Wait....is that what they meant by "going back to our roots"? 'Cause that would be awesome. Yes, EA, return this game to its original adult-friendly status! :lovestruc

To me, this is a step in the right direction.
Never understood the T-Rating for The Sims 1 basegame, seeing as your Sims kissed And a baby came down in flowers, thus averting the one thing in the base that would justify said rating, but I'm glad they did, because it enabled them to add lots of Risqué stuff later. Bubble Hookahs, and all. Then with the Sims 3 they decide to make it into a kids game, but keep the T rating... It's like the devs of 3 were so petrified of upping the rating that they very rarely added anything that even justified the rating they already had.

This is directly from the ESRB rating site:



The Sims 3 is more like an E10+ Game at best. In fact, I've seen more edgy things from straight E for Everyone games, it's truly mindboggling.

Well, considering most E games are under the "Sports" categories, I'm dying to hear an example of that. But, yes I do know what you mean, I think "Woohoo" is literally the only thing that makes The Sims 3 rated T

Well then die no more:

Only wish I could find a GIF of this for you. Either way, I think I win this round.

Here's it's wiki page if you want more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_...ss_(video_game)

Edit: Oops posted wrong pic. Corrected now.

Other Edit: Could point out the Zelda games Ocarina of Time, and Majora's Mask as well. Those games had some dark stuff.

@parrot99 That looks really... creepy. It looks really unintentionally scary, though.

it wasn't unintentional, that monster is eating your character alive... That's why I wanted to find a GIF.

Reminds me of some of those game I would play on the PS1 as a kid, after going back and replaying some of them out of nostalgia, I realize how creepy and weird some of the graphics look.

Which helps prove what I've always thought about ratings. That they are near pointless. I think the stuff they cover on the news has a higher chance of scarring a child than disturbing imagery in a fictional game, movie, or show. Kids have wild imaginations, but they know reality from fiction, even if they don't always show it to the people around them.

Also, the Dead Hand from the aforementioned Ocarina of Time. I'd post a pic, but I think one nightmare fuel is enough for this topic.

A lawyer explained ratings to me recently. He said that they aren't in place to protect the consumer, but to protect the company from getting sued. They can point at the rating and say, "You have no complaint here; you were warned."

(I think I started off the discussion by saying how there is nothing else left to put on the GTA V warning label. It is a very thorough label.)

lets see why the sims is t rated..

'woohoo'
fighting, slapping, insulting, etc
death
drinking 'juice' and being 'juiced up'
kissing/making out
in ts1 there was gambling and sims would 'play in bed' naked
the 'cake dancers' (ts1)
streaking

you must think it shouldn't have a teen rating because ? there's no blood and guts ?

I do hope that in time america will become less prudish as a whole.

With all those anti sexual content organisations, us europeans might get the idea the united states will be extinct in a few hundred years because sex and any hint of nudity is seen as evil over there. I do appreciate how some american tv shows have sparked the discussion on the subjects of violence and nudity though. Both simpsons and South Park come to mind.

It's just rediculous what kind of double standards are used in America regarding to nudity and violence.

If I understand it correctly, it would be so that if a nineteen year old woman would be sunbathing on a beach topless with a bottle of strong liquor next to her as well as a handgun, cops would fine her for being topless and the strong liquor, but not the possesion of the handgun, right? No need to show any license for the handgun or such?
Personly, I'd only be concerned about that handgun.

this idea that americans are too 'prude' doesn't apply to the country as a whole. we have a lot of diversity here with a lot of different opinions.

the justice system.. is another story

So does that mean that in TS4, you can let your sims also buy por..erhm..woohoo skillbooks in the store?

True, it doesnt apply to everyone. Every country does have their fanatic moral groups, we have them here too. Here they just seem to have less power.
It's just a concern to me because those fanatic moral groups of America are affecting the videogames I'm buying.

i agree. i hated that there was a guy who was bitching about the censored nudity in ts2. he was like 'omg that leads to virtual character sex!!!!!!!1111

None of which was in the Sims 1 Base Game... Except dying. Also few of these things are even done properly in 3. The only notable ones in 3, are Juiced up, streaking, and woohoo. Also, I wouldn't use death as a bullet point, seeing as that aforementioned E for Everyone game, Heart of Darkness, is famous for all the horrific deaths you could suffer.

Also, if I'm going to be honest here, if they added back the more mature wit, and humor into the game, instead of things like "Someone spread a rumour that (Random Celebrity Here) Wet Themself" or "You must confront (Sim A) about stealing (Sim B)'s toothbrush" maybe it would make the game feel less childish.

In some States you would be quite correct, although having a permit in her possession is always a good idea. And while I would certainly pay attention to the handgun lying next to her, I would also be paying careful attention to her...............topless circumstance, depending on the woman, of course. There's something to be said for armed, half nude women.

Well, actually you don't get fined for drinking underage, they take it mores seriously than that, and you can be jailed for public nudity if it's not your first "public misconduct." Also, many states require you to conceal your weapons and require a permit if you don't.

i looked up heart of darkness. it was made 15 years ago, and it's E rating created controversy. also, i was talking about ts1, ts2 and ts3.

Yeah, I agree.

I currently live in New York, one of the more progressive cities in US, but they're far more prude here than in my home country (sweden). Granted, Sweden is extremely open when it comes to sexual liberation (although we strongly frown upon the rape culture so it's a nice mix), but still I'm kinda annoyed when parents here in the US (not all, obviously, but a lot more than I'm used to) freak out about boobies on TV (even if it's not in a sexual situation) but don't mind their kids playing call of duty.

Then again, HBO are doing a pretty good job sexualizing the american popular culture...

I can also list video games with alcohol references as well as sexual references that are rated "E". For example, Harvest Moon, there are several drunks living in the Mineral Town version and the character you play can buy wine as well as other alcoholic beverages from townsfolk and the Inn/Bar. Some of the lushes in Mineral Town talk about drinking away their cares. In Brave Fencer Musashi, who was only supposed to be 12 years old in the game, Musashi is constantly being hit on by the woman at the Inn/Bar and by the male librarian of the town. There was also death and violence in Musashi; he was a fencer, after all. Both these video games are rated "E", and I've seen nothing worse in the Sims games that would push it over "E", why even with the blur sensor off, they just look like Barbies, and I played with Barbies from my very young childhood.

Holy crap I was not expecting this thread to get this many posts. Anyways...

Thanks. You just made me feel like I'm 10 again.

Yeah I have to agree with you. Some of the stuff I've seen in Luigi's Mansion... BTW your avatar is AWESOME.

I know right? :P

I mean come on, I knew about sex way before I was a teen. And drinking? Are you saying parents with a kid in grade school don't drink beer in front of their kids? Kids know what drinking is, and the SIMS make drinking for YA/A/E so whats wrong with that? Death is a part of life, so that shouldn't effect the rating at all. Kids learn about fighting and kissing and all that before then become teens. The know kissing is some kind of romance, and they should be taught that fighting is bad, and in the sims fighting is put under MEAN and effects the relationship negatively which is a good example of how fighting work.

So all those things that is said to make it a teen rating, really isn't bad for kids, if they get their hands on it. I understand that some parents might not want their kids playing a game where they could make their character woohoo, or drink or die, and that is why it comes down to being a teen rating, so parents have to get the game for their kids instead of the kids getting the game for themselves. But I see no reason why they can add things like solo woohoo or more woohoo or more drinking or what have you, to the game and still keep the t.

Except that the rating system is deathly afraid of the "Crazy: parents who will blow up their hot lines and give their company grief for such things.
Uh we will see what happens. But let me tell you, woohoo is definetaly a skill you can learn, I'd like to say I've taught a "student" a thing or two and raised their skill bar

(FYI I mean kids as younger kids, or well non teens. lol)