'Hatred' Gets Adults Only Rating
The controversial video game continues to gather infamy as it was announced via Polygon that "Hatred" will be getting the incredibly rare "Adults Only" rating. The infamous AO rating has been sparingly used since its inception, and this will most likely lead to "Hatred" not getting a console release, according to Arcade Sushi. The Entertainment Software Rating Board, or the ESRB, a body that assigns age and content ratings for video games, gave "Hatred" the incredibly rare rating.
As of this writing, "Hatred" is "Adults Only" and is the second game to be given the AO rating for violence. A list from Games Radar shows that most Adults Only games have a large amount of sexual content and nudity in them. The only game with any form of violence in the list is "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." For now, it looks like "Hatred" is for adults only, which could mean no console release.
One of the developers from Destructive Creations has argued that "Hatred" should not be getting the AO rating as it features no sexual content and only mild violence. The develope are hoping the ESRB downgrades the game to a Mature plus rating, though it did state that if it will modify the game, its fans might be extremely disappointed. ARS Technica has discussed the difficulty of selling AO video games, with some companies even editing their games to a Mature rating to get a console release like Rockstar's "Manhunt 2."
Since the game's trailer debuted last October, "Hatred" has been at the centre of controversy. Instead of the usual game controversy that usually concern sexual acts or pornographic elements, "Hatred" got criticized for being about a mass murderer who kills people for no reason. The game's trailer features a very angry person taking out his anger on innocent people, including a policeman and an innocent woman. Various media outlets have attacked the game, with Destructive Creations thanking them for the "free press." The trailer has been reported as uncomfortable to watch as it features many innocent civilians begging for their lives and trying to get away before the game's lead shoots them down.
Games like "Grand Theft Auto" and "Saint's Row" mostly feature cartoonish characters that treat death more like an inconvenience than an actual death, which is why even regular video game sites that are used to violent games have opposed the creation of "Hatred." Valve even attempted to cancel the game and pull it from Steam, but have since put it back up and even apologised to Destructive Creations. The game is slated to launch later this year for PC.
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