Here's something you should never do before your AAA game title is released: say what it will score a "90" when reviewers get their greasy little hands on it! But that's just what EA Partners boss David DeMartini said to Eurogamer - no doubt inebriated by the frivolity and bright lights of Gamescom. DeMarttini is apparently very confident that the public and the critics will eat this game up like candy.

He also denied that the game was delayed from fall of this year to March of next year in order to avoid the Christmas rush. More likely, EA wants to bolster the quarter that follows after March with the sales it expects from this game on multiple platforms. Here's more of what he said regarding getting scores of 90 or more from critics: Read More

As the gaming world continues to evolve further into the era of true interactive gaming, one child psychiatrist thinks it’s time for a new ratings system that informs consumers about a game’s ability to contribute to exercise.

Paul Ballas guest-authored a Wired article on the subject following an introduction to, among other things, Sony’s Move and Microsoft’s Kinect technology at this year’s E3 Expo. Ballas thinks that if videogame developers focused their efforts on creating games that also provided a cardiovascular workout, “there is a real chance of striking a blow against childhood obesity.”

To that end Ballas outlined the type of content descriptors he would like to see:

Similar to Food and Drug Administration-mandated labels on food, an exercise rating system could estimate the calories burned by the average person in an hour of gameplay. The label could range from Sedentary for lean-back, button-intensive shooting games to Active for games with a calorie-expenditure rate comparable to playing basketball. Read More

Tony Abbott, the leader of the Australian Liberal Party, says he would be happy to take a closer look at the 18+ age ratings for videogames in the country - should his party be elected to the government. Abbot made the comment at a public forum in Sydney, where he was asked about his views on the absence of an R18 rating for video games and what his policy was on it.

"If what happens with videogames is not roughly analogous to what happens in other areas, that seems silly," Abbot said in his response. "Instinctively I'm with you, and it's something I'd be happy to look at, if we are in Government", he added. "If you think there is a problem, I would be happy to look at it." However, Abbott was blissfully unaware that there had been a debate on the issue.

The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General is to take up the issue in November, following a submission from Australia's Interactive Games & Entertainment Association and an in-store petition led by retailer EB Games. We'll see if this bears any fruit. Read More

A motion to support the introduction of an R18+ rating for videogames was put forth at a recent Western Australia meeting of the Liberal party, but the motion was rejected.

AU site R18Games carries word that the motion was defeated by a vote of 74 to 67. The motion was introduced by the Western Australian Union of Liberal Students during a conference attended by Opposition Leader (and Liberal party federal leader) Tony Abbott and a variety of other unnamed “state and federal MP’s and Ministers, as well as industry leaders.”

Despite the defeat it was reported that “the debate was well received within party ranks and that the issue is gaining attention.”

R18Games also noted that, “To this date, neither major party supports this much-needed change to the ratings system. And with an election campaign well under way, it is doubtful that this issue will even come back on the agenda for the next few months.”
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Capcom has not received a classification for Dead Rising 2 from the German government, and it doubts it will ever receive one because the first game was banned in the region. So with that in mind it has decided to opt out of a public showing at this year's Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany. This makes a lot of sense because the company is only showing two games at this time and one of them is Dead Rising 2.

Still Capcom will be at the show behind closed doors showing off its games to the press. Here's what Capcom had to say about it: Read More

The Australian government has delayed discussion once again on an R18+ rating. The Standing Committee of Attorneys-Generals were set to have a meeting this month to discuss implementing an R18+ ratings system, along with a host of other issues, but the meeting was cancelled due to the upcoming Federal Election. Those looking for a timely implementation of a rating system for mature games in Australia were disappointed by the delay.

The delay is frustrating to anyone that has participated in the process through public comments, because many politicians in the country say that they think the R18+ rating is a good idea. Liberal leader Tony Abbott said in May that the classification system for videogames is broken and former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has said that a majority of SCAG is "pro R18+."

A new meeting date is the most frustrating news of all: The next meeting will take place in Canberra on November 4-5.

Source: Kotaku by way of Andrew Eisen.

Kmart is trying something new in its stores related to game sales that some consumers may find useful: user reviews. Members of Kmart.com's MyKmart online community can submit reviews for game titles that could end up in stores, stuck on glass display cases.

Kmart suggest that members write short, concise and constructive reviews that the average consumer can understand. Reviews will be short and to the point – two sentences or so. Here's an example for a Red Dead Redemption review from a user:

"You'll hunt and search for treasure in a world teeming with danger. One of the best games of 2010."

I assume they will pick the best reviews though I have my doubts that negative reviews will find their place in stores, because bad reviews don't sell games. Perhaps I’m just too cynical..

More details can be found at MyKmart.

Source: Game | Life

A former Premier of the Australian state Queensland, who, in 2005 argued for a ban on the games Fable and Mark Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, is now calling for the introduction of an R18+ videogame rating.

Peter Beattie (pictured) served as Premier of the Australian state for nine years and once claimed that the Mark Ecko game glorified “high-risk, law-breaking, violent and even deadly behavior.” He also took issue with Fable for its reported male on female violence, saying that “Domestic violence is a crime.”

In a post on the Australian, Beattie, now Queensland’s Los Angeles-based trade and investment commissioner, noted how he was constantly peppered with questions about Australia’s lack of an adult videogame rating at last month’s E3 Expo. The repeated questions made Beattie “mildly embarrassed for Australia.”
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The dead will rise again in Australia, this time uncensored, as that country’s Classification Board has bestowed an MA 15+ rating upon the Capcom sequel.

So, the title will be spared the travails of another zombie gore fest, Valve's Left 4 Dead 2, which was originally refused classification twice, before a modified version was submitted and granted an MA 15+ rating late last year.

Dead Rising 2 carries the descriptors “strong horror violence” along with “blood and gore and sexual references.” THQ, who will distribute the title in Australia, told GameSpot that the game was not edited in anyway prior to submission. Read More

The Escapist’s Russ Pitts met up with Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) President Hal Halpin at this year’s E3 Expo for a discussion of the Schwarzenegger vs. EMA case, which has ended up in front of the Supreme Court.

After stating that a loss in the case could be “staggering and widespread,” in terms of its impact on gamers, Halpin was asked to describe the what's at stake in “broad strokes.”

He answered: Read More

Speaking at a Best Buy shareholder meeting at the end of June, a Parents Television Council (PTC) Chapter Director urged the retailer to display M (Mature)-rated games on higher shelves.

Minnesota Chapter Director Phyllis Plum initially praised Best Buy’s efforts in enforcing videogame ratings, but then asked the company to “do more,” stating, “…speaking as one of your customers, a shareholder and most importantly, a grandmother, I’m asking why mature-rated video games cannot be placed on higher shelves.”

Plum cited PTC mystery shoppers as reporting that M-rated games were appearing on lower shelves, “accessible to children.”

She urged Best Buy to: Read More

Australia has its first female Prime Minister as Labor’s Julia Gillard assumes the leadership position following the resignation of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in the wake of withering support.

While it’s uncertain how Gillard’s ascension will affect the R18+ movement, a Kotaku Australia reader submitted the attached image depicting Gillard on the cover of adult-rated videogames under the banner “Red Head Redemption.”

Following the government upheaval, Gizmodo is attempting to start a movement to oust the current Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy in favor of Senator Kate Lundy. Conroy is the chief backer of a controversial country-wide Internet filter, while Lundy, according to the tech blog, has “a lot of respect” within the tech community.

About Conroy, Gizmodo wrote: Read More

The Coalition of Entertainment Retail Trade Associations (CERTA) has once again billed June as “Entertainment Ratings and Labeling Awareness Month.”

The organization of organizations selected June as the month for its annual initiative since it is the kickoff to summer, when “young people have more free time to enjoy movies, music and videogames.”

The group offers the following tips to parents looking to ensure their children only view age appropriate material: Read More

A modified version of Blizzard’s StarCraft II has apparently made its way through Korea’s Games Rating Board (GRB) and earned a rating for gamers aged 12 and up.

This follows an earlier version of the game being branded with an adults only, or over 18, rating last month. 1UP, via a Team Liquid forum translation, indicates that Blizzard changed the color of in-game blood to black, removed vulgar language and exorcised smoking references in the game in order to achieve the lower age rating.

Blizzard may also consider releasing a separate version of StarCraft II that is aimed for adults only.

The game earned a “T” (Teen) rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

Taiwan is considering revisions to its Children and Youth Welfare Act that could result in the introduction of a videogame rating system.

Interior Minister Jiang Yi-huah (pictured) hopes to protect youngsters from the perils of media and the Internet, telling lawmakers that “With handsets, palm games and video games becoming ever more popular among teenagers, it is necessary to revise the welfare law to authorize stricter management of video game software,” reports Focus Taiwan.

Another aspect of Jiang’s proposed measure would boost Taiwan’s adoption and foster care regulations. While drafts of this amendment are already being reviewed, draft amendments dealing with the media, Internet and introduction of a game rating system were “yet to be screened” by the legislative committee.

The strong response from Australia’s gaming community to the R18+ issue may have backfired a bit, as the government is now delaying discussion of the issue in order to get feedback from more of the community.

GameSpot notes that Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor indicated that, “…further work needs to be done before a decision can be made.” When pressed, O’Connor told the publication that “ministers had agreed that a broader consultation of the public's views was needed following the dominant response from ‘interest groups.’”

While a spokesperson from O’Connor’s office indicated that “interest groups” referenced the 34 community, church, and other groups that lodged submissions in the public consultation, GameSpot wrote that, “given that submissions were dominated by pro-R18+ interest groups (EB Games and Grow Up Australia), the intended meaning seems clear.”
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While Australia’s Standing Committee of Attorney Generals (SCAG) did hold a meeting yesterday to discuss a variety of topics, including, presumably, the lack of an R18+ videogame rating in the country, one AG was unable to attend the gathering, meaning that no decision could be made.

Any changes or decision require a full consensus of Attorney Generals, and Delia Lawrie, AG from the Northern Territory, was unable to attend due to “Treasury portfolio responsibilities,” according to a note on the Gamers4Croydon Facebook page.
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Southern California Public Radio yesterday aired a 30-minute segment (MP3) on the California violent videogame law that will be discussed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

California State Senator Leland Yee appeared, and voiced much of the same opinions that he offered up through a mini-podcast his camp released yesterday. Representing the other side was Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) VP of Public Affairs Sean Bersell.

Bersell framed the current drama as he sees it: Read More

A Rochester Hills, Michigan ordinance mentioned here yesterday, which would require owners of gaming centers or arcades to ensure that children only play games that are rated for their age level, was among the subjects of a City Council meeting held in the city last night.

A video of the entire meeting is online (the section dealing with the game ordinance begins at about 1:01 in) and features Game Over Lounge owner Constantine Carstea, who feels targeted by the proposed ordinance as he is the only game center in town, being backed up by a steady stream of people who  vouch that his business is good for the community.
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A proposed ordinance from the City Council of Rochester Hills, Michigan would require the operators of gaming centers to submit a policy on the enforcement of videogame ratings when they apply for a license.

According to Click on Detroit, the policy is designed to ensure that younger kids at such gaming centers are not be able to play games rated out of their age level, such as those of the “M” (Mature) variety.

The local owner of a gaming center called the Game Over Lounge is not too happy about the proposed measures. Constantine Carstea already has parents fill out a form telling him what rated games their kids are allowed to play under his supervision. His business also features a webcam that allows parents to check on the children remotely. Carstea said about the ordinance, “They basically want to take the rights from parents.”
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The forthcoming entry from the most popular game in Korea has received an adults-only rating from that country’s Games Rating Board (GRB).

Blizzard’s StarCraft II was designated for gamers 18 and over, and follows test, or release candidates, for the game previously earning ratings for the over 15 year old gaming crowd. The Korea Times speculated that the decision might have something to do with a push by the government to “improve gaming behavior and curb compulsive gaming and addictions,” versus the game’s actual content contributing to the rating.

In a statement, the GRB said, “Considering that the RC (release candidate) version of the game is closer to what will be sold on the shelves compared to the beta versions, we looked more carefully at the content.”
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A reader of Kotaku Australia put together the attached video, which, in just a minute and 48 seconds, illustrates the case for an R18+ rating Down Under.


Thanks Adrian!

A pro R18+ petition sponsored by retailer GAME has garnered the signatures of over 72,000 Australians.

The company plans to present some of it findings to a Standing Committee of Attorneys-General meeting on May 7 reports GameSpot, though it’s unclear if the issue of R18+ will even be on the agenda of that gathering. GAME also plans to present the petition to Federal Home Affairs Minister Brendon O'Connor.

The petition, also sponsored by Everyone Plays, achieved the large number of supporters in only six weeks, and is on track to become the largest petition in Australian history, surpassing a 2005 petition for Work Choices that received 85,189 signatures.

A similar petition sponsored by EB Games and Grow Up Australia totaled over 46,000 signatures.

Thanks Ryan!

Despite previous inferences to the contrary, new South Australian Attorney General John Rau (pictured) is denying that he is for the addition of an R18+ videogame rating category.

Rau’s implied backing of an adult videogame rating Down Under came via a Tweet from Gamers4Croydon President Chris Prior, who said Rau was “a supporter” of R18+. Speaking to GameSpot however, Rau stated that, “I have no preconceptions about this issue and intend to listen to the arguments.”

Rau added, “I can neither support nor wisely argue against a position if I am not aware of the relevant factors.”
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A Spanaway, Washington mother got a surprise when purchasing what she thought was an “E” (Everyone)-rated game for her nine year old daughter.

The game Kara Petrich bought at a Tacoma Big Lots store was labeled as an entry in Ubisoft’s Petz videogame series, in which players care for a virtual pet. Unfortunately, reports Komo News, the game inside was the “T” (Teen)-rated game Sprung, a title billed as a “flirty” dating simulator. The game cartridge itself was also mislabeled, adding to the mom’s confusion.

When Petrich’s daughter started playing the game, she was presented with dialogue like “Make sure you bring your life jackets, condoms,” and “You wanna rock my mountains, don't you?”

Petrich said she was angry about the mixup, saying, “Most important, I want parents to know that you can't just hand kids a game and then send them off.”
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A public demonstration against the lack of an R18+ rating in Australia, which featured marchers dressed as zombies, went off without a hitch—but with plenty of lurching—in Sydney over the weekend.

Rhys Wilson, head of the group Aus Gamers Limited which organized the protest, wrote on Facebook, “I want to thank each and every one of you guys for making yesterday easily one of the best days of my life. I haven't heard any complaints from anyone, and I'm more than happy to do this again later in the year, assuming I'm not killed in a freak manure truck accident.”

IT Wire estimated the crowd of gathered ghouls at between 500 and 600 strong, easily surpassing a November 2009 similarly-themed march, which drew around 175 participants.
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The Facebook group Aus Gamers United is planning a public demonstration against the lack of an R18+ videogame ratings category in Australia which will feature a twist; all the participants will be dressed as zombies.

The same group conducted a similar event last year, but this year’s already looks to be monumentally bigger. The November 2009 march (video here) had 177 confirmed guests, while the new rally, scheduled for March 27, boasts 1,123 confirmed guests. The Epic Zombie March March is scheduled to kick off an Sydney's Hyde Park Fountain at 11:00 AM and run through 4:00 PM.

Urging people to “get your lurch on,” the event's organizer wrote:

…the serious reason we're putting the walk together is for the lack of an R rating for video games we have here in Aus. Someone needs to bring to attention how unfair this is to the gaming Industry and gamers ourselves.  So why not us? Read More

Australia’s Sun-Herald recently conducted a field test to determine local retailers adherence to videogame ratings.

The sting used a 14-year old boy named Peter (pictured), who was ‘described as looking even “younger than his age.” Peter ended up visiting six brick and mortar stores in which he attempted to purchase an MA15+ rated game. While the exact stores visited were not disclosed, it appears the focus of the investigation was more on department or chain stores rather than videogame-only retailers.

In any case, five of the six stores sold the boy a game rated outside of his age range. Peter remarked that he was “shocked how easy it ended up being” to purchase the games.

Groups on both sides of the R18+ rating debate used the sting to support their view on the subject.
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Australian Gamer has an interview up with an unnamed member of Australia’s Classification Board who provides some insight into both the rating and appeal processes.

The person queried would only identify himself as a Senior Classifier for the Board.

He/she was asked to provide a little more detail into how the Board actually reviews content:

I will clarify that we don't play through all games, I don't think we have the resources to do that. However the Act is set up in a way that allows the industry to provide an assessment under strict circumstances which is then provided to us. That involves a detailed report on the content of the game, in majority of cases we also receive gameplay footage and we always receive a copy of the game itself.

How does the Board measure or quantify violence?

It's a hard question to answer as it is a moving target. We operate in a method by which we call an impact test. This test is somewhat prescribed but on some level it comes back to the individual impact on the person playing that game. Putting that aside, I can give you the standard answer which is any violence that exceeds "Strong".

 

Overall in terms of the guidelines violence that exceeds a "Strong" rating is a scene that contains the use of greater detail that can include slow motion, close-ups, extenuation techniques (such as lighting, perspective and resolution), uses special effects in colour, tone, images and sound. A key factor in some of the controversial decisions you see is the use of prolonged violence.

On the appeal process and how appeals are not handled by the Board itself:

An appeal is actually an application of review to a different statutory body and they independently classify that game. The difference between us and them is that they effectively sit above us if you consider it a hierarchy. The appeal is to them and the things that they consider are the Classification Board's initial report as well as inviting submissions from interested parties. To my understanding it has usually been a representative of the applicants that comes in to argue the point of why the Classification Board's decision was wrong.

 

We are effectively different statutory bodies, we do not meet in any way and to be honest I have worked here 6 and half years and have never met a single member of the other statutory body.

Many more questions answered over at Australian Gamer.

As the UK moves to adopt the PEGI system as a sole means for rating videogames, the Video Standards Council (VSC), which will enforce and assign actual ratings, has added additional personnel to its ranks.

One new addition to the VSC is an Expert Advisory Panel reports GamesIndustry.biz, which will feature media violence expert Guy Cumberbatch, author Geoffrey Robertson and Dr. Tanya Byron (pictured), author of the Byron Report.

VSC Chair Baroness Shephard commented:

The newly established VSC Expert Advisory Panel will play a key role. The VSC will have the ability to effectively 'ban' a videogame from supply in the UK if it infringes the limits set out in the law.  Any such decision will not be taken lightly and will involve a number of legal, clinical and psychological issues.

A trio of board members was also added to the VSC, ex-Chief Constable Tony Lake, retired Director of the Family and Parenting Institute Mary MacLeod and Chris Atkinson of the National Socitey for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.