Western Catherine Box Art Covers Up the T&A (for Some)

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

For anyone wondering, Catherine barely earned a high teen to low M rating (CERO gave it a C). Anyone saying it is a porn game, thanks for jumping to conclusions!

Yes, but this is the U.S. we're talking about. As a country we're so prude that anything with even light sexual themes is misconstrued as being graphic.

If the Duke only nets a M then I'm confident that the ESRB will actually play the game before they rate it. Duke Nukem had AO written all over it. I have a little faith.

The content gap between M and AO is very wide and it would be very odd for either that god-awful Duke game or Cathrine to get an AO rating. The content for an AO rating has to have "prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity" (official descriptor [http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp]). Seeing as games like God of War didn't fit this rating description, I find it extremely unlikely that Cathrine will fall under this rating.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Not at all.

Again, not very titillating. All those guys need girlfriends, or an issue of Penthouse.

No argument there, but if a game is being advertised as "This will give you an erection", and gets an 11+ rating - why is a little bit of T/A being removed for Wallmart?

 

[Brad Shepard]

So....they want a more family friendly image for a Mature title?

Do I get the feeling they've totally missed the point?

See, the way i see it, is sense its box art, showing to the public, they cant have a goat man in a lady's cleavage or in her underwear.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

For anyone wondering, Catherine barely earned a high teen to low M rating (CERO gave it a C). Anyone saying it is a porn game, thanks for jumping to conclusions!

Yes, but this is the U.S. we're talking about. As a country we're so prude that anything with even light sexual themes is misconstrued as being graphic.

If the Duke only nets a M then I'm confident that the ESRB will actually play the game before they rate it. Duke Nukem had AO written all over it. I have a little faith.

The content gap between M and AO is very wide and it would be very odd for either that god-awful Duke game or Cathrine to get an AO rating. The content for an AO rating has to have "prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity" (official descriptor [http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp]). Seeing as games like God of War didn't fit this rating description, I find it extremely unlikely that Cathrine will fall under this rating.

Still, the ESRB does hate Atlus. Persona 3 and 4 get a B rating while they get hit with a M from the ESRB for no reason. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[JohnTomorrow]

Again, not very titillating. All those guys need girlfriends, or an issue of Penthouse.

No argument there, but if a game is being advertised as "This will give you an erection", and gets an 11+ rating - why is a little bit of T/A being removed for Wallmart?[/quote]

Because it is actively being advertised as being erotic. The DOA ad had guys reacting like guys watching an all girls beach volleyball game, but its quite possibly the same reaction you'd get from watching a real all girls beach volleyball game.

The difference between the DOA box art and the Catherine box art is that the DOA looks like a beach sports game - volleyball, bikini, nets, beaches, etc - whereas Catherine actively looks seductive. She's got a sultry look, she's pulling off her dress, you can see a bit of sexy lacy brastrap - it all screams seduction, which is why they want to change it.

Chicks in bikinis - why not. Go to a beach, there's hundred of them. But to get the look that Catherine is giving the holder of the box, you'd either have to pay or be in an adult relationship of some description. Thats the difference.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

For anyone wondering, Catherine barely earned a high teen to low M rating (CERO gave it a C). Anyone saying it is a porn game, thanks for jumping to conclusions!

Yes, but this is the U.S. we're talking about. As a country we're so prude that anything with even light sexual themes is misconstrued as being graphic.

If the Duke only nets a M then I'm confident that the ESRB will actually play the game before they rate it. Duke Nukem had AO written all over it. I have a little faith.

The content gap between M and AO is very wide and it would be very odd for either that god-awful Duke game or Cathrine to get an AO rating. The content for an AO rating has to have "prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity" (official descriptor [http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp]). Seeing as games like God of War didn't fit this rating description, I find it extremely unlikely that Cathrine will fall under this rating.

Still, the ESRB does hate Atlus. Persona 3 and 4 get a B rating while they get hit with a M from the ESRB for no reason. We'll have to wait and see.

Pretty much all of the games have two of the three following descriptors (which alone would probably make it a T rating): Violence, sexual themes, partial nudity. The ESRB goes off the most egregious audio/visual content of the game as submitted by the publisher, not the general experience.

 

[DJDarque]

For anyone wondering, Catherine barely earned a high teen to low M rating (CERO gave it a C). Anyone saying it is a porn game, thanks for jumping to conclusions!

Yes, but this is the U.S. we're talking about. As a country we're so prude that anything with even light sexual themes is misconstrued as being graphic.

If the Duke only nets a M then I'm confident that the ESRB will actually play the game before they rate it. Duke Nukem had AO written all over it. I have a little faith.

The content gap between M and AO is very wide and it would be very odd for either that god-awful Duke game or Cathrine to get an AO rating. The content for an AO rating has to have "prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity" (official descriptor [http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp]). Seeing as games like God of War didn't fit this rating description, I find it extremely unlikely that Cathrine will fall under this rating.

Still, the ESRB does hate Atlus. Persona 3 and 4 get a B rating while they get hit with a M from the ESRB for no reason. We'll have to wait and see.

I may not be very far into Persona 3, but so far, I don't understand why it is rated M.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

whereas Catherine actively looks seductive. She's got a sultry look, she's pulling off her dress, you can see a bit of sexy lacy brastrap - it all screams seduction, which is why they want to change it.

Again, like this?

It's less about their reasons and more about their blatant hypocrisy.
(For Stuff, I had to actually cut down the seductive content in fear of a banzor)

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

This is also relevant

 

[Kingsnake661]

I just pre-ordered the game and regardless of whether its good or not(and I do pray that its good) Ima flip my shit right off the bat if I get the censored shit they're showing in the article

why? it's just the box art, the game won't be censored... sometimes the things people lose it over...

 

[Nocta-Aeterna]

I think you guys are looking at this a bit wrong, here. The box art change to make it more "family-friendly" isn't for the people who are interested in the game, it's for the people walking by with their kids to another section of the store who might not want their child to see the more risqué cover. Does it make sense? Not to me, but it might if I was a parent.

I believe I adressed that in my post...

 

[zHellas]

I actually like the "censored" version better than the other one.

 

[JohnTomorrow]

whereas Catherine actively looks seductive. She's got a sultry look, she's pulling off her dress, you can see a bit of sexy lacy brastrap - it all screams seduction, which is why they want to change it.

Again, like this?

It's less about their reasons and more about their blatant hypocrisy.
(For Stuff, I had to actually cut down the seductive content in fear of a banzor)

Pretty much. Its about the stereotype that videogames are more influential to younger minds then magazines/books/tv/movies/parents/scools/friends/government, and that anything beyond G8+ is an abomination in the videogame world.

I'll agree with you on that ;3

 

[emeraldrafael]

Well I know which cover I'LL be getting hten. XD

anyway, I just hope it makes it here and Sony doesnt go under.

 

[Jonci]

I'm still disappointed that, as a 360 prefered user, I'm getting the Katherine image which isn't nearly as sexy as the PS3 art with Catherine.

 

[XT inc]

I never understand out culture, makes me want to exile insane moralists who make no sense at all. Its an M rated title, the equivalent to an R rated movie. What are we trying to hide. Devs need to push the boundaries of R rated content so people learn its not for their fucking kids,

 

[theultimateend]

I love how inconsistent we are in the states with our puritanism.

This is also relevant

I laughed pretty hard when I saw that because it was relevant in the 90's even.

 

[Jonluw]

Jeez, do we really need to be so prudish in the west?
But then again, they're not changing the art for the general release, only for certain retailers, so it's all good I guess.
I remember when porn magazines were displayed at adult eye-height at gas-stations.

Half the fun of going to a gas station was trying to sneak a peek at the magazine shelf.