Teen rating?

[ShinRa]

Right now we're targetting a July 30th release candidate. This means we give what we think is a shippable version to VU. Usually you go through a couple of RCs before you reach Gold, which means that you have what you are going to manufacture. After you manufacture it, it goes to stores.

In our last conversation with the ESRB, we were looking at a teen rating.

- Gabe


How do you guys feel about this? :dozey:

 

[slicktick]

I think that is just what ESRB is looking at. I dont think it is a bad thing as long as it still looks and has the same amount as in the videos. I dont think Valve would cut gore just to get a teen rating. Although from what we saw in the HL2 e3 2004 trailers, I dont know how it would get a teen rating. Maybe it is just compared to some of the others games coming out soon. *slicktick goes and speculates more

 

[flupke]

christ, what a thread. you might as well make a thread about "how do you feel about my rabbit having long ears?"

:/

 

[KagePrototype]

Surely the release candidate news is more worthy of attention than the rating? It's like winning the lottery, but wondering why the cheque is a certain type of colour.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

lol kage !!!!

 

[StevenlAFl]

I think a teen rating would make some parents feel better about letting their children play it. Also, http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1298
Good move, Valve.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

Would it be a 15+?

 

[Mr-Fusion]

70% of gamers are over the age of 18. (http://www.idsa.com/consumersurvey2001.html)

It's not like they're going to make a lot more money by giving it a teen rating. Again, we don't know the level of gibb/blood/violence removal they've done. But if it's of MOHAA proportions (no blood, no gibbing, no swastikas, no hint of nazism) it's going to suck immensely.

Adults are the most attractive market for any company. Why do you think the Nintendo gamecube is failing so badly? The vast majority of their games targets kids.

 

[KagePrototype]

Adults are the most attractive market for any company. Why do you think the Nintendo gamecube is failing so badly? The vast majority of their games targets kids.

No it's not. In fact, in terms of international success, it's more popular than the X-Box, which on the whole targets mature gamers.

 

[ACLeroK212]

70% of gamers are over the age of 18. (http://www.idsa.com/consumersurvey2001.html)

It's not like they're going to make a lot more money by giving it a teen rating. Again, we don't know the level of gibb/blood/violence removal they've done. But if it's of MOHAA proportions (no blood, no gibbing, no swastikas, no hint of nazism) it's going to suck immensely.

Adults are the most attractive market for any company. Why do you think the Nintendo gamecube is failing so badly? The vast majority of their games targets kids.

I agree. And considering the fact that a very large majority of the gamers under 17 find ways around the ratings anyways or have parents that buy it for them, the percentage of kids that wouldn't be able to buy a mature game is pretty slim. All things considered it'd be more detrimental than benificial to go through the trouble of reducing violence and gore just to get a T on the box.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

No it's not. In fact, in terms of international success, it's more popular than the X-Box, which on the whole targets mature gamers.

What!!?! That's an outrage!! :farmer:

I'm judging from the Australian market. Gamecube hasn't been doing very well at all. Though Resident Evil 4 looks fantastic....!

 

[Foxtrot]

Either the ESBR lowered their standards for a teen rating, or valve has seriously ****ed up the game.

 

[ACLeroK212]

No it's not. In fact, in terms of international success, it's more popular than the X-Box, which on the whole targets mature gamers.

It might be more poplular than the X-Box but none of that matters when considering marketing towards age groups since the PS2 (which tends to lean more towards the mature side) pwns both of them.

Either way, GC's success has nothing to do with targeting younger kids and everything to do with how popular it's core franchise's are (ie. Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc.)

 

[KagePrototype]

Well yeah, I realise that, I'm just correcting him.

 

[SMT]

Contrary to common sense, the rating system helps games sell. I'm not sure what the hubbub is.

 

[Gorgon]

teen rating is just crap, HL2 meant to be Scary right!! then it should be at least 18+

 

[Some_God]

Who the hell even follows the ratings for games??? Not my local EB store thats for sure...

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

Who cares what the rating is :-/ If its teen, ok, if its mature, ok.......Not preventing me from buying it.....

 

[ACLeroK212]

Who the hell even follows the ratings for games??? Not my local EB store thats for sure...

Exactly. None of the majority of retailers (except maybe Wal-Mart) checks ID or anything for games anymore, so the only people it really affects are the kids with parents who regulate what they buy or play (which are hardly in the majority these days).

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Who cares what the rating is :-/ If its teen, ok, if its mature, ok.......Not preventing me from buying it.....

I'm just concerned with potential horror moments being excluded so as to get the rating. Potentially awesome scenes....

As i mentioned before MOHAA has no blood and no gibbing. It was a game promoted as a realistic infantry experience. People were expecting it to be like Saving Private Ryan. Blood, gore, guys carrying their cut off arms up the beach. That would have made the Omaha level impact far greater if you actually saw your troops physically bleeding or with their limbs cut off.

Well at least Doom 3 is MA.

Though i have no idea what a teen rating entails. Is blood even allowed?

 

[SMT]

Exactly. None of the majority of retailers (except maybe Wal-Mart) checks ID or anything for games anymore, so the only people it really affects are the kids with parents who regulate what they buy or play (which are hardly in the majority these days).

Excellent point. The ESRB rating system is voluntary and exists to supplement parental decision-making, just like motion picture ratings. It's not really the retailer's job to enforce it.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

this teen rating is just a sign of things to come..
imagine 10 year olds running their mouths during a game of CS2? not too far fetched..considering what goes on in CS nowadays.. :|
of course then theres also that other theory of rating or no rating.. parents just blindly buy what their kids want.. then u have the "omfg noob haxor" comments.. oh well.

 

[PvtRyan]

We've seen zombies getting cut up in half, seen them burn alive while screaming their lungs out, we've seen them getting crushed by cars, we've seen combine soldiers getting smacked into a wall by a giant metal beam and getting crushed by containers, we've seen antlions getting blown apart by a shotgun. Are you seriously worrying Valve is gonna remove all this stuff to get a T rating which actually has a negative impact on sales (higher ratings = cool kids think)?

Apparently, times have just changed, it's harder to get an M rating.

And then again... who gives a f*ck about ratings these days?

 

[KagePrototype]

People, people! We're all focusing too much on the rating, when we should be celebrating this:

VALVE GAVE US A DATE FOR THE RELEASE CANDIDATE!!!!

This is Valve we're talking about! They gave us a date! It's a miracle!!

 

[Maui]

Though i have no idea what a teen rating entails. Is blood even allowed?

Here's what the ESRB site had to say about the Teen rating:

TEEN
Titles rated T - Teen have content that may be suitable for persons ages 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.

vs. Mature:

MATURE
Titles rated M - Mature have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence and/or strong language.

So it looks to me like the removal of human gibbing moved it from mature to teen. Personally, I think it's a lot cooler seeing ragdoll bodies cartwheeling away from explosions than just gibs. :thumbs:

 

[sHm0zY]

I dont think it will be a teen rateing. If half life was a M rateing im sure half life 2 will be too because it is way more realistic.

 

[SubKamran]

Bah, I buy my games online...so no checking here

 

[ACLeroK212]

I dont think it will be a teen rateing. If half life was a M rateing im sure half life 2 will be too because it is way more realistic.

You can't really base a rating on a comparable game that came out 6 years ago, even if it is a sequel. I'm sure the ESRB has changed their rating standards since then.

 

[SubKamran]

You can't really base a rating on a comparable game that came out 6 years ago, even if it is a sequel. I'm sure the ESRB has changed their rating standards since then.

Bet you guys didn't know REAL people rate the games? Yah, saw a special on G4TV where they saw...it's cool, normal every day people come in, watch the videos, and say what they think.

That's how games are rated!

 

[Tlaloc]

teen rating = lame ... admit it

 

[ACLeroK212]

Bet you guys didn't know REAL people rate the games? Yah, saw a special on G4TV where they saw...it's cool, normal every day people come in, watch the videos, and say what they think.

That's how games are rated!

Even so, societies views on what games should / shouldn't be rated has changed considerably in the last 6 or so years. Especially after all the controversy over games like GTA3 and the like which have gotten a lot of media coverage in the last few years.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

teen rating = lame ... admit it

Who cares what the rating it is....ITS JUST A ****ING RATING....

 

[KagePrototype]

Who cares what the rating it is....ITS JUST A ****ING RATING....

Exactly! Let's celebrate the release candidate date instead! Wooo!!

 

[Feath]

teen rating = lame ... admit it

What the hell? That's the most stupid thing I've seen written this day.

Maybe for 12 year olds it's a cool thing to see an 18 movie, but that doesn't make it better at all.

It always surprises me by how angry people can get . I mean, they've got their game rated at Teen and that gives cause to complain about it.

Mostly the thing that makes the rating move up is sexual content, I've seen a number of 12 rated films that have been quite violent (in my opinion) but if they had shown one nipple it would've been a 15. Also, killing non humans lowest a game rating.

I think it's part of the law in the UK now to actually rate games by the BBFC by age. So all of our games have age . I think Half-Life 2 will maybe get a 15 (Return to Castle Wolfenstein did) but could end up with 12. Doesn't make any impact on the game.

 

[Gunner]

Who cares what the rating it is....ITS JUST A ****ING RATING....

QFE! hehe PWN J00?!

 

[Joeyslucky22]

I should create a thread asking 'what size do you think the hl2 box will be' or 'do you think the box will have a an 'open up' cover?'

 

[ACLeroK212]

Exactly! Let's celebrate the release candidate date instead! Wooo!!

I agree. Although I think the constant bombardment of potential release/gold dates have numbed our senses into not really putting much faith behind the real thing. :rolling:

 

[ACLeroK212]

I should create a thread asking 'what size do you think the hl2 box will be' or 'do you think the box will have a an 'open up' cover?'

how about "Guess the number of the UPC barcode on the box!!!!"

 

[Dsty2001]

I think the reason it is Teen rating is because there isnt any human gibbing. It is only the Aliens that gib, therefor it's *ok*

 

[Foxtrot]

I want to know how they didn't get the M rating though, anything with strong violence gets an M but this didn't....