Though we're deeply fascinated with the concept for Zombie Cow's next quirky project, the genital-exploring twin-stick shooter Privates, we hadn't considered the hurdles this type of mature innovation might face. Seattle PI recently posited the question of whether the game would even be allowed to launch on Xbox Live Indie Games, to which a Microsoft representative replied, "we can confirm that if it is consistent with the description we have seen on the Internet, this game would not pass peer review and would not be permitted to be distributed on Xbox Live."
Zombie Cow co-founder Dan Marshall (of Ben There, Dan That fame) told Seattle PI, "There was always going to be a risk it won't pass Peer Review, but obviously we'll do whatever we can to get the Xbox version out," later adding, "it'd be a shame if a huge number of teenagers missed out on some quality gaming and vital education because of some abstract, cellular-level innards and pubic hairs." Even if the game's educational nature doesn't win over the Xbox Live peer review process, the game will get a free PC release courtesy of UK's Channel 4.
[Via Kotaku]
Reader Comments (36)
Posted: May 23rd 2010 7:19PM Shadowbender said
I'm guessing the climax scene will be when everything starts rising, and the little critters have to fight their way to the top.
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 7:31PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said
I thought the term these days was 'Vagine'?
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 7:34PM BananaBoat said
Flower is full of sexual innuendo. Or maybe that's just me...
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 7:38PM Italian Stallion said
I wonder how long and hard this game will be?
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 8:10PM Puertoricarious said
i've heard that it's very repetitive and ends too soon.
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 8:21PM Faceless Troll said
I think we can expect a stimulus package DLC to extend its' length.
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 11:30PM KeenCommander said
"i've heard that it's very repetitive and ends too soon." Only if you're not a lesbian.
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 7:43PM CynicalStrike said
I sincerely hope this game doesn't allow for user generated content...
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 7:56PM ch3burashka said
Personally, I find the concept in bad taste. The gameplay may be excellent, but surely they could have used a different setting.
I'd be interested to hear Justin's opinion on Zombie Cow's design direction, after heaping so much praise on their adventure games.
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I'd be interested to hear Justin's opinion on Zombie Cow's design direction, after heaping so much praise on their adventure games.
Posted: May 23rd 2010 7:57PM Faceless Troll said
I find it amusing that a game like this can be refused while "AAA" games that feature boss monsters with a giant vagina for their face are happily given the green light.
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Posted: May 23rd 2010 11:26PM Mister Darcy said
A: She wasn't a boss.
B: Those were Kirsten Bell's FACE lips in AC2. I see where the confusion can set in though, her redesign was horrible.
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B: Those were Kirsten Bell's FACE lips in AC2. I see where the confusion can set in though, her redesign was horrible.
Posted: May 23rd 2010 11:40PM Faceless Troll said
@Big Sexy Hunk: I was more referring to the Rakk Hive in Borderlands.
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Posted: May 24th 2010 7:26PM Fata1Stryke said
@Preston: Wow, that hadn't even occurred to me.
I assumed you were talking about the Destroyer. Two in one game? Damn...
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I assumed you were talking about the Destroyer. Two in one game? Damn...
Posted: May 23rd 2010 9:32PM AutobotIronhide said
no-no? That's a first, everyone that I've met calls it a yes-yes.
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Posted: May 24th 2010 12:01AM delicatessen lama said
Why don't they just get the ESRB to place the rating 'Teen' on the game?
I played Family Guy: the game on the original xbox, in that game there was a couple of levels inside Peter Griffin (and it's pretty sick comedy). They didn't reject that game, which was good because the game was funny.
People should be able to decide whether they want to buy something or not themselves, this stuff is relatively harmless and it's supposed to be somewhat educational.
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I played Family Guy: the game on the original xbox, in that game there was a couple of levels inside Peter Griffin (and it's pretty sick comedy). They didn't reject that game, which was good because the game was funny.
People should be able to decide whether they want to buy something or not themselves, this stuff is relatively harmless and it's supposed to be somewhat educational.
Posted: May 24th 2010 1:45AM Courtney said
So wait...a game that's likely to be great (however crass it may be), will be turned down by the peer review process, but those same people will pass games onto the service that are not games, broken and contain giant metal tits?
And why exactly is an MS representative commenting on whether something will pass peer review? This is for fellow indie game developers to judge, not MS, and somehow I think they are more likely to have a sense of humor about this.
And what the hell is the content rating for if there anyway? Isn't that why they have Sex and Mature categories to rate things?
Okay, one more and. And why is this so bad, but Shoot1UP is fine, and it's cover artwork features giant cyborg breasts being violated by by an electric slong?
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d80258550455/
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And why exactly is an MS representative commenting on whether something will pass peer review? This is for fellow indie game developers to judge, not MS, and somehow I think they are more likely to have a sense of humor about this.
And what the hell is the content rating for if there anyway? Isn't that why they have Sex and Mature categories to rate things?
Okay, one more and. And why is this so bad, but Shoot1UP is fine, and it's cover artwork features giant cyborg breasts being violated by by an electric slong?
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d80258550455/
Posted: May 24th 2010 9:20AM BananaBoat said
@whylekat - Call of Duty has vastly more sales on the consoles. 10:1 maybe? Perhaps not that high, but I wouldn't know exactly without looking at the numbers.
As for where you can find NPD numbers; Joystiq posts them every month when they come out. I'm sure there is a site that does in-depth NPD analysis every month, but I don't know of one off the top of my head.
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As for where you can find NPD numbers; Joystiq posts them every month when they come out. I'm sure there is a site that does in-depth NPD analysis every month, but I don't know of one off the top of my head.
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