Grand Theft Auto IV Secures "M" Rating

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This won't come as a surprise to anyone, but it will likely come as a relief to Rockstar and Take-Two. The process of getting a game rated by the ESRB should be relatively simple, but when Rockstar's Manhunt 2 got branded with the "AO" (Adults Only) rating last year, they were forced to bring the game back for more editing. That rating is financial suicide, as most retailers won't carry the title, and even the console manufacturers (Sony and Nintendo) won't release it for their platforms. Obviously, the game had to be delayed...for a while.

It'd be a disaster if this happened with Grand Theft Auto IV, but thankfully, the ESRB has finally administered their rating: "M" for Mature. This very standard and accepted rating is exactly the same as an "R" rating for movies, and it was the final hurdle for Rockstar and Take-Two. The ESRB cites the following for their reasons to give the game a Mature rating...and again, none of this comes as a shock to anyone:

• Partial Nudity
• Strong Language
• Strong Sexual Content
• Use of Drugs and Alcohol
• Blood
• Intense Violence

Well, at least it wasn't enough to warrant the "AO" rating. GTAIV continues to be on track for its April 29 release, and after this, we sincerely hope there aren't any more major obstacles for the publisher. The game has already been given acceptable ratings from other ratings boards around the world, so everything should be a go...

3/20/2008 Ben Dutka