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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: 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.
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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".