Elder Scrolls IV Re-rating: Take Two for Take Two

Take Two Interactive is experiencing deja vu. Just like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, whose rating was changed to AO (adults only) after hidden sex animations were discovered, one of their games is again being re-rated. This time, it’s Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion that’s in the hot seat.

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) has recently announced that Oblivion will now be rated M (mature) instead of its original rating of rating of T (teen). This due to the discovery that aside from the swords-and-sorcery adventure gameplay, the Xbox 360 and PC game can also be accessed with a software that releases bare-breasted females and more violence.

ESRB requires the publishers to submit a video and written account that details the violence in a video game to be reviewed. According to Bethseda’s public relations manager Pete Hines, they did what was expected of them. “We made a complete and accurate submission and disclosed the violence in detail. Among the things that were pointed out in the original submission: severed heads, bloody rooms, corpses, etc. We made every effort to make them fully aware of the game’s content. We filled out their form and checked off the most frequent amounts of blood you can select. We gave them an additional 60-page document that exhaustively listed any content we thought may be deemed objectionable.”

And ESRB agrees. They say the publishers (Take Two and Bethseda Softworks) are off the hook. This time, they are putting the blame on cheat sites that point out where nudity and more violence can be found in the game. Thus, ESRB will embark on an investigation of such sites.

Although relieved that the apparent misrating of Oblivion is not their fault, Bethseda is still bothered with the re-rating. “Basically the same content we disclosed initially is now the basis for deciding it should be rated M due to blood and violence,” Hines said. The company is not contesting the rating though. As Hines revealed, “We aren’t going to contest the rating. … You can judge the fairness of it.”

Take Two Interactive is experiencing deja vu. Just like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, whose rating was changed to AO (adults only) after hidden sex animations were discovered, one of their games is again being re-rated. This time, it’s Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion that’s in the hot seat.

The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) has recently announced that Oblivion will now be rated M (mature) instead of its original rating of rating of T (teen). This due to the discovery that aside from the swords-and-sorcery adventure gameplay, the Xbox 360 and PC game can also be accessed with a software that releases bare-breasted females and more violence.

ESRB requires the publishers to submit a video and written account that details the violence in a video game to be reviewed. According to Bethseda’s public relations manager Pete Hines, they did what was expected of them. “We made a complete and accurate submission and disclosed the violence in detail. Among the things that were pointed out in the original submission: severed heads, bloody rooms, corpses, etc. We made every effort to make them fully aware of the game’s content. We filled out their form and checked off the most frequent amounts of blood you can select. We gave them an additional 60-page document that exhaustively listed any content we thought may be deemed objectionable.”

And ESRB agrees. They say the publishers (Take Two and Bethseda Softworks) are off the hook. This time, they are putting the blame on cheat sites that point out where nudity and more violence can be found in the game. Thus, ESRB will embark on an investigation of such sites.

Although relieved that the apparent misrating of Oblivion is not their fault, Bethseda is still bothered with the re-rating. “Basically the same content we disclosed initially is now the basis for deciding it should be rated M due to blood and violence,” Hines said. The company is not contesting the rating though. As Hines revealed, “We aren’t going to contest the rating. … You can judge the fairness of it.”