Most interestingly, the ESRB has announced, with the support of its Board of Directors, a request that all game publishers complete a comprehensive review of all games launched since September 1, 2004. This internal publisher-run audit is intended to determine if non-playable, pertinent content, not previously disclosed to the ESRB, remains in the final code on the discs released to the public.
Publishers must inform the ESRB of any possible issues regarding hidden content by January 9, 2006, and the ratings board may re-rate titles if any of this content changes the potential rating for the game.
The email then specifies: "If you fail to notify us of previously undisclosed, non-playable, pertinent content by January 9, and such content becomes playable through a subsequent authorized or unauthorized release of code to unlock it, rendering the original rating assignment inaccurate, punitive in addition to corrective actions may result." It is as yet unclear exactly what punitive actions the ESRB may sanction, or is capable of carrying out.
Finally, the ESRB addresses third-party 'mod' content which could potentially change the game's suitability, but was not inserted by the game's developer, commenting: "ESRB remains concerned about third party modifications that undermine the accuracy of the original rating, and we are exploring ways to maintain the credibility of the rating system with consumers in light of modifications of this nature."
Yep, Riley knew better than to hang out around the "Ships Ahoy - HL2GotY" thread anymoreI wasted three hours of my life on that thread and another hour on finding, making, and posting the video clips. That was more than enough to prove my points. Anyone who doesn't see the validity in them after all of that is either a Valve lackey or simply being a contrarian because of his enmity for me.
Sony and Microsoft have 100% control over their respective markets... If a game doesn't meet their seal of approval, it doesn't get released...Well given the large number of abyssmal games which have been released for their respective consoles, I would say that their seals of approval are simply rubber stamps.
This is not a goddamned Valve/Steam thread.
This is not a goddamned Valve/Steam thread. Go back to the active one if you want to continue with your nonsense.
The problem is Rockstar knowingly left material in the game that was never meant to be accessed, full well knowing that the PC Community would find it.It wasnt necessarily intentional that the code was left there to be found. Most likely the feature was evaluated and they decided to cut it from the game, so the coder does it the quickest and easiest way - by simply commenting it out.
Valve only make you install Steam if you want to play HL2 or their other games,Being the single-source of supply Valve does control what you pay. Being an online authentication system, Valve does decide how, when, and if you can play as well as what content is offered.
Don't they teach proper capitalization in high school either?
But the ESRB has no power to inflict "punitive" actions, if by that they mean financial penalties or anything. The worst they could do is either make the game AO, or actually REMOVE their rating from said game.
Put a damn sticker on the box that says "The ESRB rating is only valid for the game as is included in this box. Any modification made to this game by any source will invalidate the rating."