Topic: ESRB goes after Dark Sector b/c of its Trailer

[MysterD]

ESRB goes after Dark Sector trailer.

Just when we thought Gamers For Gaming didn't have enough to do, we hear word of yet more inanity regarding the censorship of videogames. According to the guys at Gaming Today, they've recently had to remove two trailers for Dark Sector because, many months after their official releases, the ESRB has suddenly decided it didn't like the "excessive or offensive content" found within.

At the request of the developers, Gaming Today has pulled the trailers, but is understandably confused as to why the ESRB has put the squeeze on this great looking game. As far as I'm aware, this is the first time a trailer has essentially been censored from the Internet in such a strange fashion, at least this long after they were cleared for release. The two trailers have been out since December 2006 and March 2007! Talk about an epic backpeddle and possible indication that something very screwed up is happening.

Hey, do you remember what we've been saying about slippery slopes? It's time to grab something to hold onto, folks, because it's sliding time. You can be sure that we here at Destructoid, like with the censorship trendsetter Manhunt 2, will keep our teeth sunk into this story and any stories regarding further censorship and outright hysteria over games. Right now I worry my fears are coming true that a disappointing new precedent may have been set.

[Thanks Burling, you 'da' man]

[idolminds]

As usual, I now want to see the trailer where I had no interest before.

[sirean_syan]

I'm pretty sure I've seen every trailer for the game since I've always been a little interested in it and I don't remember anything that could be considered "excessive," at least compared to every other trailer out there (movie or game). The only thing I'm sorta remembering is a split second shot of someone's troat getting cut and it was far less tame and drawn out compared to anything Assassin's Creed has shown, or Metal Gear for that matter a couple years back.

This is getting lame.

[Quemaqua]

Why the hell does the ESRB have any control over the advertising anyway?  That doesn't seem right to me.  Fine, rate the game, but why is it they have say in a trailer?  I mean, if it can be posted according to the laws of whatever country it gets posted in, why the fuck do they have any say?

[idolminds]

Especially trailers that have been out for months. The company shouldnt have given in.

[wizall]

They're using the moral momentum of the Manhunt situation.  It's a political body so they'll use the recent press as opportunity to (retroactively) overreach.  It's bullshit.

And I agree, Sy.  I remember the trailer(s) and as far as I can tell there wasn't anything objectionable about this one.  Someone needs to slap their hand.

[Cobra951]

What would be even more shocking is if these trailers are nowhere to be found.  My feeling is that they're alive and well somewhere unofficial.  I'm with idol too.  Before, didn't know, didn't care.  Now, must find, must see.

[MysterD]

YouTube seems to have all kinds of vids for Dark Sector, if you do a search and all...

[gpw11]

It should be pointed out that the ESRB is a self-regulatory body.  Furthermore, adherence to the board and the rating system itself is completely voluntary.  The ESRB doesn't censor anything themselves.  What exactly they have to do with the adverstising is beyond me, but that doesn't really matter - they can not force anyone to pull anything. 

People seem to have the misconception that the ESRB has all kinds of authority behind it that it doesn't.  It was formed to ensure that the industry is self-regulated so that the government wouldn't step in, create a rating system, and make sure it was legally enforceable.  Any posturing you see here is for that reason.  They're not overreaching to establish control, they're overreaching in order to contain damage and the 'hysteria' that the horribly written article claims is running rampant.

.

[Quemaqua]

Depends on how you look at it.  You can claim that adherence to the ESRB is voluntary, but that isn't really true.  Think of what would happen to anyone that decided they didn't want to take part.

[gpw11]

Well, that's where the influence of the ESRB comes from - the retailers and the console manufacturers.  Yet, I'd still argue that it's about 17X better than if the industry was regulated by the government.

[Quemaqua]

I certainly don't argue with you there, I just wonder if they aren't maybe trying to extend their reach just a wee bit too far with things like this.

[gpw11]

I don't disagree, but I don't really know much about the situation at all.  Never heard of the game, never saw the trailer.  It sounds like it wasn't anything too bad, so that seems strange.

The main thing I'm thinking is that they have little motive to do anything nefarious with this.  All the ESRB has to gain from somehow convincing them to pull their ad is less controversy in the mainstream press and their own continued existence.  It's not like there's really any benefits associated with the 'authority' they have or any chance of financial gain for them from this.  And as far as I'm concerned, their motivations are directly in line with ours:  Controversy = bad, self-regulation = better than external regulation.  It's not that I'm goose stepping here, it's just that we don't know much about the actual situation it seems and looking at it logically it doesn't seem like any sort of abuse of 'power'.