Archive for July, 20052005-07-31T02:00:41ZF, Y

First off, if you hadn’t heard, there is some game source code in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (for both the PC and PS2) that if unlocked allows you to see the main character having sex with a naked girl. Mind you though that it requires modifying the game code in order to be able to view it. Rockstar Games, the makers of the GTA series, removed the scenes from the game (but not the code for them) before the game was released and if you play the game as it came right outta the box, you’ll never see the contriversal scenes. Here’s a video though of one of the scenes if you’re interested in what they’re like, (it’s not work safe of course).

Because of this, the ESRB changed the game’s rating from Mature, (“suitable for persons ages 17 and older“), to Adults Only, (“persons 18 years and older“). As a result of this ratings change, Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, and Circuit City have all pulled the game from their shelves.

Before I get into how much bullshit it is changing the rating of a game due to content that can only be accessed by modifying game content, let me point out how rediculous the rating change is (from ages 17+ to 18+). Well, actually, even better, let me link to a hiliarious article by Maddox.

More recently, Senator Hillary Clinton asked the Federal Trade Commision (FTC) to investigate Rockstar Games saying that they had “gamed the ratings system” by concealing the sex scenes and she called for a $90-million study on the effects of video games on children.

Now to the real point of my blog post — in today’s Los Angeles Times, an excellent commentary appeared on the whole subject that is really worth the read if you have a minute or two.

I’ve also mirrored the article here if the above link becomes no longer available: More >