasonfa

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:34 pm PT

    This is only the begining. Games are just so easy to attack because for some reason there isn't a strong group of people backing them up. The ESRB is the ones regulating the games but should they make the developers responsable for the parent's job? No, parents should be the MAIN monitors of what there kids play; just like the music and movie industry. We could complain about this all day but if we don't try to make a stand somewhere, every problem with BAD kids will be blamed on games. Please let your voices be heard sign up http://www.videogamevoters.org/

  • Lee_Stricklin

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 12:46 pm PT

    WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Red moves like this s*** should be illegal. Doesn't the ESRB know that they're disrupting game sales by preventing publishers from promoting their content? With the ESRB p****** everybody off you'd wonder why they haven't been sued. Does anybody believe that maybe this would be a good time for console manufacturers to dump those Pr**** and maybe set up their own rating system?

  • jr0904

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 2:06 am PT

    This is becoming really stupid.They should just call the ESRB the GOV'T LD'sESRB or the gov't lap dog's ESRB!It's just going to mean that ediot Jack Thompson will have more firepower and support than ever.ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

  • syrik22

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 1:09 pm PT

    Has anyone seen the South Park Movie? Remember when they go to the 18 and older site? "Are you over 18 years..." "Uh huh whatever" as he clicks yes and proceeds into the website.

  • mwa

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 12:34 pm PT

    why all the censorship? i have no problem with the ESRB trying to keep this stuff away from 5 year olds but it seems these measures get more draconian every day...they're already punishing older gamers by making it impossible for take two to release manhunt, and now they're gonna clamp down on trailers too

  • goshdarnstud

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 12:12 pm PT

    "So now M rated games need to have E rated trailers? Are you f*ing kidding me?"

    Hey moron, R rated movies have to have "all audience" rated previews, that's what that big green screen before a movie trailer is. If you see a red one, then it's an "R" rated trailer.

    This type of thing has been going on for years, it's just that everyone is getting stupid now after the Manhunt rating. (A game that looks like poop anyways, it should be banned, for being dumb)

  • geoffandhalo234

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:36 am PT

    What next halo 3
    This has gone too far!

  • FallenOneX

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:25 am PT

    Game trailers...... They're getting ready to cross a line they don't need to. I'm thinking of a popular game getting an AO rating, and the console makers saying "screw it, too many people will actually buy this game." We as gamers should get a copy of the ERSB's standards so we can know what a AO rated game is. Ever notice how the line between PG13 and R keeps getting more and more blurred? It's the way I'm starting to feel with games. Because if this is all about "the children", I can't see how any GTA after 3 gets anything but an AO rating.

  • edhc44

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 10:46 am PT

    That's official... Jack Thompson is the new head of ESRB...

  • LostPlanetDB

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 9:09 am PT

    WOW, this is defiantly complete BS

    From my views someone should slap the ESRB people, becuase the ratings that they are giving out are completely bogus ratings, i got some examples to share also:

    Black (PS2)- This game was rated M (Mature) for strong language and violence. Okay this is a war game i think parents will notice from the cover of the game with all the bullets, so the violence part is right there. But strong language COME ON!!, so the main charactor says some profane language when he gets mad, i think everyone does that once in a while, this game should be rated whatever is below M, maybe like T+14 (+14 age Teen)

    Half-Life 2- Rated M (Mature) Blood/Gore, Intense Violence, Language. Yes i agree with the blood/gore its all over the place with decapitated bodies. Intense violence......no, its not really intense when someone says "Thats ravenholm....we don't go there for certain reasons..." and its not intense when you are being chased by combine police through the city. Language..HAHAHAHAHA, there is no language at all, so Barney says one word "D***, Gordon never talks and if ESRB thinks its him saying stuff i dont know what they're thinking....

    There are many good games out there but the was ESRB rates them can change the view of parents toward the game, there are many kids out there who want these games that are over-rated, and should be lower, and like this Man Hunt 2 rated AO, it should be at least M, ESRB over-rates way too much, and should go for the perspective of the people playing the game.

  • rbenns2

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:35 am PT

    It's not whether the trailer is for an M rated game or not, it's whether the trailer itself has content deemed unsuitable for general audiences . Movie trailers do the same thing - when a trailer itself includes inappropriate content, it includes a warning (a red screen at the beginning, instead of the usual green one) and is only shown in theaters where an R-rated movie is playing, or on R-rated DVDs. Never on network television. One recent example that comes to mind is the trailer for Knocked Up on the two disc 40 Year Old Virgin DVD.

  • DEMONiAM

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 7:23 am PT

    so...what they are telling us, is.....

    It's perfectly fine to show a trailer for Saw, Hostel, and other "violence/action filled" movies on tv, that depict live actors covered in blood and beaten half to death. But it is not ok to show the exact same thing in an animated version. Because kids might take their $60 and buy a game that they are not legally allowed to buy or see? Oh, because Best Buy and Target are evil, and will automatically sell these games to underage children...like they do with cigarettes, and R rated movies? What's that you say, parents can not watch a game trailer, much less look at the box, to determine that the game is not appropriate for their kids? Even if there is a big fking MA on the front cover? But they can and do the same thing everyday with movies...

    ummm, okay...???

    --hypocritical fools. the rules should be the same for games and movies. Parents should pay attention to what they buy their kids... and all that other COMMON SENSE stuff. America is becoming so weak, because of this constant need for political correctness...

  • Maxer9

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 6:06 am PT

    And the overreacting of gamers continues. Age gates are practically everywhere and anywhere anyway. Does it really matter that a young kid can't play a game that was obviously was not designed for his age- YET? Everyone can get a hold of a game- if it's released- when they're old enough. Get over yourselves. Even if you're young and you want to play a game you can just wait until you're old enough. No one is making you play a game- and there are plenty of good games that aren't violent. Not to say that games which are violent aren't good ever, but regardless, it means nothing to me that little Jimmy can't play GTA IV.

    Get real.

  • Fallout_red

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 3:50 am PT

    I have nothing against rating games but monitoring and censoring TRAILERS!!?? This has to b stopped.

  • Smokey2003

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 10:34 pm PT

    I can watch as many 30 second porn clips as I want. All I have to do is promise I'm old enough.

  • horioricorious

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 10:25 pm PT

    Having read the article on Manhunt 2 being banned, along with some trailers, this is what I have to say to you all. These people at ESRB, who have not spent hundreds of hours developing a game, have no business dictating anything about it; their funding needs to be cut off immediately and allocated to advertising the importance of good judgment to parents and children, instead of advertising the necessity of taking away video games from judgmentally incapable parents.

    Do not put up with this. Get in the mind set that there is no alternative except the ESRB's thorough decommission. No compromises will be tolerated. Full power of creativity will be returned to those with the power to create, and power of decision to those who matter; us. Dependence on the ESRB for approval of creative properties, such as Manhunt 2, not only nullifies your own decisions and your very power to choose what you enjoy, but it disables companies such as Take 2 and Rockstar from ever pursuing that path that interests so many human beings. This is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated to any extent.

    Re-allocating ESRB financial support for projects such as teaching proper manners, respect, and etiquette to school children will be of value for their future ability to judge right and wrong, and to respect themselves and those around them. There is more worry that the ESRB is intervening where they have no place than there is that violence will occur in relation to videogames.

    Our children will not have to worry about any sort of thing like this, because by then there will be no ESRB or any such equivalent. Except for us, on a person to person basis, no mass intervention or prevention will occur from any outside influence. We will have complete authority over anything we do not wish our children to see, and we alone.

    We will let our children know if something is inappropriate, and that they will not view it until we judge them mentally capable of doing so. We will have that understanding with our children, and we will be stronger for it. The ESRB will not be there to take over our duty as parents, and, for the good of the world, we will be better for it. NOW BEGIN! Go on, spread the word. no excuses and no compromises. Do we write our local representatives? - Yes.

    Do we acknowledge our thorough intolerance for the ESRB? -Yes.

    Do we demand decommissioning the entire ESRB organization? - Yes.

    Do we succeed in attaining thorough success with absolutely not a hint of compromise? -Yes.

  • horioricorious

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 10:21 pm PT

    Having read the article on Manhunt 2 being banned, along with some trailers, this is what I have to say to you all. These people at ESRB, who have not spent hundreds of hours developing a game, have no business dictating anything about it; their funding needs to be cut off immediately and allocated to advertising the importance of good judgment to parents and children, instead of advertising the necessity of taking away video games from judgmentally incapable parents.

    Do not put up with this. Get in the mind set that there is no alternative except the ESRB's thorough decommission. No compromises will be tolerated. Full power of creativity will be returned to those with the power to create, and power of decision to those who matter; us. Dependence on the ESRB for approval of creative properties, such as Manhunt 2, not only nullifies your own decisions and your very power to choose what you enjoy, but it disables companies such as Take 2 and Rockstar from ever pursuing that path that interests so many human beings. This is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated to any extent.

    Re-allocating ESRB financial support for projects such as teaching proper manners, respect, and etiquette to school children will be of value for their future ability to judge right and wrong, and to respect themselves and those around them. There is more worry that the ESRB is intervening where they have no place than there is that violence will occur in relation to videogames.

    Our children will not have to worry about any sort of thing like this, because by then there will be no ESRB or any such equivalent. Except for us, on a person to person basis, no mass intervention or prevention will occur from any outside influence. We will have complete authority over anything we do not wish our children to see, and we alone.

    We will let our children know if something is inappropriate, and that they will not view it until we judge them mentally capable of doing so. We will have that understanding with our children, and we will be stronger for it. The ESRB will not be there to take over our duty as parents, and, for the good of the world, we will be better for it. NOW BEGIN! Go on, spread the word. no excuses and no compromises. Do we write our local representatives? - Yes.

    Do we acknowledge our thorough intolerance for the ESRB? -Yes.

    Do we demand decommissioning the entire ESRB organization? - Yes.

    Do we succeed in attaining thorough success with absolutely not a hint of compromise? -Yes.

  • Nate2583

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 9:52 pm PT

    Start a petition against the ESRB

  • rendifference

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 9:31 pm PT

    they have succeeded where every single government has failed. they have successfully policed the internet. man am i sick of their bulls+++!!! i don't even like dark sector, but ill be f++king damned if i let them tell me what i cant see in CYBERSPACE.

  • horioricorious

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 8:55 pm PT

    These people who have not spent hundreds of hours developing a game have no business dictating anything about it; their funding needs to be cut off immediately and allocated to advertising the importance of good judgment to parents and children, instead of advertising the necessity of taking away such video games from judgmentally incapable parents.

    Do not put up with this. Get in the mind set that there is no alternative except the ESRB's thorough decommission. No compromises will be tolerated, and full power of creativity will be returned to those with the power to create. Dependence on the ESRB for approval of creative properties, such as Manhunt 2, not only nullifies your own decision and your very power to choose what you enjoy, but it disables companies such as Take 2 and Rockstar from ever pursuing that path that interests so many human beings. This is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated to any extent.

    Re-allocating ESRB financial support for projects such as teaching proper manners, respect, and etiquette to school children will be of value for their future ability to judge right and wrong. There is more worry that the ESRB is intervening where they have no place than there is that violence will occur in relation to videogames.
    Our children will not have to worry about any sort of thing like this, because by then there will be no ESRB or any such equivalent. Except for us, on a person to person basis, no mass intervention or prevention will occur from any outside influence.
    We will let our children know if something is inappropriate, and that they will not view it until we judge them mentally capable of doing so. We will have that understanding with our children, and we will be stronger for it. The ESRB will not be there to take over our duty as parents, and, for the good of the world, we will be better for it. NOW BEGIN!

  • V-Nine

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 8:34 pm PT

    You can start readying the moltov coctails anytime now.....riots be in de aire.

  • uchitha

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 8:33 pm PT

    ESRB is an independent organization rite, as far as i knw anyone can publish a game or a movie without the approval of ESRB or MPAA. But the public would prefer the ratings, and either way if ESRB rated Manhunt 2 as AO, then i don't see how Rockstar can file a case againts them.

  • Formless1

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 8:01 pm PT

    So wait, WHY does anybody have to listen to them anyway? All they do is rate games, since when do they make rules?

  • MrSickVisionz

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 7:07 pm PT

    "This ridiculous slippery slope logic that everyone seems to be sharing is sickening"

    Its really messed up because people aren't even basing their arguments on the reality of whats being written in these articles. Everyone (well, all the 15 year olds) are saying, "damn the ESRB" when the ESRB hasn't done anything wrong. They rate games. That is all. People who play this game or watch footage of it are all saying that its definately an AO game. The ESRB wasn't overly harsh or overstepping their boundaries. Giving AO games T and M ratings would actually be against everything that the ESRB is supposed to stand for. How can you say "parents should...." when you're upset that the ESRB is accurately rating games so that parents can monitor/protect their children from objectionable content?

    You should be saying, "damn Sony" and "damn nintendo" and "damn retailers" for refusing to sell AO content or allow it on their system. Haha, but the reality is that these kids will "protest" by buying the latest games, giving retailers, sony and nintendo more and more money.

    LOL @ the idiot who said "whats, next Hello Kitty?" You've jumped from AO all the way down to E. Ehh, who knows. Maybe there really is an issue when 13 year olds are upset that they can't cut off someone's head with a butcher knife and feel that the world is turning against them because of it.

  • usagi704

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 4:53 pm PT

    Next they will start demanding that we adhere to a global curfew. >_>

  • knowtru7h

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 4:05 pm PT

    This ridiculous slippery slope logic that everyone seems to be sharing is sickening

  • Alvaro_20

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:58 pm PT

    it's would be sickening if trailers are to be terminated...

  • B-bad

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:42 pm PT

    Really there's nothing wrong with rating the games and trying to protect kid from violent content but come on the ESRB is getting a little ahead of itself ... rating trailers what's next. Rating the games is a great thing, rating the trailers seem okay, but how about letting the parents protect their kids and stop trying to get all big brother!

  • Lightchaos

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:39 pm PT

    ESRB whats...next?

  • knowtru7h

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:29 pm PT

    VampiraJen
    "why does sony/nintendo not sell games with an AO rating. what's wrong with games that are for adults only. they may want to avoid critisism that games supposidly corrup the youth of today but surely the responcibility lies with sellers and parents to ensure that inappropriate games dont end up in the hands of children."

    The debate on the level of effect media has on children is one that won't end. It's not something that can ever be absolutely verified in any way.

    Right now specifically there are two big things happening concerning video games. They are coming into their own as an art form, and business is booming. So while video games have an enormous potential to gain respect as a legitimate art form, as they should, the quickly gained exposure in the mainstream could stunt this positive growth of the medium when more extreme subject matter is handled irresponsibly.

    Yes, it would be great if the big companies like Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft were accepting of AO rated games, but if they did so right now, the media and and angry senators and lawyers would burn them down in a firestorm and destroy our industry.

  • DaRkNeSs2393

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:26 pm PT

    This is just stupid...
    Kids can still get this material. It's not hard. Just put in a fake age! It just shows that the ESRB is far too conservitive in the rating system.

  • rl_41

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:25 pm PT

    FREE THE INDUSTRY FROM CENSORSHIP *******. Damn, even I'm censored.

  • JinxBoy

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:21 pm PT

    "if we're not going to ban movie trailers that contain unrated content, movie trailers that everyone sees on the TV or in the theaters without an age gate, then what is the logic for banning game trailers?"

    Actually we do. Ever notice that green screen that appears before trailers that says "The following preview has been approved for all audiences by the Motion Picture Association of America"? That's what that is. Movie trailers and previews have to be pre-screened and approved by the the Motion Picture Association of America before they can be publicly aired. It's not an issue of whether the movie contains "inappropriate content", it's if the trailer itself does. Same deal here.

  • orochi

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:10 pm PT

    knowtru7h

    "The ones who want to completely eliminate objectionable and controversial games are the ones who the ESRB is opposing on the behalf of the game makers. They are the ones negotiating the compromises for us while we scream "FASCIST! FASCIST!" in a message board thinking it'll actually do something for your cause beyond making you sound like a whiny rebellious teenager."

    thank god, finally someone who actually gets it as opposed to the 15 year olds who have to get there 5 cents in. i swear there should be a rule about posting stupid comments.

  • twinbladeace

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:09 pm PT

    This is now getting to a point where the ESRB is DEFFINATLY oversteping bounds. They should calm down and stop having sexy parties and sleepovers with Jack Thompson.
    -TBA

  • VampiraJen

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:09 pm PT

    why does sony/nintendo not sell games with an AO rating. what's wrong with games that are for adults only. they may want to avoid critisism that games supposidly corrup the youth of today but surely the responcibility lies with sellers and parents to ensure that inappropriate games dont end up in the hands of children.

    the kid next door loves san andreas and he isn't phased by the violence in the slightest. okay, manhunt wouldn't be appropriate. but i cant help but feel that the reaction to the game is over the top and unnessisary. give a game an 18 rating. let the adults play it. but dont punish all gamers for wanting to play somthing more adult

  • mariomusicmaker

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:08 pm PT

    ESRB Needs to **** OFF! what are they going to ban next? Hello Kitty Roler Rescue???!

  • knowtru7h

    Posted Jun 26, 2007 3:05 pm PT

    What a lot of you seem not to be understanding is that the ESRB is trying to protect your favorite pastime, not be the "Gestapo" (but just for the hell of it, go look up Godwin's Law on wikipedia.com)

    The ones who want to completely eliminate objectionable and controversial games are the ones who the ESRB is opposing on the behalf of the game makers. They are the ones negotiating the compromises for us while we scream "FASCIST! FASCIST!" in a message board thinking it'll actually do something for your cause beyond making you sound like a whiny rebellious teenager.

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