MadWorld Vying For M Rating In US News

Platinum Games has been sending the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) updated builds of MadWorld and noting the board's feedback in order to ensure the title receives an M for Mature rating in the US when it's released there next year.

Initially, the game won't appear in countries such as Germany, Australia, and its native Japan according to MTV's Multiplayer blog. SEGA's strategy is to release the game in the US first and then worry about regions with more scrupulous ratings boards after successfully launching in The West.

Britain's tabloid press has already come out with the pitchforks over MadWorld, with the Mail Online publishing an article in August entitled, "Parents horrified as most violent video game ever to launch on 'family friendly' Wii." In the piece John Beyer, the Director of UK pressure group Mediawatch, commented:

"I hope the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will view this with concern and decide it should not be granted a classification."

This seems unlikely as long as MadWorld can duck under the ESRB's specifications for an M rating. After all, even Manhunt 2 (a game that was initially given the higher Adults Only rating in the US before being censored) has now been granted classification in the UK following revisions to the code.