When Will Consoles see a AO Game

In a conversation I had yesterday with a Friend on TripleChat.com I started thinking to myself "When Will we see a AO rated game on the consoles?"

For many developers and publishers the AO rating by the ESRB(Entertainment Software Rating Board) is like a death sentence to the game, meaning no big retailer nor console maker will give it a license. But in order for industry to mature and grow artists have to be able to express themselves and at the same time be allowed to explore and push the boundaries of that field of art they are in.

Its a balancing act between AO and M rated games that sometimes developers have to juggle with ease because the line between getting a AO game from M is sometimes a blurry line to say the least. Many see AO games as being over sexualized with tons of violence in them, but for many its the subject matter that makes them AO not the content so much. The actual rating system for AO is somewhat hard to understand too, the only difference between M and AO rated games is about 1 year difference. In fact look at the definitions of each for M rated and AO rated games.

Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.

Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

Nudity seems to be the problem that some have with games, and then associate them with Pornography on those lines. But Sex / Nudity is part of life no matter what you think, in fact we re all here because of Sex and I have a feeling its going to stay that way. In American Life today we want Sex but instead of admitting it we hide it from ourselves and try to believe we can control it by hiding it under the rag even knowing we know its there. Many clam its for the greater good to have no sex or nudity in a game, greater good why should one person or group decide what is better for the greater good of the people. While one group sees sex as bad and evil the other see it as natural and normal part of life.

We will see a AO game someday but when is the question, since more and more developers are told to axe certain scenes because of subject matter or sexual content and replace it something else maybe a fight scene or something on those lines. For now if nudity or sexual content is up front in the game there will always be a problem unless you weave it into the games storyline with a small bit placed nicely in the game.

I know if AO games got published that many retailers would not carry them stores like BestBuy, CircuitCity, Wal-Mart and even K-mart will not handle Adult materials. But while they will not carry them other stores would be glad to from Adult Bookstores to Fry's Electronics who pride themselves on carrying Adult Movies or Adult materials.

Until developers are allowed to touch on AO games and make them for Adults the industry will never really grow out of its Teens into a fully mature industry. The Industry has made great progress but now its at a stalemate for now, do we continue making the same old games or do we touch on that raw nerve?

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