This game is rated E not M

Craven_Killmore · April 2015

Almost everything in the game is so, sooo E rating, minus the odd swear word.

After spending some time digging around on the ptr forums, I was shocked to uncover just how many E rating makeovers zos has done over the year.

We have clothing cleavage removal, we have no blood or extremely miniscule amounts when we are slashing gigantic 2handed weapons at our enemies, and there is also no story or lore directed at sexual or explicit content throughout the game, zero, none. Why give it a M rating? did the esrb say yep, that's M for sure ? I find it hard to believe, not even a side boob.

Currently vr4 myself and at no point in the game have I ever once thought, wow that's M rated for sure check out that gore or boobs, I hate to say this games name but Tera is a real M rated game.

M doesn't just stand for violence, it includes explicit content or sexual themes which this game has none of.

What is everyone's opinion, do you guys think I am wrong?

Thanks for reading.

ssewallb14_ESO · April 2015

And yet the justice system has increased my number of awkward bedroom RP encounters by several fold.

Yakidafi · April 2015

Oh, no cleavage!?

This one would say it appreciates the style zos has chosen. Compared to other games yaki would say it is more mature in its art and the minimal erotic hints are welcome.

Want boobs and buttocks this one only need to walk down the street, even in winter time, yes.

VictoriaRachel · April 2015

Luckily the ESRB are quite clear why they give a game the ratings they have:

Rating Summary: This is a multiplayer online role-playing game in which players assume the role of a warrior in the fantastical world of Nirn. As players explore open-world environments, they can perform various quests and complete tasks. Characters use swords, arrows, axes, and magic attacks (e.g., lightning, fire attacks) to kill human-like and fantastical enemies (e.g., orcs, demons, giant insects). Players engage in melee-style combat, hacking and slashing at various enemies; battles are highlighted by cries of pain, impact sounds, and blood splashes. Some sequences depict large amounts of blood streaming up-close as vampires attack/feed on characters. In some quests players have the ability to mount creatures' severed heads onto pikes; some environments depict corpse piles or skeletons hanging from torture devices. Text descriptions or dialogue sometimes contain references to sexual material and/or innuendo (e.g., “She...*** the men as cruelly as Bal had ravished her”; “In his mind, she would be the sheath to every knight's blade”; “No sweetmeat for you”; But it is huge! It could take me all night!”). During the course of the game, alcohol (i.e., wine, mead, ale) can be purchased and consumed by the central character; one sequence prompts players to engage in a drinking contest, resulting in the central character's blurred vision/slurred speech.

So is it the most mature game? No, of course not. Does that mean it does not contain a lot of mature themes? No, there is a lot of things that push it into the category.

To be honest your post just sounds disappointed at the lack of flesh!

Spottswoode · April 2015

I'm guessing you haven't been to a certain dark elf establishment OP....

There's also a massive thread on this subject already.

RedTalon · April 2015

There are things that fit the M rating on the game, has someone mention above me.

Its not always sexual themes and gore, and things close to nudity that get something that rating, you do sound a bit more disappointed then anything

Craven_Killmore · April 2015

It's a false esrb rating, there is no blood, and no explicit content, it doesn't get any simpler.

Iago · April 2015

If you want a lot of mature content playskyrm and download the "Animated Prostitution" mod from Skyrim nexus

Iago · April 2015

double post

RedTalon · April 2015

Craven_Killmore wrote: »

It's a false esrb rating, there is no blood, and no explicit content, it doesn't get any simpler.

Low graphic card or something, you see quick spurts of blood when you do up close meelee attacks at times and it doesn't stick on weapons is all.

Also things like people dissolving into ash after fire attacks can count towards that rating also

And some of the crap in the main quest is a touch graphic less they changed the main quest fully since june of last year

VictoriaRachel · April 2015

Craven_Killmore wrote: »

It's a false esrb rating, there is no blood, and no explicit content, it doesn't get any simpler.

The features mentioned in their rating summary do exist in game. Perhaps they are not 'explicit' to your standard but others would think so. The ESRB have the job to inform people of the sort of content a game contains and I think they do that well.

I do think the game is mature. I of course do not think it is as mature as other games, but that does not effect the rating I think this game should be given. The rating fits and I hope the ESRB keep it at this level and ESO keep their content at this level of maturity.

Craven_Killmore · April 2015

I don't think the game is mature one bit, and I'm sorry some of you do.

Turelus · April 2015

Some how I wonder if the OP is old enough to play a mature game...

Not much to say that others haven't already, the game doesn't have to be Age of Conan to get a mature rating, it has themes of drugs, alcohol, some very obvious sexual innuendos etc.

ItsGlaive · April 2015

I couldn't give a hoot about the bewb windows going, but I DO think it needs more adult themes in terms of blood and violence. We should see blood spatter when we hack and slash through characters. Also more mature language wouldn't be a bad thing either.

VictoriaRachel · April 2015

I do not think that just because a game has a mature rating you should try and make use of it as some have suggested. The game offers a balance at the moment. Yes it is mature, but not to the point where it actually puts some adults off. I think you would loose players if you made it too graphic.

Heishi · April 2015

I don't think the game needs to do to any extremes, I would just like to see it on par with the previous elder scrolls.My best guess is that it has something to do with its global availability and not being able to have separate version For example:

Artemiisia · April 2015

go into houses, there are male male bounding, slaves in cages, fifty shades of grey, dancing hookers on beds and such

^^ list of fun things to see

Danikat · April 2015

Heishi wrote: »

I don't think the game needs to do to any extremes, I would just like to see it on par with the previous elder scrolls.My best guess is that it has something to do with its global availability and not being able to have separate version

That could explain the absence of some things the OP wants, but not the M rating. Each regions ratings board works independently, so the ESRB are not going to give it an M rating because it has something that would be highly rated or even completely disallowed in another region.

Someone already posted the ESRB's list of reasons for the rating. I'm not that familiar with how they work but I know with PEGI just one thing can change a game's rating, even if it's one scene in a side-quest the player might not encounter the fact that it's there means it counts towards the rating for the entire game. The developers then have the choice between accepting the rating they're given, changing the game or appealing the decision (with no guarantee the 3rd option will make a difference). If it's just one thing that's bumped it up to a higher rating than they wanted they might remove it, but as far as I'm aware in most cases they have a pretty good idea of what ratings the game is going to get before they submit it.

Neizir · April 2015

VictoriaRachel wrote: »

Luckily the ESRB are quite clear why they give a game the ratings they have:
Rating Summary: This is a multiplayer online role-playing game in which players assume the role of a warrior in the fantastical world of Nirn. As players explore open-world environments, they can perform various quests and complete tasks. Characters use swords, arrows, axes, and magic attacks (e.g., lightning, fire attacks) to kill human-like and fantastical enemies (e.g., orcs, demons, giant insects). Players engage in melee-style combat, hacking and slashing at various enemies; battles are highlighted by cries of pain, impact sounds, and blood splashes. Some sequences depict large amounts of blood streaming up-close as vampires attack/feed on characters. In some quests players have the ability to mount creatures' severed heads onto pikes; some environments depict corpse piles or skeletons hanging from torture devices. Text descriptions or dialogue sometimes contain references to sexual material and/or innuendo (e.g., “She...*** the men as cruelly as Bal had ravished her”; “In his mind, she would be the sheath to every knight's blade”; “No sweetmeat for you”; But it is huge! It could take me all night!”). During the course of the game, alcohol (i.e., wine, mead, ale) can be purchased and consumed by the central character; one sequence prompts players to engage in a drinking contest, resulting in the central character's blurred vision/slurred speech.

So is it the most mature game? No, of course not. Does that mean it does not contain a lot of mature themes? No, there is a lot of things that push it into the category.

To be honest your post just sounds disappointed at the lack of flesh!

That description really makes it sound alot worse than it really is :P

qsnoopyjr · April 2015

This game is rated M?
I agree with OP this game does feel E rated.

When I think of M rated games I think of Grand Theft Auto or Def Jam Fight for New York... "You going to pay... For *** with my ride ***."

This game has no quotes or anything like that, that an NPC says. Like when you attack a townsperson they don't say "I'm going to make you my *** now" or "The ***?" when you steal in front of them. Instead they say "Guards, Thief!" its soo rated E if you ask me.

But you mention the graphics portion, I agree with you completely. I really hate how games stay so serious in the graphics department, like its an ancient times game so have to make nothing but ancient armor. Games that are less serious and more fun, like a people running around in suits james bond style or like hookers adds fun into the game. Nothing but ancient armor wearing people is a lil serious. Like it should be the focus, but you should have a little troll type armors.

Quake started to do that in Quake 3, there theme was space, but they added people running around in suits. If they had a lot better options it could have went somewhere.

When you decide to let people troll though, you have to be commited to it being trolly, you cant just go halfway and say "I don't want to let it be a full troll type but a 50% troll type" because than its just not good enough and people just claim it as a 'terrible skin idea'.

But yes, rated M game stuff in games is what REALLY brings in a huge crowd trust me. Just look at def jam, gta, fable... Lets be real, nerds like games with hookers involved... Some people just 'google' the game and look at images, and if people see hookers.. Believe me, they'll come running to play this game.

TequilaFire · April 2015

Alcohol and drugs are used and referenced in the game which in most countries push it into the M ratings.

Rune_Relic · April 2015

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

And yet the justice system has increased my number of awkward bedroom RP encounters by several fold.

...any vids :d

Trevize2888 · April 2015

Isn't there an element of an M rating through the fact that it's an MMO and you never know how other players are going to react or what they might say?

If it was E and a kid played it with some pugs on a dungeon and let's say one of them got angry and started throwing language around (I don't know if the chat has a screen I've never felt the need to test it) but still the actions and words of certain players could be considered M.

Plus it usually ties in with suggestibility. So the alcohol and drug use makes it an M because people don't want kids to be in a situation where it is fun to drink or smoke in case they decide to get it in their heads to try it in real life.
That logic may seem stupid but it's been scientifically proven that kids are heavily influenced by their surroundings (And please before anyone reads into that too much, I don't think that video games are to blame for all the worlds woes!

).

Personally I don't mind the M rating and to the OP I do agree that it is not the most mature game out there but I've never had a problem with that.

1 - It stops annoying school kids from running around being stupid
2 - It can stay more true to ES lore
3 - So what if there isn't a lot of skin on show (In a place like Tamriel, fashionable skin would just get stabbed or bitten or whatever. Being covered up is a lot safer :P)
4 - You want more M, Go play South Park TSOT. That should sate your appetite for a while

bellanca6561n · April 2015

There's mature content such as this moment in the Ebony Flask, voiced by the same actress who does Naryu.

https://youtu.be/yjBw8uMQap0

And if you go upstairs you'll see the Nightflowers at work, leaving some - but not a lot - to the imagination.

A mite more mature than cussing or full boob physics in my view

stimpy986b14_ESO · April 2015

You think boob windows are gone forever? I'm willing to bet that they make an appearance in the cash shop. Also, have you seen Almalexia's outfit? It's basically Princess Leia's bikini from RoTJ.

Ourorboros · April 2015

I agree OP, this game is pretty mild for an M rating. Blame it on greed, cowards, and lawyers. Greed, because there would be more sales if the game is bought by those who would not otherwise purchase due to sex and violence. Cowards, because the fear of being sued because someone irresponsible bought a M-rated game for their child, only to be shocked when said child is exposed to sex and violence (like they can't see that everywhere in our modern world). Lawyers, because the ones that work for ZO$ want to limit liability to idiot in above example, and because some sleazy lawyer (not you, Jimmy McGill), would be glad to file suit for the same idiot.

Ley · April 2015

Being an online multiplayer game, I think the rating should be M just because of the stuff players talk about in game. As an added bonus, an M rating may keep away some kids whos parents actually pay attention to that sorta thing.

I wouldn't mind it if they added a little more mature content, nothing too vulgar but I don't particularly care for them changing the content to be more E friendly.

jcasini222ub17_ESO · April 2015

I think its less to do with vulgar language and more to do with content as others have said. And if anyone knows... I feel at the very start or the game, release time, descriptions in the load scene described molag bal as the prince of '***, domination, and torture." Right? Well if my memory serves me correct (and I'm not just injecting lore I know into a load screen) that descriptor was actually changed. It touches to the idea of content being of a mature quality.

Pallmor · April 2015

Craven_Killmore wrote: »

Almost everything in the game is so, sooo E rating, minus the odd swear word.

After spending some time digging around on the ptr forums, I was shocked to uncover just how many E rating makeovers zos has done over the year.

We have clothing cleavage removal, we have no blood or extremely miniscule amounts when we are slashing gigantic 2handed weapons at our enemies, and there is also no story or lore directed at sexual or explicit content throughout the game, zero, none. Why give it a M rating? did the esrb say yep, that's M for sure ? I find it hard to believe, not even a side boob.

Currently vr4 myself and at no point in the game have I ever once thought, wow that's M rated for sure check out that gore or boobs, I hate to say this games name but Tera is a real M rated game.

M doesn't just stand for violence, it includes explicit content or sexual themes which this game has none of.

What is everyone's opinion, do you guys think I am wrong?

Thanks for reading.

If they remove the mudcrab violence, I'm out of here.

Athas24 · April 2015

I'd like more blood and finishing moves with blades etc outside of the enchants that do fire, shock, ice, disease and poison damage. I'd also like more balanced choices in questing so that we can take a less "heroic" approach to the quests etc. while still defending the world from Oblivion. Not all heroes are do gooders. Outside of that, I don't care if there's side boob or not. I see enough of that from my ol lady. lol I'm not against adding more sexually appealing looks etc but I don't care a bit if they are in the game or not. *shrugs*

The_Drexill · April 2015

I tend to agree with the OP. Nothing really screaming M in ESO. I'd like to see it push further towards Skyrim content, though really no one played vanilla skyrim either.

I start to wonder if I ever actually liked Elder Scrolls, or if mods were the best part.