Take-Two calls current US ratings system "somewhat nonsensical"

via Games Industry



Answering questions in a conference call related to the company’s restructuring, Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick referred to the current ratings system as “somewhat nonsensical.”

"Having a rating that we don’t think is appropriate is one issue, obviously, and a separate issue would be if we feel the rating is appropriate and we can’t bring it to market…that seems somewhat nonsensical," Zelnick explained.

Take-Two's Manhunt 2 was recently given an AO rating by the ESRB, which effectively bans it from being sold as major US retailers will not carry any software with an AO rating. The chairman did not blame the retailers, however.

"I don't think that issue falls at the doorstep of the retailers. I think the retailers are acting responsibly, frankly, and I think a retailer has a right to say 'This is what I am prepared to put on my shelves' and I don't think it is correct to be critical of the retailers at all," said Zelman.

Even if retailers agreed to carry the product, Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft have indicated that AO titles are unacceptable for their consoles and will not grant a license to such games.

"I think, because this is a voluntary ratings organisation in the US, we have to be critical of ourselves if we've allowed a system to develop that prevents us from bringing a title to market that we want to bring to market," Zelman explained. "That's something we do need to address."

"We don’t see ourselves in the AO business," he continued. "Having said that, if we find ourselves in the AO business, it would be because we have a title that we consider art and entertainment, that we consider is appropriately labeled AO, and that we would like to bring to market and I am prepared to stand behind and Ben [Feder, Take-Two’s CEO] is prepared to stand behind.

"In that instance, one does have to ask oneself, what is the purpose of a rating if it means effectively a title cannot be released?" Zelnick asked.

Take-Two has still not announced whether the company plans to challenge the ESRB's rating or whether it plans to alter Manhunt 2 and resubmit it for a new rating determination.

This rating debacle does suck. And from my own standpoint, I find it hard to choose any side. On one hand, I can see this becoming a trend in the US, simply granting unwanted titles AO ratings to prevent them from coming to the market, and if this were to happen to GTAIV, I'd question "Who was bought out at the ESRB to prevent these titles from coming out?"

However, on the other hand, I do not like the Manhunt series. I played the first game for 20 minutes and had felt disturbed by it. While my own moral convictions and psyche made me loathe having played the game at all, I am not one to denounce another person's right to play the game.

its a shame this is happening to the uk too

The one thing that truly bothers me the most about this rating problem, is that here in the US the only difference between a rated R and NC-17 or Adult film is the SEXUAL CONTENT.

For a long time, the same has been the case for games and ESRB, with only SEX games being rated AO. Maybe Manhunt2 was so extremely grotesque that the ESRB had no choice to give it an AO; maybe there was extensive nudity; who knows. But if I were Rockstar, I'd submit the footage to the internet and let the users decide.

At least then we could see if the content is truly as bad as the ESRB makes it sound or if they were simply paid off to give this game an AO rating.

I Think take two considers ATM(a$$ to mouth) porn, to be art.