I really don't understand the ESRB

[Hurlshort]

Movie standards for violence and nudity are a lot lower (higher?) than they used to be though. Boobs even show up in PG13 movies. But not in games, for whatever reason.

 

Where do you see that? I've actually seen a reverse trend, the ratings board for movies has gotten stricter. A lot of 80's movies got a PG rating that clearly deserved a PG-13. (edit - not deserve, but rather they would get PG-13 today based on language)

 

I would say there is more sexual content on TV than there used to be, but a nude scene in a movie is a guaranteed R rating.

Edited February 11, 2009 by Hurlshot

[Slowtrain]

Movie standards for violence and nudity are a lot lower (higher?) than they used to be though. Boobs even show up in PG13 movies. But not in games, for whatever reason.

 

Where do you see that? I've actually seen a reverse trend, the ratings board for movies has gotten stricter. A lot of 80's movies got a PG rating that clearly deserved a PG-13. (edit - not deserve, but rather they would get PG-13 today based on language)

 

I would say there is more sexual content on TV than there used to be, but a nude scene in a movie is a guaranteed R rating.

 

 

Honestly, I'd have to think about it. I don't pay as much attention to movies as I did when I was younger. The impression I have though is that in todays PG13 films mild nudity, the occasional boob or bum, isn't as outrageous as it was 20 years ago.

 

I don't really know too much about PG movies (vs PG13), they tend to fall outside my interest level all together.

[Amentep]

The ESRB are f*cking nuts. The videogame industry wanted some way to appease the Hillary Clintons out there so they created the ESRB, which mutated into a horrible monster that has the entire gaming industrys balls in a vice. The comics industry managed to do the same thing with the CCA, which was a giant oppressive choker that prevented comics becoming a serious artistic medium for decades. Until marvel simply said "we created you guys, and we can destroy you" and simply stopped dealing with the CCA, taking all the other publishers with them. That killed the CCA.

 

 

EA could kill ESRB and its euro variant PEGI in a second if they wanted to, and its a complete mystery why they havent.

 

The CCA still exists; its mostly only used by Archie and DC Comics (for their young readers line) but still reviews and approves comics.

 

AIUI the CCA was originally ran BY the Comics Companies (and was partially instituted by the original participants to kill EC Comics and Lev Gleason). IIRC one of the Archie Publishers was the original CMAA's Code Administrator.

 

Movie standards for violence and nudity are a lot lower (higher?) than they used to be though. Boobs even show up in PG13 movies. But not in games, for whatever reason.

 

By the late seventies (at least) boobs and naked butts could be seen in PG movies (provided that there was no sexual connotations). The PG-13 rating really skewed violence and nudity around.

Edited February 11, 2009 by Amentep

[Darth Jebus]

The ESRB are f*cking nuts. The videogame industry wanted some way to appease the Hillary Clintons out there so they created the ESRB, which mutated into a horrible monster that has the entire gaming industrys balls in a vice. The comics industry managed to do the same thing with the CCA, which was a giant oppressive choker that prevented comics becoming a serious artistic medium for decades. Until marvel simply said "we created you guys, and we can destroy you" and simply stopped dealing with the CCA, taking all the other publishers with them. That killed the CCA.

 

 

EA could kill ESRB and its euro variant PEGI in a second if they wanted to, and its a complete mystery why they havent.

 

The CCA still exists; its mostly only used by Archie and DC Comics (for their young readers line) but still reviews and approves comics.

 

AIUI the CCA was originally ran BY the Comics Companies (and was partially instituted by the original participants to kill EC Comics and Lev Gleason). IIRC one of the Archie Publishers was the original CMAA's Code Administrator.

 

Movie standards for violence and nudity are a lot lower (higher?) than they used to be though. Boobs even show up in PG13 movies. But not in games, for whatever reason.

 

By the late seventies (at least) boobs and naked butts could be seen in PG movies (provided that there was no sexual connotations). The PG-13 rating really skewed violence and nudity around.

 

Unless you're watching National Geographic or some Discovery Channel special about breast cancer, I don't think boobs could ever be seen as anything but sexual in nature.

[Amentep]

Unless you're watching National Geographic or some Discovery Channel special about breast cancer, I don't think boobs could ever be seen as anything but sexual in nature.

 

Perhaps it should read "boobs in scenes where the person owning the boobs is not actually engaging in sexual intercourse at the time in which the boobs flash upon the silver screen 70 foot high and in all their glory"?

[taks]

Where do you see that? I've actually seen a reverse trend, the ratings board for movies has gotten stricter. A lot of 80's movies got a PG rating that clearly deserved a PG-13. (edit - not deserve, but rather they would get PG-13 today based on language)

well, PG-13 didn't exist in the early 80s, either. that's why it was added, in fact, because there were a lot of titles the MPAA felt didn't deserve to be called R, but were not exactly PG, either.

 

I would say there is more sexual content on TV than there used to be, but a nude scene in a movie is a guaranteed R rating.

almost, but not quite. there are several PG-13 movies, and a few PG from the early days, with some nudity (including doc holliday with a full-frontal, which surprised me). tv has gotten worse, IMO.

 

do-gooder parents drive this mess, btw, not really the MPAA or whatever board (though they are complicit, and over-arching i think). however, i can't think of another way that you can find out at least a general idea of what a movie/game/other media contains without some form of rating system.

 

taks

[Calax]

Boobies showed up in Age of Conan though, and that game still managed to get a "M" for some reason in NA.

 

ESRB: Game experience may change during online play.

Except for the fact that God of War also had boobies too. Most of the female antagonists (mainly Gorgons) were displaying their chests. And according to the first games commentary section on their enemy design, the Cyclops used to have his genitalia hanging out but they finally covered/removed that.

 

Edited February 11, 2009 by Calax

[Dark_Raven]

The ESRB is a joke here in the States. Anything that deals with sex or foul language gets an M rating. But violence is ok. No wonder kids are growing up with warped minds.

[GreasyDogMeat]

Seeing the mutilated zombies in Oblivion, with their brains exposed through their skulls and their junk apparently ripped off leaving a gaping bloody hole in their nether regions I was amazed Oblivion only received a T rating. I remember seeing a news article with a headline about Oblivion being re-rated M, thinking to myself they must have taken a closer look at the Dark Brotherhood quest/the zombies and then was shocked to find out it was because of hidden breasts.

 

My main hang up about the ESRB is I perhaps wrongly associate it with the movie ratings system. R rated movies can display some really heavy sexual content that borders on pornography. A 'R' rated movie can get away with a male full frontal/heavy sex while anything remotely sexual in a game will catapult it to an AO rating.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Not anything remotely sexual, explicit depiction of sex or of genitals. But you're right, R rated movies can get away with a lot more than M rated games, the ratings are from different organizations and cultural perceptions of the mediums are different. Also a very large part of the demographic for M rated games are children, and game companies know that. So the higher restrictions on M are also practical in that way.

[Maria Caliban]

.. A 'R' rated movie can get away with a male full frontal..

 

I'm pretty sure male full frontal leads to a NA-17 rating.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Also a very large part of the demographic for M rated games are children, and game companies know that. So the higher restrictions on M are also practical in that way.

 

Your point is? Are you saying that the kiddies seeing loads of violence and gore is better than a bit of sex or a few titties?

[Deadly_Nightshade]

In all honestly I admit that had I been on the ESRB I'd probably have either slated it for AO...

 

And I would have rated it M.

 

Boobies showed up in Age of Conan though, and that game still managed to get a "M" for some reason in NA.

 

 

And the bobbies are now all gone - or at least that what I've heard...

 

It has to be a lot more explicit to get an AO.

 

Incorrect.

 

I just don't see how a player created mod that is not even accessible on the 360 version and that even most PC users can't access warrants an M rating.

 

I think you are underestimating PC gamers...

Edited February 15, 2009 by Deadly_Nightshade

[Amentep]

.. A 'R' rated movie can get away with a male full frontal..

 

I'm pretty sure male full frontal leads to a NA-17 rating.

 

Not entirely true - we get a full frontal shot of the main character in 28 Days Later... and that was rated "R".

 

There was no sexual conotation to the scene - he woke up naked in a hospital - which is probably why it didn't freak out the MPAA.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Also a very large part of the demographic for M rated games are children, and game companies know that. So the higher restrictions on M are also practical in that way.

 

Your point is? Are you saying that the kiddies seeing loads of violence and gore is better than a bit of sex or a few titties?

Depends. Something like Saw would get an AO rating if it was a game, in fact Manhunt 2 is an example of that. And again, breasts get an M rating as stated many times in this thread already, and so does sexual innuendo like in GTA.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

And again, breasts get an M rating as stated many times in this thread already....

 

By you and only you...

[Deadly_Nightshade]

...in fact Manhunt 2 is an example of that.

 

And yet it was almost rated M.

[Wrath of Dagon]

No, it was not me only, read the thread. God of War, Gothic 2, Conan, Age of Conan, Leisure Suit Larry were all rated M. Manhunt 2 was going to get an AO rating but it was modified to meet ESRB's requirements for an M rating.

[Calax]

.. A 'R' rated movie can get away with a male full frontal..

 

I'm pretty sure male full frontal leads to a NA-17 rating.

Anything between the belt and the thighs is offlimits on R rated films. As far as most people are concerned those objects are only to be seen in porn.

[GreasyDogMeat]

.. A 'R' rated movie can get away with a male full frontal..

 

I'm pretty sure male full frontal leads to a NA-17 rating.

Anything between the belt and the thighs is offlimits on R rated films. As far as most people are concerned those objects are only to be seen in porn.

 

Not true, there is just a limit in how long it can be shown/the circumstances of it being visible is. I would certainly prefer if the dangly bits were only allowed in porn but its just not the case.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

There is a full frontal nude scene in 28 Days later, I'm re-watching it now and it's at the very beginning when he has just woken up.

[Amentep]

I musta drunk windex.

 

[Wrath of Dagon]

GTA DLC to let it all hang out http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/hot-flas...pectedly-naked/ I wonder if they cut it before release, or is that still an M?

 

Edit: Actually it's from the review copy at 1up, and it's rated M.

Edited February 17, 2009 by Wrath of Dagon

[Hurlshort]

It seems like most of the recent comedies have had a short clip of the male ****. As long as it isn't a sexual, it's just an R.

[Calax]

GTA DLC to let it all hang out http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/hot-flas...pectedly-naked/ I wonder if they cut it before release, or is that still an M?

 

Edit: Actually it's from the review copy at 1up, and it's rated M.

I don't know about you but that THING doesn't even look right.