ESRB gives Mass Effect M-17 rating for partial nudity, thong underwear

A poster from BioWare‘s forums apparently emailed the ESRB to check how Mass Effect weighed in the ratings scale. ESRB then replied (much to the surprise of the sender), and inadvertently gave out spoilers in the process. The verdict: a Mature 17+ rating, due to breasts, thongs, and a discreet love scene. Hormone-addled gamers, now’s the time to be happy.

This scientific fiction action RPG has long suffered numerous delays, from a September release date to a rumored 2008 release; and with BioWare’s finally acknowledging that they actually couldn’t commit to a specific date. This revelation may either make the wait worth it for those who’ve religiously kept tabs on Mass Effect updates, or make the wait even more unbearable for them.

Check out ESRB’s email in the Full Article!

A poster from BioWare‘s forums apparently emailed the ESRB to check how Mass Effect weighed in the ratings scale. ESRB then replied (much to the surprise of the sender), and inadvertently gave out spoilers in the process. The verdict: a Mature 17+ rating, due to breasts, thongs, and a discreet love scene. Hormone-addled gamers, now’s the time to be happy.

This scientific fiction action RPG has long suffered numerous delays, from a September release date to a rumored 2008 release, and with Bioware’s final acknowledgement that they actually couldn’t commit to a specific date. This revelation may either make the wait worth it for those who’ve religiously kept tabs on Mass Effect updates, or make the wait even more unbearable for them.

The ESRB email is as follows:

Dear Peter,

Thank you for contacting the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). We are always interested to hear from those who use the ratings, and appreciate your taking the time to contact us with your thoughts and comments.

The ESRB does its best to ensure that the rating process is meticulous and thorough. At least three specially trained raters review actual footage from each game submitted to the ESRB. The raters examine the game’s most extreme content, evaluate its context and overall intensity, and use their own good judgment to recommend the rating they believe will be most helpful to consumers.

In the case of Mass Effect the raters determined that the M (Mature 17+) rating with content descriptors for Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence was most appropriate. According to the publishers submission for Mass Effect, there are two non-interactive videos that depict a discreet love scene between the main character and his romantic love interests. Breast profiles can be seen during one of the videos. There is a scene in a bar where female characters wear thong underwear. This type of content is likely to have contributed to the rating and content descriptors ultimately assigned by the raters.

ESRB does its best to provide reliable information about a game’s content, but we also encourage parents and all consumers to do their own independent research, via game packaging, websites, magazine reviews, and other sources, to see if a game is appropriate for their family. Ratings can only be a guide and we hope that you will continue to use the system.

We hope information is helpful, and thank you for writing.

Regards,

Entertainment Software Rating Board

Via Bioware