Well, it's official: the ESRB is changing their rating of
GTA: San Andreas from M (Mature) to AO (Adults Only). In response, Rockstar games has ceased manufacturing the
game and has sent out little "AO" stickers to the retailers who want to keep the game in stock. Rockstar will
start manufacturing the game again once it finds a way to prevent the Hot Coffee mod from being accessed.
According to a spokesperson for Rockstar, the mod was never finished and therefore never considered to be part of the
actual game (must be why CJ wears pants throughout the whole mod). Furthermore, they are no plans to sue the
modders (why would there be in the first place?) who sparked the Hot Coffee controversy, and that Rockstar must now
lower its fiscal project 6 %, from a hefty $170 million to a now paltry $160 million.
For the ESRB, they have decided to change their rules of submission: companies must now submit explicitly every bit of
information that may affect a game's rating, including things not intended for access. It is also stressing that
companies take extra care to protect their games from third party modifications.
Let's take a quick moment to reflect on this whole issue. I know this will not be the last we hear about the
case, as Washington is still pushing for legislation on the matter, but maybe this is a sign that the whole debacle
will start to gently slide into history, and San Andreas articles will now be downgraded to only every other
topic of discussion. Okay, maybe not, but it's a thought.
Engadget
TUAW