After being added to Epic Games Store In June, Immutable’s NFT card game Gods Unchained was quietly removed because the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) gave the PC game an “Adults Only” rating. decryption learned.
epic games Titles with an AO ESRB rating are not accepted on the Marketplace. 1,548 games As of March 2023—inclusive fortnite, grand theft auto 5And in increasing numbers blockchain game.
An Adults Only rating means that the ESRB deems the game suitable only for those 18 and older, while a “Mature” or M rating means that people 17 and older can play the game. Epic’s website states that unrated games are treated the same as adult-rated games.
“Currently, Gods Unchained is not live on the Epic Games Store because the ESRB has re-evaluated it for adults only. Play to Earn elements that exist within our game,” said the Gods Unchained representative. decryption In the message.
Gods Unchained added: “We are working closely with the ratings board on the appeal and will share more information once we have a clear path forward.”
Founded in 1994, the company ESRB An organization dedicated to age-rated video games distributed throughout the United States and Canada. This allows parents to make informed decisions when purchasing games for their children and helps buyers understand the game’s level of violence or other adult themes.
An ESRB representative confirmed: decryption An email on Monday revealed that Gods Unchained has received the strictest “AO” rating. Allowed for games that may contain “intense scenes of violence and/or prolonged scenes containing graphic sexual content and nudity.” Xbox Postany Microsoft added that it also does not allow Adults Only rated titles.
However, Gods Unchained was not rated Adults Only due to its violence or nudity. It has been given the most restrictive rating due to the way the encryption elements work in the game.
“The ESRB Age and Content Rating system evaluates whether a product may offer rewards for real money, goods of real value, or something that can be redeemed or converted to real money (e.g. gift cards, cryptocurrency, etc.). There is cash expended to obtain such compensation,” the ESRB said. decryption When asked about the removal of Gods Unchained.
According to the game’s website, Gods Unchained players are currently GODS Token If you wish, you can exchange your winning matches for Ethereum and sell them. Players can also win NFT cards, which can be sold on cryptocurrency markets.
part A Reddit user reported this. Gods Unchained was claimed to no longer exist on the Epic Store in October, while others claimed they only saw the game live for “a few weeks” before it became unavailable. decryption We’ve reached out to Gods Unchained publisher Immutable Games for comment on when exactly the game was removed.
Epic Games Store rules may have created a catch-22 for game developers. Epic Games allows blockchain games on its stores, but the ESRB’s statement that it can give an AO rating to any game where players can earn anything through “real-world value,” such as cryptocurrency or NFTs, is a growing number of games. It may lead to this. Blockchain games are being eliminated.
Under current rules, game developers can’t simply keep their games unrated even after they’re fully released. Epic Store Rules of the blockchain game These games “must be rated in every territory where they will be distributed.” This rule also applies to games released in “Early Access”.
An Epic Games representative has requested comment on why Gods Unchained was removed from the Epic store. decryption: “Normally we can’t talk to other developers.” Instead, I suggested contacting Immutable directly.
decryption has reached out to Epic Games for further comment on why they are banning AO-rated games while allowing blockchain games on the platform.
Given the number of similar blockchain games in development that offer players tokens or NFTs for winning matches, is it likely that ESRB ratings will result in more cryptocurrency games being pulled from the Epic Store in the future?
“While this is not a comprehensive rule, it is possible that a combination of these factors could warrant a game or app being assigned an Adults Only rating category,” an ESRB representative said. decryptionAny game that offers players something of real value.
Editor: Andrew Hayward
