Skyrim Gets 15 Rating in UK

[Logan Westbrook]

Skyrim Gets 15 Rating in UK

Board cites "strong violence" as the reason behind Skyrim's rating.

Skyrim [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HYK956/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_d0_g63_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0K6EJTBKA454DCMFFEE2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846], the upcoming fifth installment in the Elder Scrolls series, has been awarded a 15 rating by the BBFC. Unlike the ratings from the ESRB in North America, which are technically only advisory, the BBFC ratings are enforceable by law, with UK retailers facing stiff fines if they sell to anyone under the age of 15.

According to the BBFC listing, Skyrim's rating is, at least in part, down to the "strong violence" the game contains. This is actually a step up from Oblivion, which the BBFC considered to only have "moderate violence" back in 2006. Sadly, the BBFC ratings aren't as detailed as their ESRB counterparts, so there are no other details to pluck from it other than it has violence in it, and, let's face it, that's a detail that we already knew.

I'm curious to see what has prompted the upgrade from moderate to strong violence. If I had to guess, I'd say that it was the VATS-style, slow motion kill animations that Bethesda has added to the game are responsible, because most of what we've seen of the fighting so far doesn't look that different from Oblivion in terms of how graphic it is.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim comes out for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on November 11th.

Source: Strategy Informer [http://www.strategyinformer.com/news/14291/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-rated-15-by-bbfc-strong-violence]


Permalink

 

[ultimateownage]

"Enforceable by law"
Wasn't that basically the whole idea behind California's bill? If that was all that was behind it, and it probably wasn't, then it was a silly thing to get offended by.

 

[Kiardras]

Meh, it'll be modded far and beyond an "R" rating or 18 within a month anyway. I still nightmares about the screenshots on TESNexus showing full on Argonion on Kajit sex *shudders*

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Oh well, at least when ten-year-old Timmy axe-muders his brother because of Skyrim, we'll be able to blame the parents/gamestore rather than the computer game industry.

I'm curious to see what has prompted the upgrade from moderate to strong violence. If I had to guess, I'd say that it was the VATS-style, slow motion kill animations that Bethesda has added to the game are responsible, because most of what we've seen of the fighting so far doesn't look that different from Oblivion in terms of how graphic it is.

Fallout was rated an 18 over here, so it will apparently be less graphic than the VATS system. If I had to take a stab (hah hah) I'd say it was the stealth assassination animations.

And the bestiality. And (although it wouldn't be admitted openly) the same sex marriages.

EDIT - Also, just checked: Oblivion was a 15 rating as well.

 

[RichardThompson]

So did oblivion.

 

[mad825]

The game condones bestiality... it should be adults only for the rating.

Actually,under the BBFC that's enough for the game to get banned in the UK.

 

[madster11]

Yep, the mods that will come out for it would likely make it bannable in a few countries if they were including on the disc.

 

[Best of the 3]

*sells Skyrim to a 14yo"

"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!!!"

 

[Ultramatic]

I just want the ability to cut limbs off, like in Fallout 3.

 

[Davih]

Oblivion was a 15, why is Skyrim being a 15 such a big deal?

 

[Smallells]

*sells Skyrim to a 14yo"

"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!!!"

Damn, Ninja'd.
A tip of the hat to you.

 

[Hagi]

The game condones bestiality... it should be adults only for the rating.

It seems like 'they' were right.... it does lead to these types of sick and disgusting life styles.

It's not like the actual game (not the mods) will feature full-on explicit graphical bestiality.

Besides,

If it acts human, talks human, moves human, is shaped human and looks human then it's probably human.
If it acts human, talks human, moves human and is shaped human then it's probably a human in a suit.

Both Khajit and Argonian share more similarities with humans then with actual cats and lizards. They're humans in suits, not animals.

No why anyone would want to marry a guy/gal in a game who's permanently in a cat or lizard suit I don't know. But I wouldn't call that bestiality...

 

[Dense_Electric]

The game condones bestiality... it should be adults only for the rating.

Actually,under the BBFC that's enough for the game to get banned in the UK.

I have no idea what the BBFC is supposed to be, but if it also condones bestiality, then it can rot in hell. This kind of sick shit should be prohibited from entertainment industries.

The fact that kids are saying: "Herp derp, it's okay to fuck animals in my video games!" is really disgusting.

Shame on you all.

Can't tell is if serious.

But if you are, it's okay, I'm pretty sure you can't go around fucking deer in-game (unless Bethesda has confirmed that while I wasn't looking, which I seriously doubt).

And frankly, if someone wants to make a video game about screwing dogs, then more power to them. I'd agree it would be tasteless, but it's not anyone's business but the developer's and the player's.

 

[Pat8u]

wow really fallout was 18 in england wow it was Ma 15+ in aus

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

The game condones bestiality... it should be adults only for the rating.

Actually,under the BBFC that's enough for the game to get banned in the UK.

I have no idea what the BBFC is supposed to be, but if it also condones bestiality, then it can rot in hell. This kind of sick shit should be prohibited from entertainment industries.

The fact that kids are saying: "Herp derp, it's okay to fuck animals in my video games!" is really disgusting.

Shame on you all.

Actually, I don't think that you can call it "bestiality". It is between two sentient, consenting adults. What part of that is disgusting?

 

[mad825]

The game condones bestiality... it should be adults only for the rating.

Actually,under the BBFC that's enough for the game to get banned in the UK.

I have no idea what the BBFC is supposed to be, but if it also condones bestiality, then it can rot in hell. This kind of sick shit should be prohibited from entertainment industries.

The fact that kids are saying: "Herp derp, it's okay to fuck animals in my video games!" is really disgusting.

Shame on you all.

The British Broadcast Film Classification is a bureaucratic censor board, they ban any content containing any form of bestiality and sexual violence. They fact they haven't banned it means there's no bestiality.

Dude you need to clam down. To kill your logic, we are animals.

 

[Jared]

The game condones bestiality... it should be adults only for the rating.

Actually,under the BBFC that's enough for the game to get banned in the UK.

I have no idea what the BBFC is supposed to be, but if it also condones bestiality, then it can rot in hell. This kind of sick shit should be prohibited from entertainment industries.

The fact that kids are saying: "Herp derp, it's okay to fuck animals in my video games!" is really disgusting.

Shame on you all.

The British Broadcast Film Classification is a bureaucratic censor board, they ban any content containing any form of bestiality and sexual violence. They fact they haven't banned it means there's no bestiality.

Dude you need to clam down. To kill your logic, we are animals.

Very very true, and if you had read the above statement correctly, before all this had taken off, you would have seen mad825 had mentioned if it had beastiality, it would have never gotten past the BBFC in the first place.

But on topic, yeah, it was 15 before, its 15 now - So, really, a non-news item in reality.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

"Enforceable by law"
Wasn't that basically the whole idea behind California's bill? If that was all that was behind it, and it probably wasn't, then it was a silly thing to get offended by.

The thing with that was that video games would have lost the first amendment right and wouldn't have been allowed to be advertised on TV like cigarettes.(I think, not sure about the TV part).

The age thing wasn't really what everyone cared about