Thread: ESRB says Rockstar off the hook

Manhunt 2 has finally been released with a Mature rating after having some of the more brutal kills edited and obscured with color filters and lighting effects, but hackers have already figured out how to change the code of the PlayStation Portable version of the game to remove these filters—allowing players to see the full brutality of the virtual kills. Is this a sequel to the Hot Coffee scandal where third-party patches allowed players to see graphic sex scenes in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas? During a conference call this afternoon, ESRB president Patricia Vance gave the rating board's answer: Rockstar did nothing wrong.

"Once numerous changes to the game's code have been made and other unauthorized software programs have been downloaded to the hardware device which circumvent security controls that prevent unauthorized games from being played on that hardware, a player can view unobscured versions of certain violent acts in the game," Vance said. "Contrary to some reports, however, we do not believe these modifications fully restore the product to the version that originally received an AO rating, nor is this a matter of unlocking content."


The main point Vance tried to make was that the changes to the code weren't intended by Rockstar and that they required changes to the hardware required to play the game. In fact, she used to the term "unauthorized" seven times in her brief statement, driving home the point that there was no simple way to unlock this content, and that actual changes to the PSP system itself are required to view the more violent content. Even so, the ESRB does not believe that the content available through the hacks and retail product will "fully restore the product to the version that originally received an AO rating."

The question remains: how is this situation different from the Hot Coffee scandal? Vance noted that the sexual content in the Hot Coffee scandal was fully rendered in "unmodified form" in the game, and the content was not disclosed to the ESRB during testing. Furthermore, the content was easily accessible to PC owners of the software. In the case of Manhunt 2, the content had been disclosed during the ratings process, and "unauthorized versions of software and/or hardware are required to play the modified content"

The ESRB also clarified why this issue doesn't fall under the "full disclosure" rule enacted after the Hot Coffee scandal. According to the board, that rule "required that pertinent content that is programmed to be locked out but which exists in an unmodified, fully rendered form on game discs must either be removed or disclosed to ESRB during the rating process." The Manhunt 2 content in question had been fully disclosed, was playable, and was originally programmed to include the blur effect. It may seem like subtle distinctions, but it is enough to appease the ESRB.

In addition to exonerating Rockstar for Manhunt 2, Vance's stance also seems to protect future games against being rated or penalized for mods, hacks, or other content changed after the game's release.

In a statement released yesterday, Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick argued that Rockstar had done nothing wrong. "I stand behind the game and the ESRB ratings process," he said. It is unfortunately the case that no one in the entertainment software industry is immune from hacking. We hope that consumers will not engage in hacking or download illegally modified copies of our games. We encourage them to enjoy our games as they are meant to be played. We would also like to emphasize that Manhunt 2 is intended for an audience aged 17 and above."

In this case it seems as if the ESRB has protected itself while setting a precedent: you must simply disclose all questionable content in your game and not "hide" scenes in the code. The fact that nothing was held back during the ratings process, coupled with the intense modifications needed to see the content, means that Rockstar keeps the rating. Meanwhile, the ESRB sends a strong message that neither it nor developers can be held accountable for the actions of hackers once the game has shipped.

Good on them, Rockstar is kinda under the microscope after the Hot Coffee incident, but this shows that the ESRB is fair to all companies.

Still, kinda sucks that the AO version isn't around at all, nothing stops them releasing two versions, its a common practice in Japan for the dating sims.

That is basically rockstar they do leave something for the hacker to hack and made there real intention available in public? beside they will not put it there if they dont have the intention to.