Rockstar Games lies about Hot Coffee Mod (moved from ATSNN)

Apparently ESRB has just recently given Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (a popular video game at the center of controversy amongst politicians) has just been given a new rating. Instead of M for Mature, it has just be rated as AO for Adults Only. Normally a game isn't rated different because of a third party mod for a game. However this time according to the ESRB, the mod only unlocked data that was put in the game itself by the programmers at Rockstar Games.



Personally I am in shock that Rockstar Games would add such a minigame to a game marketed towards teenagers. In my opinion Rockstar Games has really let down the entire gaming industry. If stuff like this continues, chances are we'll be seing a federal game rating system, along with very strict limits and bans on certain games. That and this is exactly the kind of stuff that Hillary Clinton is supposedly is pushing for, which means GTA has just become Clinton's new scapegoat to help her get into office in 2008.

But what amazes me the most is that Rockstar Games would stick this in a game that everybody knew would sell very well. The fact that the minigame is built into built into every single Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas game that is on shelves is just astounding. Is this really what you want you kids to have access to? Is this really the kind of stuff that an almost respectable company should put into a best selling product line? Should this be marketed towards teens or adults?

Related News Links:
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I thought it was hilarious, a nice slap to censorship!

Bwahaha

im not really sure if this is ATSNN "worthy"...

maybe BTS...

But it has a nice ANTI DRUG MESSAGE in it..

And it also shows us that not all cops are the good guys.

I think the violence in the game is more much disturbing than any pornography.

[edit on 20-7-2005 by Trent]

I think that it's pretty alarming that we've got companies like Rockstar Games who're able to insert things like that into a game, right under the nose of the ESRB. If it weren't for the popularity of the game and the mod the ESRB might not of found out about it.

Just think how easy it would be to insert subliminal messages.

I think the violence in the game is more much disturbing than any pornography.

Having a game where the player can control a person and watch them have sex with a hooker is definitly for adults only.

I agree that a game where the plot is to kill people violently and commit 'grand theft auto' should be for adults only in the first place too. But making it into a prostiution video game with nudity and sex acts? That obviously crosses the line.

I like GTA. I've liked all the GTA's in the series.

I'm also an adult of legal age by any state's standards.

It is my choice to play this game and I can quite clearly distinguish between reality and game.

For a child the ability to distinguish between those things is still developing.

A child does not have the same ability to rationalize and decide things as an adult, and therefore this game deserved an "AO" from the very start. As does any game of similar makeup.

The company has every right to make it, and a legal adult has every right to purchase it. But it is CRYSTAL clear that the game is not for children.

Give it an AO for its adult material and make sure kids can not buy it on their own. It will then be the parents' job to keep it out of the house.

IMO the nudity is a sidepoint. The whole darn game is Adult and it should have been classified that from Day 1.

Yeah that's what I was trying to say, GTA and a lot of other games should be AO for the violence in the first place. Kids plays far too many violent games and i would like to see the ESRB take violence as seriously as they take pornography, especially if the violence is of a criminal nature or is realistic. For example something where you are shooting people (e.g. America's Army) should have a higher classification than something where you shoot demons or aliens (e.g. Doom 3) but for some reason AA is rated teen while D3 is rated mature

[edit on 21-7-2005 by Trent]

Personally I am in shock that Rockstar Games would add such a minigame to a game marketed towards teenagers. In my opinion Rockstar Games has really let down the entire gaming industry. If stuff like this continues, chances are we'll be seing a federal game rating system, along with very strict limits and bans on certain games. That and this is exactly the kind of stuff that Hillary Clinton is supposedly is pushing for, which means GTA has just become Clinton's new scapegoat to help her get into office in 2008.

As if Hillary and her clan don't have anything better to do for christ sake! a "Federal game rating system?" Have we forgot about our open borders? Illegal immigration? Terrorism?

Props to Rockstar! So be it, let the ERSB give it an 'AO' rating, GTA series is still the HIGHEST grossing game series EVER. So obviously they have done something right.

Rockstar did a pretty idiotic thing here. When the gaming community is already going against many politicians and parents who would rather not take an interest in their childrens lives, Rockstar decides to do this.

Even worse, after it was found in the PC version, they attempted to say that it was all hackers... until it was found in the PS2 version.

Well Rockstar, thanks for making everyone in the gaming community look like disgusting perverted liars.

It's no big deal, it should have been an adults only title in the first place like it is in the UK (it has a 18 certificate)

Hey! I want the Hot Coffie mini game for my PS2 version! They need to release a patch to DL onto your mem card!

Seriously people. If you dont know that GTA is a game not intended for play by people under 18, then you have been sleeping under a rock for the last 5 years. Everybody who has even heard the title to the game knows what it involves. If kids are playing it, then their parents should be a little more responsible.

Dont you have to be 18 to buy a rated M game anyway? Isnt 18 old enough to go into the local blue movies shop? I dont see what the big deal is.

To be honnest, I've seen more extreme easter eggs in games before.
The person that put this specific one in will most likely get fired because of all the PC bullocks whining attention the game has gotten because of this. Or maybe he'll get a promotion because the advertisement is just great.

Yeah, anyone remember SimCopter?



This is tame in comparison.

Look, the game isn't meant for kids, bottom line.

If kids get ahold of it, then apparently their parents aint parents.

Rockstar was stupid to lie about it if they knew, I will say that. I suspect it might be a SimCopter-like situation however. Anyone get let go from the development team late in the schedule? I'd start looking there.

Honestly though, this doesn't bother me. I've been playing violent video games since I was just a boy, and there's nothing wrong with me...

*twitch*


*twitch*
*twitch*

Here we go, and people say bush is "fascist" at least he isnt censoring freaking video games! This is hillary's recent crusade and everyone will applaud her for this but IMO it shows her truly fascist nature. She wants to censor your entertainment do you think she would not go further and censor the inforamtion you get if she was elected? I shudder to thinak about that. I guess as long as we get that stem cell research nonody cares.

Considering the millions already made by Rockstar via the PS2 launch of GTA:SA I don't quite see the point in bumping it up to an AO rating, other than to pull on their leash and remind them that all publishers and developers are the dogs of the ESRB. Basically this will halt sales of GTA:SA as many stores such as Walmart refuse to carry AO rated titles. I wonder if this change in rating will induce a hike in prices to make up for the loss of revenue?

Penny Arcade did an excellent strip on this. I hesitate to link, namely because of the language they use. But it's true... Rockstar did lie. Convinient palm off to TEH HAX0RZ! and they figured they were safe.

It's ironic, absolutely ironic. Beating hobos to death with a rock is perfectly acceptable, but the instant you get a game with some T&A, it's a national controversy! Great double standard there. Anyone remember what Manhunt or Postal 2 were rated?

It's also good to see people warping this away from a discussion of a game or censorship, and instead screaming about how liberals or conservatives are evil.

Oh, and a little strip going out to everyone. It's from Penny Arcade.




DE