Starcraft II Gets AO Rating in Korea

[DoctorFinger]

In a move that is apparently sending shivers through an entire nation, the Korean Games Rating Board has given Starcraft II the equivalent of an Adults Only (AO) rating.

The beta version of Starcraft II had been given a 15+ designation, but Blizzard re-submitted a release candidate version of the game in the hopes of getting a 12+ rating, which would be in line with the ESRB rating. That tactic seems to have backfired on Blizzard. The South Korean government has been tightening the ratings for games depicting foul language, explicit violence of drug use. Blizzard has 30 days to appeal the ruling.

Suffice it to say, this is a blow to both Blizzard and much of the populace of South Korea. The original Starcraft is pretty much the national obsession of Koreans, and the sequel is one of the most anticipated media releases of the decade. Restricting purchases of the game - as well as restricting access to the game in the nations many "PC Bangs" - to adults will not sit well with a populace already hungry for it.

Sources - Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2010/04/133_64287.html) Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5519324/starcraft-ii-hit-with-adults-only-rating-in-korea?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kotaku%2Ffull+%28Kotaku%29).

[Mike Kelehan]

They could just release a censored version alongside the uncensored version, as long as they both have the exact same multiplayer components. Hell, they could release a multiplayer-only edition. I'm not a fan of video game censorship, but there are a lot of people (especially in Korea) who are really only interested in the multiplayer, and will never see the content in question anyway.

[Narradisall]

Backfired indeed. Multiplayer is suddenly getting a lot easier...

[OldJadedGamer]

Well, Blizzard should just pack it up. They won't be selling any copies in Korea.....................

[Lekon]

I'm telling you, that 2zerg1cup cinematic just needs to go. I don't care how "artistic" it is.

[Goronmon]

I'm telling you, that 2zerg1cup cinematic just needs to go. I don't care how "artistic" it is.
I will hate you forever to putting that image into my head.

[MagGnome]

Maybe this is why they are making the US version more expensive. They've got to make up for those lost sales somehow. :p

[jeffbax]

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise, and AO will stop being so stigmatized because all of Korea won't give a fuck?

[Savok]

Oh man, that's fucking beautiful.

[BigJonno]

Oh man, that's fucking beautiful.

What, no solidarity for your Korean brothers suffering under restrictive videogame laws?

[LongStepMantis]

Is it wrong that I could see South Koreans migrating to another country if need be, just to bypass this?

I mean, this is Starcraft and South Korea we're talking about here.

The KGRB better watch their asses. They might look out the window and see this:
http://www.funnycorner.net/funny-pictures/5772/Zerg-rush-1.jpg
I don't know if this old-as-the-internets pic has ever been more appropriate.

[Hawkzombie]

What, no solidarity for your Korean brothers suffering under restrictive videogame laws?

Savok lets his hatred for injustices incurred upon gamers be overshadowed by his absolute and total hatred of Activision/Blizzard :p

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise, and AO will stop being so stigmatized because all of Korea won't give a fuck?

I can't tell...are you being serious or not? If you are being serious: How is AO a stigma? An incredibly few amount of games actually have that rating, and they're the equivalent of porn in most cases. Even if Korea doesn't give a crap about it it's not like that'll suddenly spurn Target and Wal*Mart or even Gamestop to suddenly start stocking 3D Sex Doll in their stores.

[tacitus]

Maybe Bobby Kotick said something to the Koreans - and being Bobby Kotick it was by definition something undiplomatic.

[CappinCanuck]

I wonder how much effect this will really have on access for under eighteen year olds. Will retailers really strictly enforce this with such strong revenue potential?

[Darkmatter]

I'm telling you, that 2zerg1cup cinematic just needs to go. I don't care how "artistic" it is.

Alright I'll bite. I'm not in beta so what I don't know what this zergcup thing is... :)

BTW.... IF anyone has an extra beta invite.... well, you know.... :D

[jeffbax]

I can't tell...are you being serious or not? If you are being serious: How is AO a stigma? An incredibly few amount of games actually have that rating, and they're the equivalent of porn in most cases. Even if Korea doesn't give a crap about it it's not like that'll suddenly spurn Target and Wal*Mart or even Gamestop to suddenly start stocking 3D Sex Doll in their stores.

I can't tell...are you being serious or not?

How is AO not a stigma? It is an instant retail death to any game that gets it. To me that is the biggest stigma a game can have, but we need to have a legitimate AO rating available in stores so games like Heavy Rain can push even further just like movies, books, and music can.

AO should not be equivalent to "sex game"

[Exodus]

To be honest with you this won't change shit. It's not like the thousands of internet cafes that will be running starcraft ii are going to age check their customers.

I really hope they don't censor the game for the NA release.

[Lekon]

Alright I'll bite. I'm not in beta so what I don't know what this zergcup thing is... :)

BTW.... IF anyone has an extra beta invite.... well, you know.... :D

I really. Really. REALLY hope you are joking.

Because if you don't catch the 2zerg1cup reference, you are a very, very lucky man.

[Darkmatter]

I really. Really. REALLY hope you are joking.

Because if you don't catch the 2zerg1cup reference, you are a very, very lucky man.

If I'm a lucky man why do you hope I'm joking? If its that bad, keep the shock therapy to yourself! :)

(Its true, I don't get the reference)

Wait.. 2 XXX 1 cup.... oh god, i'm stopping right there. I won't be clicking any links today...

[Savok]

What, no solidarity for your Korean brothers suffering under restrictive videogame laws?
Do they still get the game unscathed? Yes. More then Australia would.

[Trebor]

Well, Blizzard should just pack it up. They won't be selling any copies in Korea.....................

You are out of your fucking mind if that is what you believe! StarCraft and South Korea have been so synonymous that to actually believe Blizzard is going to do a goddam thing is just lunacy. AO or A-O.K. rating, anyone who wants that game won't give two scratches of their left ass cheek about the rating. It will be purchased and played regardless of what it says on the box.

I will take your comment in jest, which is what I hope it was.

[Hawkzombie]

I can't tell...are you being serious or not?

How is AO not a stigma? It is an instant retail death to any game that gets it. To me that is the biggest stigma a game can have, but we need to have a legitimate AO rating available in stores so games like Heavy Rain can push even further just like movies, books, and music can.

AO should not be equivalent to "sex game"

I'm 100% serious.

Uh, I played Heavy Rain and it's about the same level as most R rated movies. What, you wanted MORE nudity in it? Maybe more violence against children? Too little drug use? Perhaps not enough cussing, that's gotta be it, right?

If a game hits AO territory, it's either excessive gore, or excessive sex. And knowing how lax people are on gore when it comes to movies and games (Jericho sucked, but it was gory. Saw is torture porn. The last movie saw a guy practically liquefied with acid injected into his body through dozens of needles.) I'm gonna guess excessive sex is the death knell. I like sex as much as the next guy, but I've yet to see a game that got an AO rating for anything OTHER than excessive sex, and have yet to see any game that didn't deserve it. GTA is an exception, but then it's the developer's fault for leaving in the hot coffee stuff and not telling the ESRB.

Movies get NC-17 ratings as well, so I don't see what the big deal is. If it gets AO it's not going to affect anything outside of Korea anyway.

You are out of your fucking mind if that is what you believe! StarCraft and South Korea have been so synonymous that to actually believe Blizzard is going to do a goddam thing is just lunacy. AO or A-O.K. rating, anyone who wants that game won't give two scratches of their left ass cheek about the rating. It will be purchased and played regardless of what it says on the box.

I will take your comment in jest, which is what I hope it was.

The thing is, AO games are harder to come by, if the states is any indication, general retailers won't stock it, and they'll have to order from specialty and import shops. If they don't get it reversed, things will be affected, but it's anyone's guess as to exactly how, or how bad.

[Wilkz07]

Well, Blizzard should just pack it up. They won't be selling any copies in Korea.....................

exactly. why release two versions when it will just end up getting hacked anyway. release the version blizzard wants to - screw korea.

[MrBibbz]

exactly. why release two versions when it will just end up getting hacked anyway. release the version blizzard wants to - screw korea.

You can't just screw a nation and fan base that has kept the original star craft going all this time, hell they developed a series of competitions and tv shows as well as e-athletes and host blizzcon there on several occasions.

screwing korea would be fan base suicide.

[DoctorFinger]

AFAIK there's no sex or nudity in SC2. Korea is cracking down on things like drug use in games, and something as simple as Stim Packs/Stims as healing items could earn the rating.

[BigJonno]

How much of a big deal is this rating in Korea? Technically, the UK equivalent of an AO is our 18+ certificate, (we have an R18 rating, but that is specifically for porn) but it doesn't have the same stigma attached. Supermarkets will usually happily stock 18 rated games and it certainly doesn't seem to have had a big impact on the sales of, say, GTA.

[Exodus]

How much of a big deal is this rating in Korea? Technically, the UK equivalent of an AO is our 18+ certificate, (we have an R18 rating, but that is specifically for porn) but it doesn't have the same stigma attached. Supermarkets will usually happily stock 18 rated games and it certainly doesn't seem to have had a big impact on the sales of, say, GTA.

We have 24hr fake clothing malls and hardware buildings 12 stories high. We sell cigarettes and used panties in vending machines. Internet cafes are not going to check customers for i.d.

This doesn't mean dick even if the sale was restricted it would become the most pirated game in korea.

[MagGnome]

exactly. why release two versions when it will just end up getting hacked anyway. release the version blizzard wants to - screw korea.

Do you guys honestly think that Blizzard won't kowtow to this rating and change the content of the game?

It's naive to think that Blizzard will stand up for some kind of "creative integrity" and let the game bomb in South Korea.

I'd be shocked if the game wasn't edited to receive a lower rating.

[Wilkz07]

You can't just screw a nation and fan base that has kept the original star craft going all this time, hell they developed a series of competitions and tv shows as well as e-athletes and host blizzcon there on several occasions.

screwing korea would be fan base suicide.

fine. don't screw 'em. so long as we get the version we are supposed to and not a stripped down - director's cut to be released further down the road so i have to buy it again version.

[Exodus]

Do you guys honestly think that Blizzard won't kowtow to this rating and change the content of the game?

It's naive to think that Blizzard will stand up for some kind of "creative integrity" and let the game bomb in South Korea.

I'd be shocked if the game wasn't edited to receive a lower rating.

It entirely depends on if the rating is due to the 'addiction' problem. If it is then it's a matter that they made the game too damned good and won't get a lower rating unless it's put on a 'will shut down after 3hrs of activity'.

But if that's not the case and it's the blood etc. then yep, blizzard will most definitely do anything like you said because anything to get it a lower rating to sell to everyone is worth it financially.

[Narradisall]

I have to say, WHAT blood?

I thought this was more about them cracking down on the nations gaming addiction than anything. Having played SCII I've seen very little in the way of gore or sex. Unless the cut scenes in the campaign have Kerrigan and Zertatul playing some sort of sexual combat games with lots of gore I really can only see one place the AO rating has come from.

So I don't see them able to do too much about it unless they put some sort of game time filters on b-net or something.....

Also, I'm pretty sure Blizz could screw korea and they'd just bend over and open wide. Damned addicts! ;)

[Superman's Dead]

How big is game piracy in South Korea? Could this rating cause a hit to sales because of that, as well? I really don't know, just curious

[Satertek]

How big is game piracy in Korea? Could this rating cause a hit to sales because of that, as well? I really don't know, just curious

You wouldn't be able to get on Battle.net, so I'd say piracy will have a very negligible impact on the sales of this game.

[Superman's Dead]

You wouldn't be able to get on Battle.net, so I'd say piracy will have a very negligible impact on the sales of this game.

Riiiiiiiiiiiight! I figured there was something I was forgetting

[MagGnome]

The rating is apparently due to drug use in the game, not violence or sexual content.

It's been pointed out in this thread several times, but apparently some people haven't been paying attention. :p

[zarathstra]

The rating is apparently due to drug use in the game, not violence or sexual content.

It's been pointed out in this thread several times, but apparently some people haven't been paying attention. :p

Since I'm pretty sure by "drug use" they mean "stim packs" I still think its pretty ridiculous.

[Expugnare]

If it is stim packs that got the rating raised, Blizzard just need to change the text to Power Up and make the animation akin to going Saiyan. That would sell in Asia :P

[Hawkzombie]

His LSD levels are OVER 9000!!!!

[Kelegacy]

Maybe Starcraft II part 2 and II part 3 will be rated differently.

[ClannerDelta]

Since I'm pretty sure by "drug use" they mean "stim packs" I still think its pretty ridiculous.

Not really, but I agree it's a bit late for it now that SC1 has been around for such a long time. It's not a small ability. I'd argue it's the single most important ability in the game for a Terran player and you'll use it a lot. I can understand them making a stand on portraying stimulants in such a positive and necessary light.

That said, just switch it to "Power-Armor Overclocking" or something else just as stupid.

[Codicier]

That said, just switch it to "Power-Armor Overclocking" or something else just as stupid.

"Well, this armour is now cooking my spleen, but at least it runs Crysis."

[Expugnare]

"Well, this armour is now cooking my spleen, but at least it runs Crysis."

Wait, so it is Magic Power Armor? :p

[zarathstra]

Not really, but I agree it's a bit late for it now that SC1 has been around for such a long time. It's not a small ability. I'd argue it's the single most important ability in the game for a Terran player and you'll use it a lot. I can understand them making a stand on portraying stimulants in such a positive and necessary light.

That said, just switch it to "Power-Armor Overclocking" or something else just as stupid.

Stimulants ARE positive and necessary. Ask anyone addicted to caffeine.

Besides, its not like they show to guys shooting needles into their arms and swooning with pleasure. You hit a buttom, and your guys shoot a little faster for a while.

If Jim Raynor starts doing lines of coke off a Ghost's ass, then we can talk.

[ClannerDelta]

Stimulants ARE positive and necessary. Ask anyone addicted to caffeine.

Besides, its not like they show to guys shooting needles into their arms and swooning with pleasure. You hit a buttom, and your guys shoot a little faster for a while.
Stimulants are hardly necessary. I drink Coffee every morning. I like the taste, but it is by no means necessary to anything I do. It also doesn't entail me using a needle. Which is implied in both the upgrade and the button to activate it in SC1 and SC2.

[zarathstra]

Stimulants are hardly necessary. I drink Coffee every morning. I like the taste, but it is by no means necessary to anything I do. It also doesn't entail me using a needle. Which is implied in both the upgrade and the button to activate it in SC1 and SC2.

Dude, I'm joking about the coffee thing, although I think you'll find plenty of people who think coffee is necessary to what they do. You click a button, and your soldiers shoot faster for a while. I really don't see the issue. Its not realistic in any way, it doesn't teach people how to use drugs, and the first game ALREADY HAD IT. Would it help if it showed each little guy sleeping for 3 days afterward?

Hell, this may all be moot. Maybe Jim Raynor really does snort coke off a Ghost's ass. In that case, they may have a point.

[Narradisall]

Ah, I missed that Mag.

So it's the Stim Packs? Really? Hah.

As the other posts have mentioned, hardly a major issue. Just change the icon and text, remove the 'Sssssssah yeah' and replace with something else. Problem solved. PG ratings all round, eh? We'll see.

I remain skeptic that this is the whole truth behind the reason for the rating though. Did they release Heavy rain there? I'm sure that probably had more addiction type gaming than SCII does.

[tacitus]

What was the rating of "Fallout 3" in Korea?

[Vulture]

I remain skeptic that this is the whole truth behind the reason for the rating though.


same here. i can't see stim packs, occasional dismemberment, and stoagie smoking marines earning that sort of rating. i have to believe blizzard knows what they're doing too, and figured what content they had would NOT earn that rating. they probably have the whole "korea's boobies, blood, and blow rating" book in their development room to work beside. the rating was probably a complete surprise.

i'm wondering if the rating was a political decision NOT against addiction to games, but just to preserve starcraft 1. the game is pretty damn important to them, and i can see there being a concern that some of sc2's new gameplay mechanics (smartcasting) might take away some the competitive edge and fervor of the original. some people writing this policy might feel they stand to lose a lot in starcraft 2, but don't stand to lose much in keeping the established system of starcraft 1.

[Savok]

Starcraft 1 is one of those rare creatures where it is actually balanced, a feat Blizzard has yet to ever achieve again.

[boratika]

Remember kids, a stim-pack will only last three seconds, but it will take away a quarter of your hit points. Is it really worth it?

[ClannerDelta]

You click a button, and your soldiers shoot faster for a while. I really don't see the issue.
Yes, and you only press a button to beat up a hooker in GTA. Doesn't mean it should be banned, simply relegated to the M rating.

Its not realistic in any way, it doesn't teach people how to use drugs, and the first game ALREADY HAD IT.

Already pointed this out earlier. Did you need to fill your capital letter quota or something? :p

[Exodus]

Remember kids, a stim-pack will only last three seconds, but it will take away a quarter of your hit points. Is it really worth it?

It is if you're still standing and they aren't at the end of it with a medic healing you with glowy medical equipment.

[Exodus]

Gho30f6Yut0
This was alright funny, maybe more funny because it's with my people...i don't like to be biased and don't suggest i take an iat test prz.

[CappinCanuck]

Remember kids, a stim-pack will only last three seconds, but it will take away a quarter of your hit points. Is it really worth it?

Usually, with or without the medivac. IMO.

[Doogie2K]

So basically, they're going to make another couple of tweaks, resubmit, wha-bam, 12+, have a good day.