The Entertainment Software Rating Board has withdrawn and apologised for statements made about Tecmo Koei's bikini-tastic Dead or Alive Paradise for the PSP in its guidance summary.
Such comments described the game – which doesn't really have much use to exist other than to give some teenagers the jollies – as “creepy voyeurism” which is emphasised when players are able to control a camera and zoom in on Kasumi and other well-modelled female characters.
Dead or Alive Paradise's age-ratings summary also read; “The game contains bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want (if given two weeks, paid vacation [at an] island resort) – 'Paradise' cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs.”
ESRB spokesperson Eliot Mizrachi told MCV that “our intention with rating summaries is to provide useful, detailed descriptions of game content that are as objective and informative as possible – However they are ultimately written by people and, in this case, we mistakenly posted a rating summary that included what some could rightfully take to be subjective statements. We sincerely regret the error and will work to prevent this from happening again.”
Tecmo Koei Europe's vice president Will Curley seemed a bit surprised at the situation, saying that any action the ESRB took was of its own doing and not by Tecmo's intervention. “While we will not deny the fact that this title offers voyeuristic appeal, we do not mention or use phrases such as 'creepy', 'dental-floss things', 'bizarre' or 'misguided notions' in any part of our rating submission materials,” Curley said.
If nothing else, it's put a pretty much thrust a game – that would have otherwise seen little attention on the PSP – into the spotlight. Wonder how many people will buy this game for the girl's charming personalities.
Such comments described the game – which doesn't really have much use to exist other than to give some teenagers the jollies – as “creepy voyeurism” which is emphasised when players are able to control a camera and zoom in on Kasumi and other well-modelled female characters.
Dead or Alive Paradise's age-ratings summary also read; “The game contains bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want (if given two weeks, paid vacation [at an] island resort) – 'Paradise' cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs.”
ESRB spokesperson Eliot Mizrachi told MCV that “our intention with rating summaries is to provide useful, detailed descriptions of game content that are as objective and informative as possible – However they are ultimately written by people and, in this case, we mistakenly posted a rating summary that included what some could rightfully take to be subjective statements. We sincerely regret the error and will work to prevent this from happening again.”
Tecmo Koei Europe's vice president Will Curley seemed a bit surprised at the situation, saying that any action the ESRB took was of its own doing and not by Tecmo's intervention. “While we will not deny the fact that this title offers voyeuristic appeal, we do not mention or use phrases such as 'creepy', 'dental-floss things', 'bizarre' or 'misguided notions' in any part of our rating submission materials,” Curley said.
If nothing else, it's put a pretty much thrust a game – that would have otherwise seen little attention on the PSP – into the spotlight. Wonder how many people will buy this game for the girl's charming personalities.
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