Video Game Company Underfire for X-rated material

If you haven't seen the latest news from CNN, CTV or USA Today regarding Rockstar games and their top hit "Grand Theft Auto: San Andrea's" then pay attention.

This might just rock you, or your kids, world.

Seems Rockstar games and their publisher Take Two Interactive are in deep bat guano. Wal Mart, Target and other retailers are yanking GTW 3 San Andreas off the shelves faster than they can ship them.

Why?

Pornography.(BS Note: Extremely NSFW. Use caution.)

The resulting firestorm has caused the previously listed M for Mature rated game, no loner available on most large scale retailers, to be sold on E-bay for prices exceeding $80 dollars when it was originally sold for $40 or less.

After over a month of deliberation, and Rockstarr originally denied they had anything to do with the porn located inside the game. Even went so far as to blame hackers, America's number one whipping child for anything technology related.

In a statement earlier this week, the developer denied responsibility for the "hot coffee" mini-game content, saying that the user-created mod involves "disassembling and then combining, recompiling and altering the game's source code

Today they changed their tune. with a loosely, and almost pathetic statement

“The editing and finalisation of any game is a complicated task and it’s not uncommon for unused and unfinished content to remain on the disc.”

So whose right and wrong?

Part of the problem lies in the ESRB system of rating, in my opinion.

They take 5 people off the street as well as 3 supposedly "trained persons" to test a game, then rate it.

Sounds effective, right? No way. With regular gamers able to locate and utilize Easter Eggs, the slang term for mini games for as long as I can remember, in a matter o fhours, the method is essentially useless.


Case in point, The Incredibles offers two versions for PC -- one rated "E" and the other "T" -- each described simply as containing "cartoon violence." And "Chris Moneymaker's World Poker Championship" from Valu Soft is rated "M" for its "simulated gambling," while Hoyle's "Poker Series" gets an "E," also for "simulated gambling."

So what do you buy? How do you buy it? Whats safe? Whats not?

I grant that ESRB is doing the best that they can, however I sadly, and very begrudgingly must credit Hillary Clinton for actually Getting involved

She's right. But I think increasing ESRB's funding and overhauling it is the better way to procede than spending tax payer dollars on a Oversite Committee.

Bottom line?

Technology is like anything else in the hands of a teen, or kid. They are going to push their limits to very edge and as far as the can, from downloading modifications to playing the most uproariously funny and violent games that they can. And what 14 yr old male and older hasn't tried to get their hands on a Playboy?

Be involved. Rent it before you buy it.

Don't just buy a game willy nilly. Look at the pictures, look around online. Ask your kids , friends parents.

Check with sites like us.

E-mail someone.

But no amount of Goverment interfernce or 3rd party grading is going to keep your kid from getting their hands dirty somewhere down the line

Thats our, as parents, job.