Hatred receives rare "Adults Only" (AO) rating from ESRB for violence and language

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My hunch is that it exists for the purpose of using controversy as an avenue to sell a likely mediocre product.

Unfortunately I do believe the developer has a right to create the game just like KKK members have a right to civil protests, but both make me sick to my stomach and test my belief in those rights.
 

Majine

Banned
I don't agree with GAF on this rule, simply because the lines of what is considered "toxic" and what isn't is up to debate. Isn't killing people toxic? I dunno...
 
Did they really think they would get any less of a rating simply because there is no sexual content in the game? As if sexual content is worse than any violence this game puts out.
 

meanspartan

Member
This rating feels gross.

Yes, the game is disgusting. No doubt about that. Vile and awful subject matter that will be easy ammunition for the "games cause violence" idiots.

But we all know that an "Adult Only" rating is the kiss of death (Admittedly, perhaps less so in the digital age now). And given that other games have shown this same level of violence before, I do think the ESRB essentially just censored this game out of existence.

Don't get me wrong, this game SHOULD BE an AO rated game. But so should a few others I can think of that didn't get said rating.

Now I know the 1st amendment only applies to government trying to regulate speech and not to the ESRB which has zero association with government. But that doesn't mean I don't value free speech just because the government isnt the one doing the censoring. While the ESRB is well within it's rights to give the game this rating, I do think it is problematic.
 

Chariot

Member
The owners of this forum can set any policies they want but in the context of this being such a rare move by the ESRB I'd say it's worth discussing their response, don't you think?
I personally would love to see a free discussion over the game, since the content, rating and publishing on steam are very interesting to look at and could have a bigger impact. I just wanted everyone to know what the official word is.
 

whyman

Member
Most shocking here is that we are not allowed to talk about hatred on neogaf. Its a game like any other game, sure it now had an AO rating but so would Hotline Miami if it was not pixel art. Sadly this will be the end of neogaf if it continues.
 

Ashes

Banned
I don't agree with GAF on this rule, simply because the lines of what is considered "toxic" and what isn't is up to debate. Isn't killing people toxic? I dunno...

In so many of these debates, I'm always surprised at people seemingly being unable to reasonably deem what is acceptable and not.

It's only for the most extreme examples. And any reasonable person ought to deduce whether this is on the very extreme end of the spectrum. Just my two cents though. Why do people want to give this any oxygen of publicity at all?
 

FyreWulff

Member
This rating feels gross.

Yes, the game is disgusting. No doubt about that. Vile and awful subject matter that will be easy ammunition for the "games cause violence" idiots.

But we all know that an "Adult Only" rating is the kiss of death (Admittedly, perhaps less so in the digital age now). And given that other games have shown this same level of violence before, I do think the ESRB essentially just censored this game out of existence.

Don't get me wrong, this game SHOULD BE an AO rated game. But so should a few others I can think of that didn't get said rating.

Now I know the 1st amendment only applies to government trying to regulate speech and not to the ESRB which has zero association with government. But that doesn't mean I don't value free speech at all. While the ESRB is well within it's rights to give the game this rating, I do think it is problematic.

You don't need to submit a game to the ESRB to release a game on PC. This is solely for the publicity of it rating it as AO. And it definitely qualifies:

"Content suitable only for adults ages 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content and/or gambling with real currency."
 

Komo

Banned
Also, I was under the impression that this game was going to be released digitally only? If not, I'd love to snag up a physical copy ... Despite being in Australia where there's a 100% chance it'll be banned
 

Raab

Neo Member
The game is over the top. Just watched the trailer for it but didn't really see much more than a stretch from what GTA provides. As I kinda asked before, is this due to narrative?
 

Riposte

Member
The ESRB is questionable organization, as are similar ones in other industries. Both in in their inconsistent methods and how they can be influenced. Would be nice if it didn't hold much sway.

these are reasons things get banned.

"Obscenity" has always seemed really exploitable (and has a history of it), especially when it comes to voluntary services/products where you might think it shouldn't be relevant.
 

fedexpeon

Banned
It's a violent game that involves killing people. Nothing new. This really shouldn't be 'banned from GAF' at all. :\

I play a lot of violent games.
Blood and gore, torture and beheading? Meh, just pixels.

But this game is totally different.
The game main influence is telling the player that if you hate something, and feel that the world is mistreating you, you should go on a rampage and kill people.

And if you give this game to a sick mind gamer that plays this game alone in the dark, and in a depressed stage...I don't know. The game might be a huge influence on them.
Oh boy, murder simulator will always be tied with videogame forever if this game was the reason of another school shooting or terrorist attack.
 
isn't postal on steam?

EDIT: yes it is

The Postal games are all rated M. I can believe that the devs thought they'd get an M too, because of how rare it is to get an AO rating for violence alone. I'm pretty sure they can't put the game on Steam with an AO rating now.
 

KyleCross

Member
vKpfhos.png


http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=134806969#post134806969

I had no idea Criminal Girls was banned from GAF. Heck, that game is even being released here with an M-rating.
 
Would Hatred be okay if all the civilians fought back with pipes, bats and guns?
Banning Criminal Girls is being a bit prudish though, it's a commercial release that will be available on the PS VITA
 

Cifer

Banned
NeoGAF is a website owned and paid for by someone. It's not the US government.

Freedom of speech is not only in the US present. But for example in germany aswell. You could say any word on every television channel, there are no *beeps*
 

meanspartan

Member
You don't need to submit a game to the ESRB to release a game on PC. This is solely for the publicity of it rating it as AO. And it definitely qualifies:

"Content suitable only for adults ages 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content and/or gambling with real currency."

I suppose so.

But that description can apply to a lot of M rated games too, making me think the ESRB differentiated based on WHO the violence was being directed against in the trailers.

Does shooting "bad" guys = M

Shooting who the ESRB thinks is "good" = AO?
 

Squire

Banned
Freedom of speech is not only in the US present. But for example in germany aswell. You could say any word on every television channel, there are no *beeps*

It doesn't matter. You don't have the freedom on GAF, is the point.

Edit: I dispute your statement anyway. Doesn't Germany have incredibly strict laws against anti-selitism in light of WWII? I highly doubt you can say any and everything on TV.
 

whyman

Member
I play a lot of violent games.
Blood and gore, torture and beheading? Meh, just pixels.

But this game is totally different.
The game main influence is telling the player that if you hate something, and feel that the world is mistreating you, you should go on a rampage and kill people.

And if you give this game to a sick mind gamer that plays this game alone in the dark, and in a depressed stage...I don't know. The game might be a huge influence on them.
Oh boy, murder simulator will always be tied with videogame forever if this game was the reason of another school shooting or terrorist attack.

You know people have said the same thing about movies right? And before that books. And not to mention trains! Those were way to fast and dangerous. People kill people not videogames. Your argument is like saying Islam makes people terrorists just because people kill in the name of it.
 

Majine

Banned
In so many of these debates, I'm always surprised at people seemingly being unable to reasonably deem what is acceptable and not.

It's only for the most extreme examples. And any reasonable person ought to deduce whether this is on the very extreme end of the spectrum. Just my two cents though. Why do people want to give this any oxygen of publicity at all?

GAF is a forum owned by one person and he can do whatever he wants with it, and these are merely my opinions but going outside that, I don't think you should ban something simply because it offends you. I bet there are people who were deeply offended by the "No russian" scene from MW2, but it didn't get banned from discussion, did it?
 

Chariot

Member
Freedom of speech is not only in the US present. But for example in germany aswell. You could say any word on every television channel, there are no *beeps*
But you can't show the cover of Charlie Hebdo on an UK tv channel. It's not banned, it's just that the channel decided to not show it. I don't like it, but people can make a certain set of rules in their own house.
 

meanspartan

Member

Freedom of Speech only means the government can't punish for, in this case, something you said on neogaf. (unless it fell into a category of unprotected speech)

Private companies, persons, etc, can run their forums as they see fit.

This is also why you can't go to work and say whatever you want then make a first amendment complaint if you get fired.

1st amendment only applies to government.
 

Nanashrew

Banned
I had no idea Criminal Girls was banned from GAF. Heck, that game is even being released here with an M-rating.

They cut content, which was probably the reason it got an M-rating. A similar example, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude originally got an AO rating but they cut things to get an M-rating.
 
I don't agree with GAF on this rule, simply because the lines of what is considered "toxic" and what isn't is up to debate. Isn't killing people toxic? I dunno...
I think it's more to do with the developer being sketchy about this game and why they made it then the game itself. If this was purely about the violence in the game then other games like Hotline Miami and GTA would have been put on the same list. And even then those examples are games that are more than just the violence.
 

Denton

Member
I know context matters and games like GTA or ACU are not strictly about murdering civilians as Hatred seems to be, but I still find it hypocritical giving Hatred AO when those above mentioned games allow players doing the same things, and even in much higher graphical fidelity, not to mention first person perspective in case of GTA.
 

Ratrat

Member
It is weirdly refreshing to see violence judged on the same level, if not above sexual content. Even if those games are about rape and pedophelia.
 
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