ESRB regrets DOA: Paradise outburst

By Robert Purchese Published 4 February, 2010

Edits summary that called game "creepy".

America's ESRB organisation has apologised for classifying Dead or Alive: Paradise as a PSP game filled with "creepy voyeurism" and "bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want"; "Paradise cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs," the Mature rating summary read.

The post has now been neutered. It was posted "in error" and the ESRB has said that the listing "improperly" contained "subjective language".

"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," ESRB spokesperson Eliot Mizrachi said in a statement.

"We sincerely regret the error and will work to prevent this from happening again in the future."

The ESRB, unlike the BBFC, provides voluntary ratings for games - no one need take any notice of them.

Dead or Alive: Paradise follows female characters from the fighting series on holiday on a hot, tropical island. They play various mini-games and wear tiny bikinis. Boobs bounce and camera angles are risque. The official marketing slogan is, "Paradise in the palm of your hand."

See for yourself by watching the latest Dead or Alive: Paradise trailer.

Tecmo Koei has "no comment" to make on the matter.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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