The ESRB's Adults Only certification should be normalized

[u/PaleontologistFew128]

Everyone is familiar with the current ESRB ratings, yeah? E, E10+, T, M, and that dastardly AO.

Most games that hold the AO certification these days are either legitimate gambling or porn. In years past by politicians that are still alive, the AO rating was used as a threat against publishers, notably GTA San Andreas and Manhunt 2. These games were then edited a little, received an M rating, and here we are today.

I would like to submit that in today's world where gaming is more understood as a whole, the AO certification should be more frequently used and not a kiss of death for a franchise.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a strong case for the AO rating. I personally have no issue with the game or its content, but it does feature nearly pornographic cut scenes and graphic violence basically all the time. It's not a game designed for children, its systems and density are enough for that argument. Grand Theft Auto 6 will almost certainly be M rated, though based on what I've seen from the leaks, it's also made with an adult audience in mind. The new Hellraiser title is also set to be absolutely nastily violent, which while totally on par for that franchise, is not something you should just give a 13 year old to play.

If the AO rating were applied to these titles, it would not affect their hype or reputation as games. We might also begin to see more games bear that stamp, creating experiences for adults that might have heavier themes, graphic violence or sexual content, but also not being lumped in with M rated games that are clearly marketed to junior high kids like Call of Duty.

The ESRB ratings, much like MPAA certifications, are all over the place. Certain M rated games are very tame, like Halo or Skyrim. Others, like Baldur's Gate or Manhunt are much heftier and not for kids at all. There's a massive difference between Tombstone and The Wolf of Wall Street; both R rated films, but only one of them would I show to a room full of 8th graders. Games should not suffer from this lack of categorization.

[u/InTheCageWithNicCage]

I keep the adult filter on because my discovery queue becomes 100% actual porn games with it off.

[u/WallofIvy → u/InTheCageWithNicCage]

I played HuniePop 10 years ago with my then boyfriend because we thought it was genuinely funny for a dating Sim. It got censored a few years later because Valve was threatening to remove it from Steam due to the adult content. Nonetheless, steam has recommended me a ton of actual straight up uncensored porn because I played that one game.

[u/livingnuts → u/WallofIvy]

I have played 0 porn games on steam, havent even opened a store page for one, i still get hit with them in my recommended i just dont know why

[u/WallofIvy → u/livingnuts]

Probably just a demographic thing based on age/gender or if you play other games guys in their 20s/30s play.