Korea Challenges Blizzard with Adults-Only StarCraft II Rating

[Tom Goldman]

Korea Challenges Blizzard with Adults-Only StarCraft II Rating

All is not fine and dandy for Blizzard's presumed sci-fi blockbuster in Korea.

StarCraft II [http://www.amazon.com/Starcraft-II-Wings-Liberty-Pc/dp/B000ZKA0J6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278529536&sr=1-1], the sequel to the Korean national phenomenon, has recently been slapped with an Adults-Only rating by the Korean Games Rating Board. The rating, which is less than ideal for developer Blizzard, brands StarCraft II as a game only for those 18-and-older, and was possibly influenced by StarCraft's massive popularity in the country.

Blizzard has 30 days to appeal the rating, but hasn't decided if it will try to do so yet. "We have nothing to say at this point. We are discussing our official position on the matter as well as what would be the right reaction," a Blizzard Korea spokeswoman said.

If Blizzard tries to adjust StarCraft II's content to try for a Games Rating Board re-review, it's projected to push the game's Korean release back around a year. Previous test versions had been rated 15-and-older, but Blizzard submitted the game's release candidate to try for a 12-and-older rating, which is the rating the original StarCraft carries. The move appears to have had the opposite of the desired effect. "Considering that the RC version of the game is closer to what will be sold on the shelves compared to the beta versions, we looked more carefully at the content," a Games Rating Board official reasoned.

Violence, drug use, and language may have been the deciding factors in the game's AO rating, but the Korean government is also trying to reduce the potency of addictive activities for children. With StarCraft basically a national sport in Korea, it falls directly under the government's perception as such an activity. Whether there was actual content in StarCraft II that the Games Rating Board found wasn't appropriate for those under 18, or if another factor was at work here, remains to be seen.

Source: Kotaku [http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2010/04/133_64287.html]

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[Igen]

Seems like an attempt to control the masses more then anything else.

 

[Eri]

Not sure what to say about this one. That sucks..?

 

[brewbeard]

Do you need a KSSN to play Starcraft/II in Korea? If not, this might be their way of enforcing that new no-night-play-for-minors legislation.

 

[TheFacelessOne]

Huh, that's gotta suck.

 

[Eric the Orange]

While I haven't played the game, if it's level of violence and what not is the same than a 15-and-older should be fine I'd think. More likely the reason is that it's so popular in Korea that the government is trying to stop kids from playing it and thus fight the "internet gaming" problem (which I hear is a big thing in Asia).

 

[RWillers]

The question is, if such rating was applied to the game because of its popularity, is there anything Blizzard can do so they change their mind about the rating?

 

[Obrien Xp]

Just tell the Korean government about sales taxes, they'll lower that rating fast.

 

[Icehearted]

Seems like an attempt to control the masses more then anything else.

That was my first thought as well. I hate that the ratings board has that kind of power over a video game maker. It's like companies hobble their products just to pander to these people's crooked sense of personal moral values.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Good, maybe it'll limit the number of battlefield strategists that they have available when Asia begins its conquest of the world.

But nah, that kinda sucks.

 

[13lackfriday]

Why do politics always get involved with content rating?

Sigh...everyone's got an agenda...

 

[Rainboq]

Why do politics always get involved with content rating?

Sigh...everyone's got an agenda...

well that's how shit gets done in gouverment!

OT: *facepalm*

 

[Nalesnik]

While I don't agree with the South Korea Government's decision, I can see why they would slap an AO rating on SC2. Video game addiction is a huge problem there, so they're trying to address the problem directly, just like some America states are trying to curb obesity by placing restrictions on fast foods restaurants.

It certainly sucks for the under 18 Koreans that CAN employ self-control. They are the ones getting shafted.

 

[Mr. Mike]

While I haven't played the game, if it's level of violence and what not is the same than a 15-and-older should be fine I'd think. More likely the reason is that it's so popular in Korea that the government is trying to stop kids from playing it and thus fight the "internet gaming" problem (which I hear is a big thing in Asia).

This seems like it. They're only doing this to stop the youth getting addicted to it. There's no doubt there's SOME violence in it, but no where near enough to garner an AO rating. Anyone got some other games they've given an AO rating to recently so we can compare?

 

[Enzeru92]

I say just let it be released because at the moment Korea has some major problems with their gaming community and at the very least they'll get it with out some editing of the game

 

[Galad]

The question is, if such rating was applied to the game because of its popularity, is there anything Blizzard can do so they change their mind about the rating?

Change a cutscene that is too gory? Remove mentions of alcohol in it? Remove some of the gore in battles? This kind of stuff would lead to a lower rating, if relevant.

Unless it's indeed a political decision

 

[KeyMaster45]

It seems that with increasing frequency the east is trying desperately to isolate itself from western business, even more so in the gaming industry. Take for instance the Korean games that are translated for western countries, and then keep them behind when it comes to content patches. I can't help but wonder why companies would do such a thing, there's no viable business reason I can think of to justify it, but that is a rant for another time.

Too expand on the above example western players that attempt to play the Korean versions are locked out due to not having a Korean SSN (don't really care what its called, but it amounts to the same thing), and even then those that manage to circumvent it will be banned from the game. They see fit to discriminate against us due to some xenophobic ideology yet were we ever to do such a thing they would have our game companies brought before the UN on unfair trade practices.

We need only look to the debacle Blizzard encountered over in China for simply switching ISP providers for their servers. (which I think might still be rumbling around out of our sight) It's no secret that China used the situation as an excuse to possibly give Blizzard the boot so as to force players to play China's domestic MMO's. As it is didn't some company in China try to make a blatant WoW knock-off that was so deep in copyright infringement it was finding diamonds?

Where does it end? When will we be able to hold these countries accountable for disrupting fair economic trade? Giving them amnesty for their transgressions based solely on the "Oh well its just those crazy Asians again; best to respect their customs or be punished." excuse is appalling to be honest. Let any other civilized country in the world start pulling the stunts they do and there would be 90 different trade sanctions plus a call for the leader's head imposed upon them.

We've let the east be that cousin who smells funny and smacks people at the dinner table for far to long; it's time we told them to either grow up or we'll lock them in the shed with Uncle Larry's half crazed pitbull for the afternoon.

 

[Baneat]

Whoever forced the rating must have been sick of getting his ass handed to him in Starcraft by 13 year olds..

 

[microhive]

Wouldn't surprise me if Kespa was somewhat behind this...

 

[crazypsyko666]

If they're worried about children's addictions, then a 15 and up rating actually sounds pretty reasonable. I'm not sure how to respond to the drug use, though. Has anyone ever tried drugs because starcraft told them to?