ESRB Investigating GTA: San Andreas Sex Minigames

[bloodrayne]

ESRB Investigating San Andreas Sex Minigames

Ratings board embarks on investigation of claims the Rockstar best-seller had explicit content hidden in code--claims the publisher denies.

Today, one of the most popular recent game industry rumors showed signs of turning into a very real scandal.

Following a verbal lashing this week from California assemblyman Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) today said it was launching an investigation into Rockstar Games' best-seller Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to determine whether the game contained sexually explicit minigames hidden in its code.

ESRB president Patricia Vance said her organization has "opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 'Hot Coffee' modification." "Hot Coffee" refers to the mod that, when installed on a PC with San Andreas on it, unlocks several minigames that prompt players to have the game's hero engage in X-rated acts.

The ESRB's investigation will examine whether the mod unlocks preexisting code, as appears to be the case, or is actually a purely third-party creation. Its ultimate purpose will be to determine if Take-Two violated ESRB regulations requiring "full disclosure of pertinent content."

"The integrity of the ESRB rating system is founded on the trust of consumers who increasingly depend on it to provide complete and accurate information about what's in a game. If after a thorough and objective investigation of all the relevant facts surrounding this modification, we determine a violation of our rules has occurred, we will take appropriate action," Vance said in a statement released this morning.

Vance also had some choice words for assemblyman Yee, who, in the same statement accusing the board of "failing to appropriately rate" Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, also accused it of a "conflict of interest in rating games."

Yee implies the nonprofit ratings board, which was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), shies away from AO ratings, regardless of the content. Most major retailers refuse to sell AO-rated games, thereby denying such titles broad distribution.

"Assemblyman Yee has been on a crusade for years to undermine the integrity of the ESRB, and in so doing, generate support for his legislative agenda. His latest attempt to win political points is to claim, without any legitimate basis, that a game rated for ages 17 and older, with explicit content descriptors prominently displayed on every box, has been inappropriately rated," Vance said.

Stating the agenda of the board was above reproach and that contrary to Yee's comments that the ESRB has "failed our parents" with San Andreas' M rating, Vance claimed "research shows parents overwhelmingly find ESRB ratings to be effective."

"We will do whatever it takes to maintain their confidence in them and the integrity of the system," Vance concluded.

Rockstar alerted the press late in the day that is aware of the investigation by the ESRB. "We can confirm the ESRB is conducting an investigation and that we will be complying fully with their enquiries," the statement read. "We thoroughly support the work of the esrb, and believe that it has an exemplary record of rating games and promoting understanding of video game content. We also feel confident that the investigation will uphold the original rating of the game, as the work of the mod community is beyond the scope of either publishers or the ESRB."

This afternoon, when asked if the "Hot Coffee" code was included in game discs manufactured by Rockstar or its agents, the company commented more fully then it had previously. A spokesperson told GameSpot News it was not.

See additional story in 'Games Forum':

Porn Scenes In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

[HappyCamper]

i still prefer to jerk off manually

[AUSTIN316426808]

It's rated MA FUCKING TURE who the fuck cares what you can do on it?

If they're worried about kids playing it then they shouldn't look any further than the parents who buy it for them who either don't check the rating or just don't give a fuck what the rating is at all.

[bloodrayne]

Originally posted by AUSTIN316426808
It's rated MA FUCKING TURE who the fuck cares what you can do on it?

If they're worried about kids playing it then they shouldn't look any further than the parents who buy it for them who either don't check the rating or just don't give a fuck what the rating is at all.

I agree 100%...It's like they're saying, you can watch porn, but NOT in a video game :rolleyes: ...But the truth is, they KNOW that kids ARE playing these games, and that's why they're objecting...BUT, that isn't the fault of the people who make these games...It's lack of adult supervision...

And THIS quote (taken from the other story in the Games Forum) proves it

"While San Andreas is already full of violent behavior and sexual themes, the pornographic sex scenes push it over the edge," said the group's founder, David Walsh.

"This is about kids," Walsh said. "Can you imagine the impact of 13-, 14- and 15-year-old boys literally enacting this scene?"

...It's also the stupidest statement made about the entire thing...as these kids aren't even SUPPOSED to be playing the game...It would be the same as banning ALL porn because it could be harmful to kids who shouldn't even be watching it in the first place...

[HappyCamper]

The only reason that John Walsh is making that statement is because he came up with 'America's Most Wanted' after his son was kidnapped and murdered!

Parents who don't know what types of music, movies or video games their kids are listening to, watching, and playing in my opinion are not good parents. Now I know you can't watch your kids 24 hrs a day, but if you're kids can't tell the difference between 'fantasy violence' and real violence, then you fucked up as a parent!

[AUSTIN316426808]

Originally posted by bloodrayne
It would be the same as banning ALL porn because it could be harmful to kids who shouldn't even be watching it in the first place...

Exactly, that's the best example on the subject you could give.

[ItsAlive75]

I'm waiting for the folks to play it as some sort of "simulation".

Let the lil' kiddies play, its not like its gonna teach em' how to have sex. For God's sake, there's an excitement meter... how the hell is that gonna translate to real life?

[bloodrayne]

Originally posted by ItsAlive75
I'm waiting for the folks to play it as some sort of "simulation".

Let the lil' kiddies play, its not like its gonna teach em' how to have sex. For God's sake, there's an excitement meter... how the hell is that gonna translate to real life?

LOL...You watched it?...I thought it was goofy as hell...The guy didn't even take his clothes off...Not even his PANTS...haha...You can see more than that on 'Sex In The City' :rolleyes: ...Hmm, they gonna ban THAT too?...Kids DO watch tv, ya know:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[ItsAlive75]

Originally posted by bloodrayne
LOL...You watched it?...I thought it was goofy as hell...The guy didn't even take his clothes off...Not even his PANTS...haha...You can see more than that on 'Sex In The City' :rolleyes: ...Hmm, they gonna ban THAT too?...Kids DO watch tv, ya know

Hell yeah I watched it, even though it took forever to load...

Well yeah, but watching sex on a gangster videogame is TOTALLY different than watching middle aged power-class women having sex.

Little kids don't wanna learn how to have sex like a LADY! They wanna learn from thugs! Pixelated thugs!

[bwind22]

This is fucking ridiculous. Like some 12 year old kid that isn't even supposed to own the game in the first place would ever be able to figure out that if he gets a 'Coffee mod' on his computer, then he can see simulated sex scenes in his game... :rolleyes:

And how much worse is that than paying a hooker, watching her get in the car, and then watching it shake? (Which is alerady in the game, but it's a known fact.) What's the fucking difference?


Fucking stupid.

Hey parents, monitor your kids behavior and you will NEVER have a problem like this.