Historically, the AO rating has been to videogames what the "DOA" condition has been to emergency room patients: a legitimate status in the world of classification, but one that you never ever want to see applied to anything near and dear to you.
To publishers and developers the dreaded AO rating equates to the Kiss of Death for any videogame hapless enough to fall under its Dark Mark. Most mainstream vendors -- especially image-conscious retail chains such as Wal-Mart -- have strict policies against carrying AO rated games, while the big hardware makers often have codified rules against even supporting games with the AO seal.
The obvious question then is "Why have this rating at all?" It doesn't seem to do anything productive... apart from providing a line in the sand that precious few have ever been willing to officially cross. Publishers will do almost anything to avoid it -- even retooling their content significantly if that's what it takes. The prevalence but uselessness of this 'non'-rating frequently causes the game buying public to refer to the ESRB's classification system as "broken" -- in practice at least, if not in principle.
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I hate the ESRB. I'm 24 and get carded for buying M rated games.
I don't see much of a difference between M and AO.
well this could be the beginning of something big i think.
if some other retailers do so, this would make some things easier. the games wouldn't have to be cut, instead they get an "AO" rating. and then all you need to do is head to gamestop.
Card people who look too young. What's the big deal? If a parent is lousy enough to buy their 11 year old kid an AO rated game that's their problem, not mine.
You'd have to have a PC to play em since none of the big three consoles will allow AO rated games on their platforms.
In the UK we have a setting of 18+ which is as high as it gets before something is banned by the censor. 18+ is AO as far as we are concerned.
Conan is 18+ for example. As was good old GTA SA. Everywhere sells them. The Censor acts as a guide and sensible parents control their offspring as best they can and all is well as far as game sales are concerned.
The PS3 has clear administrator controls so why not educate the parents on its use and leave it to them. Responsible parents will use the controls to prevent inappropriate gaming. Crap parents won't and lets face it their kids will probably go off the rails regardless of video games.
I believe the saying is "Let the buyer beware".