Korea Challenges Blizzard with Adults-Only StarCraft II Rating

[Nouw]

Another reason why I am thankful for being a Korean in NZ.

Can't wait to see what will happen on the Blogs o.0

 

[rabidmidget]

Chances are this will lead to mass pirating by Koreans under 18

 

[McNinja]

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.

There was another factor at work. Unless there was a large quantity of blood, and the characters were smoking weed on screen, I think the government is just trying to reduce the potency of addictive activities for children.

 

[Sporky111]

See, this is why rating systems should be independent. If it's influenced by government, as in this case, it can be used to control people. It's biased, it's censorship (as opposed to educating), and it's wrongful treatment of the citizens and game developer.

EDIT:

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.

There was another factor at work. Unless there was a large quantity of blood, and the characters were smoking weed on screen, I think the government is just trying to reduce the potency of addictive activities for children.

I don't see how they think they're going to control it. If someone is addicted to drugs and the government makes that drug illegal, they aren't just going to quit. They're going to go to a dealer and get more. The same thing will happen here, and Blizzard will lose a shitload of money to pirates.

 

[Centrophy]

Keep your politics out of my ratings boards. There needs to be a consensus in watchdog entities about this very issue. It undermines the policy and indeed the very reason for that entity's existence which is to be *groan* fair and balanced.

I had more to say on this subject but I've been drinking... so I'll stop now.

 

[Starke]

The Drug use thing has got to be referring to the Stimpacks, I can't think of anything else that's relevant.

 

[Danpascooch]

What a load of shit, they rated this 18+ when it obviously didn't have content to warrant that rating.

This is an example of a ratings board with ulterior motives, which as far as I'm concerned, is no less than corruption in government

 

[GL2814E]

Funny stuff. What are the ages that make a game qualify for Adults only in South Korea? 18 and up? 21 and up? No one who is mandated by law to be in school the next day? Will those kids just play Starcraft I in retaliation or just get their folks to order it online for them?

 

[GL2814E]

What a load of shit, they rated this 18+ when it obviously didn't have content to warrant that rating.

This is an example of a ratings board with ulterior motives, which as far as I'm concerned, is no less than corruption in government

Really? Are you serious in thinking its a corruption of government to give a game an adults only rating? I mean, what if South Korean social mores have moved to the point that they don't want school kids playing war games given their neighbors... What if they don't like phallic tentacles going through some guy's chest? (Or least don't like kids seeing that...)

I'm not trying to dog you out, but c'mon. Video Game ratings of a violent game is a sign of corrupt government? Really?

 

[Danpascooch]

What a load of shit, they rated this 18+ when it obviously didn't have content to warrant that rating.

This is an example of a ratings board with ulterior motives, which as far as I'm concerned, is no less than corruption in government

Really? Are you serious in thinking its a corruption of government to give a game an adults only rating? I mean, what if South Korean social mores have moved to the point that they don't want school kids playing war games given their neighbors... What if they don't like phallic tentacles going through some guy's chest? (Or least don't like kids seeing that...)

I'm not trying to dog you out, but c'mon. Video Game ratings of a violent game is a sign of corrupt government? Really?

Ok, I get the confusion, I specifically said Corruption OF government, not "corrupt government" to try to avoid this. All I am saying is that this rating board is an arm of the government, and when they break precedent and rate something 18+ not based on it's content, but based on some ulterior motive, that is a corrupt act.

Don't worry, I'm not insane enough to suggest that South Korea has a corrupt government based on this one little thing, I'm just saying that government officials using their powers in a way not intended when they were granted the powers is dangerous, and yes, it is a corruption OF government, because they are part of the government, and whoever made that decision is corrupt.

 

[Fearzone]

I think Blizzard should let it go and not worry about it. SC2 will sell fine in Korea regardless.

First of all, why the F' are they going for a 12-and-up rating? PG-13 or 15-and-up sounds about pitch perfect.

Second, I agree with the suspicion that the rating has little to do with the content but rather the general hard line Koreans are taking with computer games, particularly addictive ones, and particularly ones by Blizzard.

 

[Adzma]

I don't see the huge issue here. It's not like the game's getting banned or anything... *Glares at his country's government...*

 

[mechanixis]

It's likely an undeserved rating - not that I've played SC2 - but what I really find amusing is Blizzard's reaction. "Challenge it? Meh. I 'unno. I'll see if I feel like it. I mean, if we're worried about money, we've always got WoW."

 

[samsonguy920]

Blizzard better not even think about changing the content for the rest of us just to pander to one country(even though that one country plays Starcraft like the US drinks coffee). Frankly I call Bullcrud on this. One would almost think South Korea has been starting to read from the same book North Korea does.

 

[Dogstile]

They'll just think "oh, what drives this guy to play for so long? He must have been stupid! Oh well, let's continue making starcraft 2. We're gonna make shitloads of money! Woooo!"

I doubt anyone would stop a franchise for one guy. And of course he was stupid. Who the hell plays until their body gives out anyway?

 

[Danpascooch]

Don't worry, I'm not insane enough to suggest that South Korea has a corrupt government based on this one little thing, I'm just saying that government officials using their powers in a way not intended when they were granted the powers is dangerous, and yes, it is a corruption OF government, because they are part of the government, and whoever made that decision is corrupt.

What exactly is corrupt about making Starcraft 2 a 18+ rated game? Seriously? CORRUPT? Where the hell do you even get that from? Governments are elected to serve the people. If the government official deems that it should be an 18+ rated game then it's an 18+ rated game. If they feel they need to protect younger games from the depictions in SC2 then how is it corrupt???

Seriously try looking up definitions to words before you start throwing them around. A government acting in the interests of its people is DOING ITS JOB. If you don't think their actions are in your best interests then elect someone else and/or petition your local politician.

I am saying they are corrupt because they did NOT do their job. Their job is to assess the level of mature content in a game and rate it accordingly, what they did was use the power of the 18+ rating to hurt the games penetration in Korea, because they were concerned that it's popularity was getting too many people in the country addicted to it. They overstepped their bounds by rating this game 18+ NOT because of it's content, but because they considered it dangerously popular. This game being rated 18+ breaks all past precedent of what garners an 18+ rating in Korea, and using their rating power to do anything but rate the game based on the maturity level of its content is a corruption.

Also, things aren't nearly as black and white as you say, who decides what the "best interest of the people is" anyway? I think it's in the best interest of the people for the South Korean government to not use it's ratings to incorrectly rate a game 18+ in order to curb it's popularity instead of misusing the power of the ratings board for a purpose besides what it's there for

So sorry, you're wrong, and you seemed WAY too outraged at my opinion

 

[lacktheknack]

Ouch.

Allow me to repeat: OUCH.

I can see where the government is coming from, but it's a catch-22 for Blizzard. I wonder how it will turn out.

 

[lacktheknack]

Don't worry, I'm not insane enough to suggest that South Korea has a corrupt government based on this one little thing, I'm just saying that government officials using their powers in a way not intended when they were granted the powers is dangerous, and yes, it is a corruption OF government, because they are part of the government, and whoever made that decision is corrupt.

What exactly is corrupt about making Starcraft 2 a 18+ rated game? Seriously? CORRUPT? Where the hell do you even get that from? Governments are elected to serve the people. If the government official deems that it should be an 18+ rated game then it's an 18+ rated game. If they feel they need to protect younger games from the depictions in SC2 then how is it corrupt???

Seriously try looking up definitions to words before you start throwing them around. A government acting in the interests of its people is DOING ITS JOB. If you don't think their actions are in your best interests then elect someone else and/or petition your local politician.

I am saying they are corrupt because they did NOT do their job. Their job is to assess the level of mature content in a game and rate it accordingly, what they did was use the power of the 18+ rating to hurt the games penetration in Korea, because they were concerned that it's popularity was getting too many people in the country addicted to it. They overstepped their bounds by rating this game 18+ NOT because of it's content, but because they considered it dangerously popular. This game being rated 18+ breaks all past precedent of what garners an 18+ rating in Korea, and using their rating power to do anything but rate the game based on the maturity level of its content is a corruption.

Also, things aren't nearly as black and white as you say, who decides what the "best interest of the people is" anyway? I think it's in the best interest of the people for the South Korean government to not use it's ratings to incorrectly rate a game 18+ in order to curb it's popularity instead of misusing the power of the ratings board for a purpose besides what it's there for

So sorry, you're wrong, and you seemed WAY too outraged at my opinion

Note that "The best interest of the people" almost certainly includes "Keeping them alive", which is something that <link=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4137782.stm>Starcraft did NOT do. That probably factored in somewhere.