Sega working with ESRB on MadWorld rating

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 7th 2008 at 11:00AM }

In an interesting gesture of cooperation, it appears that Sega is working with the ESRB to make sure that MadWorld releases with an "M" rating in the US. MTV Multiplayer reports that the publisher has been submitting new builds to the ESRB and noting the rating organization's feedback. This is all, of course, an attempt to avoid an "AO" rating, which would not only ban the game from retail, but prevent it from being licensed for the Wii (or any other console, just to be clear).

The Sega reps also aren't expecting MadWorld to release in developer Platinum Games' native land of Japan until after its March 2009 release in the States. The company is focused on making it a Western hit -- and don't expect it to be shown at this week's Tokyo Games Show.

Gallery: MadWorld (Leipzig 2008)

[Via GamePolitics]

Tags: esrb, madworld, sega

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Juno @ Oct 7th 2008 11:07AM

Stupid stupid stupid.

Im a fucking adult. Where are my games? I have moneys!

Mikeymike @ Oct 7th 2008 11:21AM

"Im a fucking adult."

Are you sure 'bout that?

Juno @ Oct 7th 2008 11:34AM

Obviously the genious of my humor is lost on simpleton such as yourself.

samfish @ Oct 7th 2008 12:11PM

And I'm the Goddamn Batman!

Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 7th 2008 1:07PM

Last I checked you were under 18 and got pregnant with Michael Cera.

dark_inchworm @ Oct 7th 2008 1:58PM

I believe "genius" is the word you were looking for.

By the way, the name's Dumas.

Grey Acumen @ Oct 7th 2008 2:01PM

Yeah, he's a fucking adult! Everyone knows that fucking adults are better than fucking children!

Unless you're pedobear.

Juno @ Oct 7th 2008 2:14PM

So what. Michael fucking Cera is hot shit.

John Z @ Oct 7th 2008 11:09AM

I'm not sure I like this so much. I can understand wanting to avoid an AO rating, and I know that we all love our gutzangore, but this just feels wrong. How much creative input will the ESRB/other agencies be able to exert over Sega and Platinum with this deal? Is this just a matter of Sega doing an eye-doctor-like "So, tell me which is an M, this... or this? How about this... or this? Good, good, can we eviscerate him like this... or like this?" Or are the ESRB/whoever actively saying "Your sever points can be here, here, here, and here, but no touchy here, here, or here; oh, and we want this to go like this"?

brentshaffa @ Oct 7th 2008 11:27AM

I'm pretty sure the ESRB works just like the movie ratings board.

As such, they base a game's rating on what is within the game. From there, the company is responsible for changing things. So, in my opinion, Sega is just trying to find out just how far they can push the line between M and AO, then toe the line just enough to keep the M rating.

Massmass @ Oct 7th 2008 12:04PM

The gaming industry literally needs to grow up and stop being afraid of the dreaded porn, I mean, AO rating. Have the ESRB create a separate X or Po rating for porn games. That way games that should be rated AO (GTA, Manhunt, some FPS, etc.) can be rated as such and if the retailers and Console makers don't like it, they'll lose out on millions. If most "Mature" games were movies, they'd be rated R. So, come on developers and publishers, rally together and lets stop doing a this ridiculous dance.

Suichimo @ Oct 7th 2008 12:53PM

As it stands there is every reason to be afraid of an AO rating. If a game gets that all of the millions of dollars and thousands of man hours go to complete waste.

As for your solution, it still won't work. You say that retailers and console makers will lose out, well I say you're wrong. At this moment retailers actually don't have to follow the ESRB. They choose not to sell AO games on the basis that they are AO, what is stopping them from doing the same thing if they bring in a new rating? The only way a game with such a high age rating would get sold would be through the website of the developer and/or publisher.

&rew @ Oct 7th 2008 12:33PM

Heres a way to avoid AO:
Take a note from Viva Pinata and make everything drop candy, there is no way that would get AO, plus the special edition could include candy called Soylent Green.

&rew @ Oct 7th 2008 12:35PM

I meant candy as opposed to blood.

Mr Khan @ Oct 7th 2008 12:41PM

Eh, i doubt it'll cripple it much.

So long as they don't delay it.

Red Leader @ Oct 7th 2008 1:34PM

Another game I won't even be interested in now. A game with gore that isn't AO? Boring.

JoeTheBlow @ Oct 7th 2008 1:55PM

Shame this is gonna sell even less than No More Heroes.
Wii just isn't the machine for this, it should really come over to PSN/XBLA.

samfish @ Oct 7th 2008 2:12PM

Why, so it can flop in HD instead?

Anni @ Oct 7th 2008 2:37PM

I'd be totally shocked if it wasn't a best all-time seller like all of Clover's other games.

:-/

BPMOmega [gamertag] @ Oct 8th 2008 3:00AM

Would it really be that gory to even demand an AO rating?

I mean, violence is violence... but protesting soccer moms (I know that's a generalization, but who cares!) seem to care more about realistic-looking violence (see: Manhunt) as opposed to cartoonish violence.

Granted, MadWorld's cast doesn't look like they belong in Looney Tunes, but the graphic style makes it seem far less realistic than other violent games.