'GTA: San Andreas' gets 'Adults-Only' rating.

Right move.

The 12 people that don't already own it are screwed.

Yeah, really, this is closing the barn door after being on vacation and coming home and then two weeks later getting a letter saying your horse got out while you were gone.

So ALL copies of San Andreas are going to be AO now? For some reason I assumed this would only affect the PC version if it came to fruition.
I guess there are a lot of happy politicians right now, they've been gunning for GTA for a while. It's too bad something as lame as a cheesy sex minigame got the game this rating instead of the fact you can kill like 500 people in a wide variety of ways. The ESRB is as backwards as the MPAA. That's not even taking into account the fact that it's not available to gamers without using a hack(and only on the PC at that! I guess the Xbox mod is on the way).

In some weird way, this may be a good thing. GTA is one of the best selling game series of the last ten years(second only to the Sims?). I figure stores may become more lax about the taboo of AO rated games. Is AO 18 and up like an NC-17 film or is it 21 and up?

AO is 18+. The big reason for the M and AO rating is because if it was just a M rating stores would be banning M games likes theaters don't allow NC17.

Also I believe Gamespot has reported that on the PS2 they were able to crack the code and also get into the sex minigame.

I doubt stores are going to be more lax about selling AO games (in fact I'm betting your not going to see GTA:SA for a while until they make their patches). Most stores have in store rules stating they won't sell AO games (like theaters won't show NC17 movies). I'm betting Rockstar will be happy about online sales though.

What I want to know, why is Rockstar claiming this is a 3rd party mod. Its in game, its not something thats been added by the third parties. Its something that was made for the game but later taken out, but not deleted.

Apparently it's in the PS2 version as well, though I believe it requires a few cheats to activate it.

EDIT: What DerekT said. Fuck, I'm slow today.

Yeah, as mind-bogglingly stupid as this is, it might be good for the industry. And it's a nice little wrench thrown into the gears of game companies that regulate content by refusing to sell AO-rated games.

They probably did this on purpose.

this is so sad. I was at Walmart like, 2 hours ago and saw a copy available (for the first time since its release) and I was thinking "hmm... should I get this now? or should I wait for the price to go down..." I decided to wait... If i had known it had a SEX something or other.... hell, I'd pay full price just to see what the fuss is about. Pull my wife over and say HEY look! animated b00bies!! so we could chuckle and she could hit the back of my head.

Oh well, I'll just get the copy at EB when someone's mom trades it in for a disney game.

I don't see what all the fuss is about. Golgo 13 on NES, baby! C'mon, what do you think was happening in that penthouse suite when the lights went out? Bow-chicka-bow-wow.

You can activate it with an Action Replay code, though you also need to enter the cheat to unlock all the girlfriends and then go through the dates until you get invited in for "coffee".

Technically, they never claimed the Hot Coffee content was third party. They said the mod to unlock it was third party. It was clumsily worded (perhaps deliberately - Rockstar loves controversy) but they never explicitly said "we didn't write this".

That sure as Hell isn't what I read, Dan...

(Quote from IGN)
Patrick Wildenborg, a 36-year-old living in the Netherlands, recently told the Associated Press he was responsible for the "hot coffee" mod, which -- either through simply unlocking content, or altering the game itself -- allows San Andreas players to participate in explicit sexual scenes.

While Wildenbourg claims his mod only reveals what Rockstar had hidden in the game, Rockstar Games is now officially denying that it included the scenes in San Andreas, whether hidden or not.

"So far we have learned that the "hot coffee" modification is the work of a determined group of hackers who have gone to significant trouble to alter scenes in the official version of the game," reads Rockstar's official statement. "In violation of the software user agreement, hackers created the 'hot coffee' modification by disassembling and then combining, recompiling and altering the game's source code. Since the 'hot coffee' scenes cannot be created without intentional and significant technical modifications and reverse engineering of the game's source code, we are currently investigating ways that we can increase the security protection of the source code and prevent the game from being altered by the 'hot coffee' modification."

Rockstar says it is currently cooperating with the ESRB in investigating the source of the "hot coffee" content, and is confident that a "Mature" rating is appropriate for San Andreas. Games rated "Mature" are intended for players age 17 and older.

I met one of IGN's journalists once. He was like thirteen. He got ripped by everyone at a THQ gig because he wasn't allowed to drink.

Rockstar was misleading earlier. This is the most current news story, in which Rockstar admits the sex scenes were not third party additions.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8647176/

From the article above:

the xbox version of the mod is available...

i guess that would only work if you have a modded xbox and the game installed on your hdd though...

now rockstar will have to fire some poor coder for "sneaking" that in... which is probably bs too...

i just wonder how they found it?... according to the mod creator, it was a simple flip of a bit.. but finding the bit to switch was diffcult... color me curious

i really don't see the problem if it was included or not.. i mean, you can create maps for most FP shooter games and plaster the walls with penthouse kidney shots, and overlay the audio with 900# calls... so whats the difference?

And they're very careful to state that it's the modification they're talking about, not the content itself. They never say "unlock", but that the scenes can only be "created" by opening up the game code. None of which is technically untrue.

I'm not arguing their case for them, just that they used deliberately vague language to muddy the waters while the lawyers did their thing.

Serves them right.

I wonder if Rockstar is even capable of making a good game without pandering to the lowest common denominator (i.e., smut-pushing).

I mean, I'm hardly a prude but these guys are 1/2 dimensional. Fuck 'em.

It's okay, kids! There's still plenty of nice M rated games out there you can ask your parents for where you can rip a guy's spine out through his asshole, kills cops and innocent bystanders for money, pick up hookers, and call somebody a seal-raping cuntwaffle right out of the box! Enjoy!

I think they should join forces with EA.

You could probably get the mod by using a gameshark or some type of cheat device (that how Gamespot was able to get it on the PS2). And the difference is the scene adds sex.

That's stupid, Carl. Dumb sex mini-games notwithstanding, games don't get much deeper than the GTA series. In the areas of immersion, artistic design, storytelling, imagination and replay value, San Andreas trumps pretty much anything you can bring to the table.

Still, serves them right for leaving the minigames on the disc in the first place. This latest government meddling probably doesn't bode well for the industry as a whole.

I think it's hilarious that the AO rating means a person has to be ONE WHOLE YEAR OLDER than a person buying the M rated version.

Yeah, that'll fix everything.

jacob,

you know that's not the point, really... the point is, large retailers will shy away from selling it (little late in the game for that) which obviously will hurt sales...

it's seems dumb on the surface... but when a retailer like walmart or blockbuster refuses to sell/rent the title... it sort of fucks you

i still don't see the difference in this and say a laura croft nude patch... i mean i know she doesn't hump anything but... it's not like the sex in san andreas was X rated... dude even keeps his pants on...

So "San Andreas" is for adults for showing something as natural as sex while a games where frogs are killed in oncoming traffic are kid-friendly. How many more frogs need to die so that the video game cartels can live in their fancy mansions and drive their luxury German automobiles?

It just pisses me off that this is yet another ploy to demonize the gaming industry while letting shitty parents completely off the hook. I couldn't care less how many copies of GTA Rockstar sells at Wal-Mart. Parents will continue to ignore the clear game ratings and politicians will continue to assume that all video games are children's entertainment.

Yeah, it's ridiculous how out-of-touch so many politicians are with current technologies. So many of them seem to have virtually no concrete understanding of video games, the Internet, or any other sort of interactive technology.

Carl, have you even played San Andreas? Shitty graphics aside, about the only thing I can complain about SA is that it's so big, has so much to see and do, that it's a little intimidating.

Dammit, Dan!
Just when I thought I could prove you wrong, I took a second perusal of the doc in question (using your patented Whitehead filter)...and blow me! The thing is possitively diaphanous!

Curse you Whitehead! [shakes fist] You may have won this round...but I'll be back!!

On a more serious note, 'mea culpa'!

...and on a less serious note ..."And your little dog, too!!"

that's what rockstar thought when they tried to place blame on the modder...

but sadly, it's true... that and the fact that sex gets an AO but cop-slaughter only justifies an M... make war, not love!

Maybe it will mean that retailers might not sell it to someone under the age of 18, unlike M-rated games which get sold to anyone old enough to hold a joystick.

It means that virtually no retailer will sell it. Which was the point of this witch hunt.

To my knowledge, this will be the highest profile title to get an AO rating. I can't wait to see the shock on some politician's face when they discover what little that will do to the game's sales.

I'm surprised God of War hasn't received any heat for its sex minigame. Then again, God of War isn't exactly Grand Theft Auto.

the shit that went on in that leisure suit larry game was much more 'graphic' than the stuff shown on tv (AOTS). I doubt I'll miss the bonus content whenever I get around to buying SA (have to finish Vice first), but what gets me is that the big name politicians are just getting so committed to bringing down this game rather than maybe say going after Rove or those British memos. Their priorities are so retarded it feels like a south park episode...

god damn americans.

Gamestop's set all their copies away already. Just tried to buy the PC version while I could still get one that wouldn't be tampered with because of some knee-jerk politico whorebags who thought they finally had the sword with which to slay the mighty Grand Theft Auto beast.

Thank god for EB, all I can say.

Remember, kids, murder and violence are relatively okay, but sex? It's the DEVIL.

I have the game, but I'm not going to jump through all these hoops to see some shitty pixelated nudity. I am a little curious about it though. Anyone have a description of exactly what happens in these unlocked scenes? Any screenshots?

I read an article somewhere that said it's another rhythm mini-game like dancing and the low-rider competitions. I haven't seen any screenshots, though.

screenshots found here:

link

simple google search may find more

I imagine just about nothing.

If this was some no-name game, it would be a different story. But people love GTA and retailers have no problem selling a game they know people will buy.

Furthermore, the case brings us back to where we already were: sex and nudity in a videogame is a no-no. Oh well, guess I'll have to keep importing from Japan if I want my playable porn.

Is The Sims next?
And you know, I'm pretty sure Mario and the Princess are not married, yet sharing a castle.

Polygonal boobies

Here ya go, ya friggin' pervs.

I doubt it.

I put in the term "Hillary Clinton" in the "Search This Thread" box and nothing came up. Is there some glitch with that feature? The term "politicians" yields a few matches but nothing about the politician running point on the issue.

Wierd. IE won't find it. Then I refresh, and it WILL find it. Then I refresh, and it won't find it again.

Methinks green text ads are screwing with search functions.

I tried Firefox also, no dice...

Unused levels and content end up left in games all the time. Just a few off the top of my head are Goldeneye and Zelda: Wind Waker. Those both had unfinished levels that could only be accessed with Pro Action replay type software.

My view on this is, if it requires external software and codes to access (as in, it can't just be done with a standard PS2 and a copy of the game), I don't see how it can be considered part of the game.

Seperate issue: This is all just media hype, just like everything else you hear in the news about the most popular game franchises that have violence (DOOM, Mortal Kombat, and now GTA). Wal-Mart's flustering about with the Adults Only thing (another seperate argument entirely) is more PR hype. I'll try not to waste more valuable seconds of my life thinking about this.

Don't forget that they're fretting over polygonal sex "for the children"... y'know what?

Fuck the children.

I want MORE adult content in my games, my TV shows, and my movies. I want films where naked people aren't twisted like contortionists to avoid showing the camera naughty bits. I want TV shows where people act like normal cursing, humping citizens, not some weird hybrid of normal and Amish (basically I want all TV shows on HBO). I want videogames where the culmination of a romantic relationship isn't a peck on the cheek - gee thanks princess, now excuse me while I toss you back to the dragon, you prude.

I want most of all for the kneejerk reaction to a parent whining that an M-rated game or R-rated movie has corrupted their tyke... to be arresting the parent for being an ass and not paying attention to what their kid is doing - y'know, "being a parent". Maybe don't throw them in jail, but instead brand them with a symbol of an adult with their thumb up their ass - a visual reminder to them, and warning to the rest of us, that their kid is likely doomed. Buying GTA for little Timmy should get Mom branded. Taking him to Hannibal gets Dad a fresh branding.

But making people take responsibility might make a politician lose a vote or two. And dealing with real issues (health care, economy, ecology, security) is hard and makes voters sad/angry. So instead we're paying tax dollars to have people limit our ability to have fun. Life is short. Until the Land of the Dead DVD comes out packaged with a loaded shotgun and a note reading "the person next to you may be a zombie..." or GTA:Amsterdam is released w/ a coupon for a free child molestation, how about the polticians leave us our fun and get back to their fun: planning real-life violence and how next to figuratively screw us (which unfortunately hurts worse the better they do it).

With how much our government is neutering adult life in order to protect the children, these kids so dutifully protected from anything sinful are going to grow up and be given an adult life that sucks. That's what will make them go postal, not some corrupting videogame.

Point missed. I was questioning whether Rockstar is capable of making a game as deep as the GTA games without sex, violence, drugs, and gang-banging as its sole driving force. That's what I meant by "1/2" dimensional. They pander to the lowest common denominator and nothing else. Sure, these games are fun... but each and every one is born out of the same exact template. As far as the subject matter itself (which I personally have no problem with... like I said, I'm not one of the prudes) they've been playing with fire for years and now they're getting burned. And I just hope they don't take the rest of the industry with them, especially the developers and publishers out there who can make more than one type of game.

No kidding! This has got to be the most retarded thing I've seen in ages. If you are letting your kids play this game, you should just save the police the trouble and call Child and Family Services yourself.

Carl, one could argue that you could call many popular shows on TV "1/2 dimensional" for these very reasons. The Soppranos, anyone? I don't think people buy this game because they are deprived or depraved.