Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas continues to catch a lot of heat over the booty call the hero pays to his ol’ lady in the game. Normally, users get to hear the action, with the mod causing all the trouble; users get to see the soft-core action. That’s what’s got Rockstar Games in the middle of this hot coffee controversy.
A gamer based out of Amsterdam say he and his group unlocked the hidden code Rockstar left in the PC version of the game (very important, PC version only). They put this key to unlocking to code online and millions have downloaded it. They maintain that this merely finds what was already in the game, namely the steamy sex scene for your viewing pleasure, or at the pleasure of game geeks everywhere.
Rockstar Games is arguing that the gamers mentioned added all the content themselves through their own modifications and they left nothing like that in their release. The Amsterdam gamer geek cartel maintains that Rockstar left it in there and they can prove it.
The ESRB, the watchdog group that maintains ratings for games on computers and games consoles initially rates this game MA for mature. This means only people 17 and older may purchase the game. A lot of advocacy groups are calling for the game to be rated AO for adults only, meaning only 18 and older can purchase the game.
This may not seem like a big difference but it means everything as many general retailers like Wal-Mart would promptly pull the game from their shelves if it got that AO rating. Then most retailers would be forced to put the game behind the counter along with the Playboys, Penthouses and various other adult content items.
One of the questions left open will be whether the ESRB would alter the rating on just the PC version since it’s the only one the mod could apply too or would the consolve versions get the shiv in the ribs too?
The big wait continues while the ESRB determines what the future of GTA: SA will be. Rockstar just hopes they don’t pop a cap in the game with an AO rating.
The interesting point of this argument is this: the ESRB will let all the violence slide through on this game. You can murder people, sell drugs, steal cars, pick up hookers and all this other behavior generally not considered societally acceptable. Users get to commit these acts and watch them play out but the injection of a single, relatively minor sex scene has everyone going ape. Many would question which of these acts would be considered obscene.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
