The Elder Scrolls IV - Too Mature for Teen Rating
Upon the Entertainment Software Rating Board's further inspection of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, it was discovered that both a half nude female skin (a possible third party modification only within the PC version's art files) as well as excessive blood and gore were initially overlooked in developer Bethesda's ratings application for the RPG. As a result, the ESRB has raised the game's former rating of Teen (13+) to Mature (17+).
A Parental Advisory has also been issued by the ESRB in order to alert parents of the steeper rating.
An unexpected move reminiscent of the fiasco involving the infamous "hot coffee" scene unearthed in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (coincidentally published by Take-Two Interactive, the co-publisher of Oblivion), Bethesda has responded by insisting that the game contains no nudity on its own and points out that the company has no control over what amendments are made to its content once those copies have left store shelves. However, they are currently in the process of devising a way in which to prevent modders from manipulating the game's art archives. Additionally, a patch halting entry to those files will soon be released for the PC version of the game.
In regards to explicit violence, Bethesda stands behind their original ratings submission: "Bethesda advised the ESRB during the ratings process that violence and blood effects were 'frequent' in the game - checking the box on the form that is the maximum warning. We further advised that the game contained occasional torture, vulgar acts, and gore." Despite any conflicting statements from the two, Bethesda has chosen not to contest the ESRB's assessment and plans to work fully in response to the Board's decision. As such, both Bethesda and Take-Two Interactive will shortly begin working on replacing the rating representation with "M" stickers on Oblivion packaging within warehouses and retail stores.
Along with the rating itself, the content information located on Oblivion boxes/cases - Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Language, and Use of Alcohol - will be altered in that an extra "Nudity" warning shall be added to the PC version. Until then, a few retailers including Circuit City have pulled the RPG entirely while awaiting fully converted copies.
Sources: Gamasutra
RPGFan - Bethesda's Reaction
A Parental Advisory has also been issued by the ESRB in order to alert parents of the steeper rating.
An unexpected move reminiscent of the fiasco involving the infamous "hot coffee" scene unearthed in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (coincidentally published by Take-Two Interactive, the co-publisher of Oblivion), Bethesda has responded by insisting that the game contains no nudity on its own and points out that the company has no control over what amendments are made to its content once those copies have left store shelves. However, they are currently in the process of devising a way in which to prevent modders from manipulating the game's art archives. Additionally, a patch halting entry to those files will soon be released for the PC version of the game.
In regards to explicit violence, Bethesda stands behind their original ratings submission: "Bethesda advised the ESRB during the ratings process that violence and blood effects were 'frequent' in the game - checking the box on the form that is the maximum warning. We further advised that the game contained occasional torture, vulgar acts, and gore." Despite any conflicting statements from the two, Bethesda has chosen not to contest the ESRB's assessment and plans to work fully in response to the Board's decision. As such, both Bethesda and Take-Two Interactive will shortly begin working on replacing the rating representation with "M" stickers on Oblivion packaging within warehouses and retail stores.
Along with the rating itself, the content information located on Oblivion boxes/cases - Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Language, and Use of Alcohol - will be altered in that an extra "Nudity" warning shall be added to the PC version. Until then, a few retailers including Circuit City have pulled the RPG entirely while awaiting fully converted copies.
Sources: Gamasutra
RPGFan - Bethesda's Reaction
Posted in: RPG News
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Comments
| WildHalcyon | Comment 1: 2006-05-04 16:34 |
| At least this time someone was partially concerned about the violence. Not really, but at least they made a passing effort to care. It bugs me that ratings institutions (and hence the american public) care more about boobs than they do about blowing an innocent pedestrian's head off with a sawn-off shotgun. You would think that.. y'know.. it would be.. worse? | |
| SilverFork | Comment 2: 2006-05-05 07:33 |
| Agreed. Personally, I have the sneaking suspicion that the ESRB doesn't really care all that much 'bout the allegedly excessive violence and gore, but instead threw that comment in as a way to further justify the boost in rating. After all, the developers sound as though they were especially specific on that section of their submission; an oversight by the ESRB seems rather unbelievable given the level of clarity Bethesda Softworks reportedly applied to the application. Either way, the (widely inaccessible) topless skin mod definitely appears to be the main driving force behind their decision. But still, a modification by third party hackers shouldn't even fall into consideration when rating a video game, in my opinion. Unlike the dummied-out "hot coffee" scene in San Andreas, this so-called "nudity" doesn't even exist in Oblivion. What's next? The ESRB opting to re-rate several SNES games due to the many less-than-age-appropriate ROM hacks that have come out over the years? Ah well... | |
| WildHalcyon | Comment 3: 2006-05-05 10:59 |
| I wonder why the ESRB has failed to attack The Sims 2. There are plenty of nudity patches for that game. Maybe its because its kinda lame... | |
| Dark Paladin | Comment 4: 2006-05-07 04:04 |
| What's the point of moving the rating to M? I heard that a judge recently declared that retailers could not deny underage customers an M-rated game. | |
| SilverFork | Comment 5: 2006-05-07 11:28 |
| Wasn't that latest one in Michigan, DP? Wherever it was, the new rating here will still be just as effective as always considering how the game ratings themselves - guidelines included to help parents determine what is and what isn't acceptable for their children (just like movie ratings) - aren't unconstitutional; forcing customers to abide by those ratings as law, however, has been deemed as such at least in those states that previously had the ban. Course, the ESRB never intended that their ratings be abused in that way, thus the banned acts of selling adult themed games to minors was only a somewhat recent bad idea infestation followed by many quick overturnings. From what I remember, most of those initial (bad) rulings were the products of several arguments related to whether or not M-rated games are too violent for kids. Doesn't seem to me as if those judges in favor of the bans had their priorities in line since, as we know, most parents apparently don't give a rat's hiney 'bout violence in video games... | |
| WildHalcyon | Comment 6: 2006-05-07 13:02 |
Quote (Dark Paladin @ 6th May 2006 23:04) What's the point of moving the rating to M? I heard that a judge recently declared that retailers could not deny underage customers an M-rated game. That may be true, but that doesn't mean that a "responsible parent" can't look at the game and tell their sixteen year old son "may be next year..." | |
| Phunbaba | Comment 7: 2006-05-07 16:18 |
| I called this along time ago. When going into the gates of Oblivion there are people the Deadra have captured and have in cages, most of the time they're dead though. And I saw one guy who I think was alive and I pressed the switch to release him, but to my dismay he fell all the way down the middle of the spiraling staircase I had climbed to see him and then was impaled literally on a spike like through his stomach, and he stayed impaled on it. And there was also a dead person I found who had his legs torn off in these planes. Not to mention the forms of drugs and alchohol in the game. And the necromancers lairs, with all their dead bodies strewn everywhere, hung from the ceiling, decapitated, and so on and so forth. I knew this had to happen sooner or later. | |
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©1997–2025 Josh Alvies (Rangers51)
All fanfiction and fanart (including original artwork in forum avatars) is property of the original authors. Some graphics property of Square Enix.
©1997–2025 Josh Alvies (Rangers51)
All fanfiction and fanart (including original artwork in forum avatars) is property of the original authors. Some graphics property of Square Enix.