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Gameplay streaming site Twitch has banned Adults Only (AO) titles, as rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB):
"While the ESRB ratings apply exclusively to US titles, our policy extends to versions of these games in all territories," the company blog said. "Generally, if the US version is rated for Adults Only (18+) or has an equivalent rating in your territory, you should not broadcast that game on Twitch."
So what games cannot be streamed on Twitch? The list of AO titles can be found here and includes Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude Uncut and Uncensored, Thrill Kill, All Nude Nikki, Body Language, Riana Rouge, Manhunt 2 and several others. The list is surprisingly short.
Games previously rated AO but later rated Mature, such as Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, are allowed.
Original Submission
(Score: 3, Insightful) by martyb on Saturday May 30 2015, @12:54PM
I'm reminded how including a work on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum [wikipedia.org], resulted in many people scouring the list of banned books to look for 'interesting' works to read. In other words, it piqued people's curiosity and had an effect opposite to that which was intended.
Anecdote: In my late teens while watching late-night television, any show that started with a warning to the effect that it "contained adult subject mater and that viewer discretion was advised" was immediately followed by the thought: "Great! I have to watch this!"
I am interested in seeing what happens to the sales figures for the listed titles — before and after their being put on this list. How many here, upon seeing this list of titles thought: "Oh yeah, I forgot about that one — now I really should check it out!"
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Saturday May 30 2015, @01:10PM
Could be interesting, so interesting I looked a few of them up -- for research of cause. A lot of these "sex games" on the list seem to be nothing more the slideshows and where made or released in the late 90's. They will probably be hard to get hold of these days. There are a few newer Manga-type games that are just a year or so old. They appear to be the usual for the genre with high-school type girls with big eyes and some nudity.
The ESBR ratings over all are bullshit. Reading the reasons why they are on the list makes this somewhat clear. Games can get on the list for such minor infractions as having someone smoke, having a drink or saying the word FUCK or even possibly hinting at the possibility that there is naughty-nudy-time happening.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AO-rated_video_games [wikipedia.org]
This list also includes the release year, unlike the ESBR list.
(Score: 2) by Marand on Saturday May 30 2015, @03:56PM
The ESBR ratings over all are bullshit. Reading the reasons why they are on the list makes this somewhat clear. Games can get on the list for such minor infractions as having someone smoke, having a drink or saying the word FUCK or even possibly hinting at the possibility that there is naughty-nudy-time happening.
That's because the ESRB is just history [comicartville.com] repeating itself in a different medium. Decades later, all the same dumb complaints, FUD, and bad responses played out again like a reboot of a TV show or movie that nobody ever wanted.
Just like the CCA before it, the ESRB is the industry's attempt at self-regulating to avoid being government-regulated, following a fear-mongering backlash against the medium (comics for the CCA, video games for the ESRB) by the ignorant people with the loudest voices. They responded the same way, with over-enthusiastic self-censorship to appease the critics, and have the same Puritanical anti-sex focus. Violence is okay (unless there's too much of it, or it's the "wrong people" being violent), but the human body is scary and must be hidden. They even have the same sorts of taboos on "bad" language.
There's also the same refusal by vendors to carry merchandise unless it's been vetted and carries the group's approval. If it's unrated or AO, good luck selling it.
Seriously, read the CCA link. Some of it seems hilariously dated, but a large chunk of it still being upheld in some form by the ESRB. The biggest difference is the CCA was all-or-nothing while the ESRB has different categories. It's not much of a distinction, though, because it works out about the same as film ratings, with creators often avoiding the highest ratings in order to reach the largest market while offending the fewest people.
Eventually people are going to get fed up with it and throw the ESRB in the trash just like what happened with the CCA, but it's probably going to take a while for the creators to snap and stop caring just like what happened with the CCA.
---
Actually, thinking about it, it's not just being upheld by the ESRB; the CCA lives on as corporate censorship, because business are so afraid of public backlash that they gladly backpedal on decisions, self-censor, and even censor their own customers/users any time a handful of people whine that something is "offensive" or "triggering".
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2015, @01:22PM
If I was less lazy I might have made links to the games and "games". Oh well
-- takyon
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2015, @01:35PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2015, @02:04PM
And what does this have to do with anything?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by rts008 on Saturday May 30 2015, @01:50PM
Yeah, I remember when the UK and Australia both had the 'list of blocked sites' published online, it provided many with new porn sites to investigate.
We were really just interested in making sure the sites in question deserved to be on the list...honest!
The 'Legislating Morality' tactic has been an historical failure, yet it is repeatedly attempted (and fails) over and over again. It has such a dismal record for success, that anytime someone proposes another attempt at it, I find myself classifying that person[s] as idiots, and no longer worthy of any respect.