Urban Chaos rated AO?

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Mar 24, 2006 2:31 am GMT

Source: As far as a source about a game's rating goes, it's tough to get any more credible than the official Entertainment Software Ratings Board Web site. The official story: See below. What we heard: Earlier today, a GameSpot forum member posed a question to the staff asking which retailers...

Source: As far as a source about a game's rating goes, it's tough to get any more credible than the official Entertainment Software Ratings Board Web site.

The official story: See below.

What we heard: Earlier today, a GameSpot forum member posed a question to the staff asking which retailers would sell Eidos' action shooter Urban Chaos: Riot Response despite its AO rating.

A flurry of recent Eidos press releases had neglected to mention anything about the publisher committing retail suicide by making a game that 90 percent of retail outlets wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole in the current political climate. That could only mean it was time to quickly debunk the rumor by going to the source for all things ratings: the ESRB Web site.

Surprisingly, the ESRB Web site would have no part of the debunking. In its searchable ratings database, it listed Riot Response as receiving an AO rating for blood and gore, intense violence, and strong language.

We called Eidos to talk them down off the ledge and remind them of butterflies, wet puppy dog noses, 32-player capture-the-flag first-person shooter frag-fests, and everything else that makes life worth living. This clearly confused the Eidos representative for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that the company last week received a notice from the ESRB that Riot Response had been rated M for Mature.

"I have 100 percent verified that the title is rated M," the rep insisted.

An ESRB spokesman did not immediately return requests for comment.

Bogus or not bogus?: As nuts as releasing an AO-rated game would be for Eidos, lying about the game's ESRB rating would be twice as nuts. This one's rated B for Bogus.

76 Comments

  • moatartareque

    Posted Jan 2, 2007 3:17 pm GMT

    Stupidist thing i ever heard, the only games that should be rated AO is the ones with sex and nudity! Like, what the heck?

  • aygol

    Posted Sep 12, 2006 10:31 pm GMT

    gameexaminer is right,
    It's only one year difference from a mature rated game...

  • VinceL GameSpot staff member

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 1:23 pm GMT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • dgraves321

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 10:40 am GMT

    It must have been an erroneus listing on the ESRB Website, I just looked and the game is actually rated M

  • Sandman100

    Posted Mar 26, 2006 8:30 am GMT

    It's too bad that there is such a stigma behind that rating...It would be nice to see games break into a new ground someday. Who care I'm 18. I can buy AO games if I want. 32-player capture-the-flag first-person shooter frag-fests that sound so cool.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 10:01 pm GMT

    The game will probably suck anyway, so does it really matter?

  • vaejas

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 8:25 pm GMT

    Whoops! They've fixed it now.

  • sam20vt

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 5:51 pm GMT

    i will proudly purchase this AO title.

  • trogdorchief01

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 4:06 pm GMT

    they wouldn't be that stupid

  • T_Magdi

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 3:15 pm GMT

    Oh f**k no another AO game!

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 2:03 pm GMT

    oh no!!! teh rumorz!!!1

  • tuff_gong92

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 1:40 pm GMT

    I thought an AO game was because of sexual content becuse if it was blood gore violence and language than this is a dark revelelation in the world of gaming.

  • StillWingless

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 1:06 pm GMT

    information miscommunication ftw...

    i'm not against the AO rating, but i understand why so many people won't carry it... i just want to see it done well. however, i suppose that since most NC-17 material is usually weak, AO games would be as well.

  • DrKill09

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 12:11 pm GMT

    The original Urban Chaos was the lamest GTA ripoff ever made.

  • Dax207983

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 9:55 am GMT

    Britesparc, when I was in England visiting my cousins, we rented the movie Eraser...and it had scenes EDITED OUT. Say what you will about American ratings, I've never had that problem with mainstream Schwarzenegger films in the US. Britain censors films and games a heck of a lot more than the US, in my opinion (granted, I've only been to Britain twice). Also, "Big Business" sells to anyone willing to buy the product. Government control is the problem, not Big Business (whatever you mean by that, I'm not sure). It's largely because of freedom of trade that Britain and America are prosperous countries. Well, OT.

  • AstralProjected

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 9:23 am GMT

    I don't understand why most stores won't stock AO rated games. There ARE adults you know...

  • Donkeljohn

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 9:23 am GMT

    ugh.

  • kaosprince

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 9:12 am GMT

    http://www.esrb.org/search_results.asp?key=urban+chaos&type=game&validateSearch=1

    If you look at that, it says AO on there. Besides, look at God of War. A M game that had a sex minigame in it yet that wasn't AO.

  • roadifer

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 8:52 am GMT

    I don't think Eidos would put out an AO game. Look at GTA: SA; once the AO label hit, the game vanished from shelves. And for all of you begging for an AO game, relax. Life is too short to be wanting what you'll see in an AO game. I like video games that entertain me, not shock the crap out of me because of the content. How will you keep a gamer interested in a story line if the game's content is shocking its consumers? Let me know how this would happen please.

  • kcarlson1130

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 8:19 am GMT

    unless there is sex or a boob or something on the screen it should be a m.

  • AGG1

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 7:20 am GMT

    atomD21: Then don't get it. But don't be telling the rest of us what we "need" -- you don't speak for me.
    -
    gameexaminer: The one year difference between 17 and 18 is as big as they get. It's not just about playing games buying porn, it's about being a legally accountable adult (to vote, sign contracts, get married, own property etc.).
    -
    SENoLimit: The ESRB does not rate Japanese releases. The Guy Game was rated M.
    -
    jnealg: Your issues are noble. I wish more people cared about creative integrity and the Bill of Rights, instead of how many times they'll hear cussing or see boobs in a particular game, song, or movie.
    -
    ZeldaNut113: RTFA yourself.
    -
    benkautz: True, I don't have a gf; I have a wife. But I'd much rather be a "horny loser" who gets kicks from risqué media from time to time, than a woefully repressed "winner" who gets kicks posting vituperative snap judgments about people more culturally adventuresome than himself.
    -
    Choby_16283, Britesparc: You mean over there in the UK, where you've got no First Amendment and the government actually DOES censure your entertainment media? (Are you old enough to remember "Video Nasties"?) It's not about "Big Business," it's about a fundamental right to freedom of expression, If you're not understanding that, you're not understanding Americans.

  • BadMrSnake

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 7:04 am GMT

    It's about time somebody step up and start making adult oriented games!

  • Supermodified

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 7:00 am GMT

    M versus AO is ridiculous. It started out as a reasonable tool, but now it's being used by retailers and politicians as a "blacklist" policy. When I use a sniper rifle, I want to see realistic damage. When you fire a gun and hit someone with 50 rounds, there will be blood. If that means an AO rating, I'm all for it. But I don't see the point. "M" means don't sell to anyone under 17. "AO" is 18? Again, the only effect here is a chilling effect. AO is being used as a threat of censorship and ruin by conservative and over-zelous religious types.

  • ReyWing

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 6:56 am GMT

    ZipperFreak, I totally agree with you. Some BIG company needs to step up and rebel. Strik9, I think most females may have a problem with seeing hookers cans also. Similarly, I would have a problem if games showed male prostitutes packages. There's no real good reason to have them in a game - the only reason is to satiate the male lust and hormones and capitalize on that to make more money. In no way, does that enhance the gameplay, story, control, etc. Yeah it can be amusing or fun in an immoral way but why buy a videogame for that and why even bother wasting time and money to program that in or creating that art. Sorry, clearly that turned into a rant.

  • nix6six6

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 6:55 am GMT

    i think its crap that most stores won't sell AO games, especially game only stores such as gamestop. WTF! Just ID anyone who wants it

  • ReyWing

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 6:44 am GMT

    ZipperFreak, i totally agree. Some big ass company needs to rebel! Strik9, hookers cans - i think some females may have a problem with that too. similarly, i wouldn't wanna see male hookers "packages" in a game.

  • ebonyflame

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 6:16 am GMT

    How many AO rated games are there in existennce?

  • Hellisunreal

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 5:34 am GMT

    Yeah.... theres nothing wroong with an AO rating.

  • strik9

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 5:29 am GMT

    We need AO games for sik bastards like myself who enjoy excessive viloence,gore and profanity in their entertainment. Oh yeah, seeing a hookers cans every now and then isnt going to traumatize anybody either...except religious freaks....HA

  • Z_Saber

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 5:26 am GMT

    Huh. The ESRB site also claimed Kingdom Hearts II would be rated T for Teen a few weeks ago. Too bad it's actually E10.

  • Unassigned

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 5:19 am GMT

    These "Urban Themed" games were picked as "Worst Genre" for 2005 by gamespot's Year in Review poll. Thanks God!! Someday these nasty urban games will nolonger exist.

    .

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 4:59 am GMT

    this rumor is definately bogus

  • flippya

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 3:49 am GMT

    I want AO/rated 18 games! I am over 18, but think miners shouldn't be able to buy these games till they're old enough.

  • Britesparc

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 3:34 am GMT

    I'm from the UK, and I really do think the American ratings systems - for games and films - are really stupid. Over here, we have "15" (no one under 15 allowed to see it at all) or "18" (ditto for people under 1. Retailers and the BBFC (the equivalent of the MPAA) understand that people are mature adults who may wish to view mature, adult content. I think the American state of affairs is a depressing symptom of Big Business' desire to placate the minority who hold extremely sensitive views (to which the obvious response is always "if it offends you, don't buy it then!")

  • gaiden1024

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 3:00 am GMT

    lol AO games , those are usually pretty dodgy ones. M however has quite a bit of leeway in games. I guess they got an initial AO rating then toned the game down to M as per a sheet stating what they had to do...

    Guess time will tell as always

  • Fallout_red

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 1:57 am GMT

    I hope Microsoft game studios or SCEA make an AO game some day.

  • Fallout_red

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 1:56 am GMT

    Stupid people banning games... An AO rating would be awesome but they dont sell it because of ... well you know.

  • Oblivion_89

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 1:37 am GMT

    wow GTA San andreas was rated AO to.

  • choby_16283

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 1:22 am GMT

    HAHA! Doesn't matter if it were only for adults here in the Uk, every retailer would still sell it"

  • ZipperFreak

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 1:11 am GMT

    I too would love to see a game actually get an AO rating because of the content they purposely put in it. Say a game comes out made by a hugely popular developer...there will be huge demand for because the developer is well known for making great games. The stores will have to decide if they want to keep their no AO policy and lose the money that will be generated from the title, or get rid of the no AO policy, and bask in the light that is a great game. I honestly would love to see the kind of creativity that could be generated if a developer just didn't care about what rating the ESRB will give them, and just make the game. Imagine people....

  • mikekare79

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 12:25 am GMT

    I still respect the ESRB. It's politicians I can't stand!

  • nemes1s3000

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 10:38 pm GMT

    Sex and full-frontal nudity are practically the same! lol, Baaah.. dumb controversial ESRB.

  • AL13NK1LL3R

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 10:01 pm GMT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • NinjaFoot

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 9:55 pm GMT

    nemes1s3000, the one thing that moves a game from an M rating to an AO one is SEX! Sex in movies only warrants an R rating (assuming that its not graphic like a porn movie), but sex in games gives it a rating that is basically the equivalent of XXX in movies.

  • GreyFoxV1

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 9:54 pm GMT

    " It's too bad that there is such a stigma behind that rating...It would be nice to see games break into a new ground someday."

    Couldn't have said it better myself.

  • NinjaFoot

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 9:53 pm GMT

    There are things that go down in R rated movies that, if in a game, would definitely make it an AO rating. This to me is absurd.

  • koolgg

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 9:44 pm GMT

    "And god said let their be light"

  • nemes1s3000

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 9:34 pm GMT

    lol, What could possibly be the differance between a M rated game and an AO rated game, what could possibly be worse than blood, gore, foul language and nudity.

  • KillerFPS

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 9:08 pm GMT

    I wouldn't mind seeing that rating get used partially because it would quite down those twits on capital hill wanting stricter ratings. Though the content descriptors for the game say M not AO. Meh, whatever, I wasn't planning on buying it anyway.

  • ZEELIX

    Posted Mar 23, 2006 8:58 pm GMT

    dude parents should be responsible enough to stop their kids from playing it if its a concern to them. but why? its not real!! i watched r rated movies when i was 5 and im not some serial killer. and yah its a year difference.
    i suppose they cant make a membership card for kids to be able to buy a game with there parents permisionship ex: a block buster card for kids that lets them buy ao m rated games cuz they have consent? no? not a good idea?

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!