PLEASE GOD let that be the case. If some 13 y/o who's never played a prior diablo game gets in over me, I (and I know many others) would be quite upset.
They want people who have never played diablo games just as much as ones that have. In fact ones that have never touched it are a bit more helpful via a companies respective.
maybe they didn't need one cuz they didn't invite ppl under [put in any number]?
we don't know, so let's hope for the best.
No, thats not how ratings go rofl.
Betas are almost never rated by the ESRB (Spelling) due to the constant changing of content. Thus it really has no rating and legally they can invite who they want.
edit: its important to note, im replying solely to the question of the OP. WIll the games release rating effect beta invites, ad that is a 100% no (not a guess, but a no).
diablo itself has been rated and since the beta is game content it would carry such a rating. im pretty sure blizzard has a legal obligation to control its products so i think age will be considered.
No. They don't have any such obligation. The ESRB is completely voluntary and set up by the industry. First Amendment protects game companies from having any legal obligations.
The ESRB also is for purposes of preventing minors from BUYING games, it is not in place to prevent them from downloading them for free, or playing them on the internet.
diablo itself has been rated and since the beta is game content it would carry such a rating. im pretty sure blizzard has a legal obligation to control its products so i think age will be considered.
No. They don't have any such obligation. The ESRB is completely voluntary and set up by the industry. First Amendment protects game companies from having any legal obligations.
The ESRB also is for purposes of preventing minors from BUYING games, it is not in place to prevent them from downloading them for free, or playing them on the internet.
ohh interesting point. I dont know about that part of it.
diablo itself has been rated and since the beta is game content it would carry such a rating. im pretty sure blizzard has a legal obligation to control its products so i think age will be considered.
No. They don't have any such obligation. The ESRB is completely voluntary and set up by the industry. First Amendment protects game companies from having any legal obligations.
The ESRB also is for purposes of preventing minors from BUYING games, it is not in place to prevent them from downloading them for free, or playing them on the internet.
must be different in the us then in the eu retail outlets/employees are made responsible by law for the miss sale of age restricted content all games are rated and sold as such. since blizzard dose digital retail some of those laws will apply to eu diablo 3 (im asuming).
if no one took responsibility for this then there would be kids all over the place playing games that are clearly unsuitable (moreso then there are now)
You just agreed with him btw, he said it was illegal to sell kids under that age the game..just as you did. Unless you're referring to the not rated part...
Well this would certainly make a lot of sense. I'm glad D3 will be getting an "M" rating (probably). For a while there it looked like Blizzard was trying to broaden their audience by aiming for Teen.
Gotta laugh at some of the replies in here... "I SURELY HOPE NOT! HOW DARE SOME 13 YEAR OLD ENJOY BETA WHILE I DON'T?"
Many of us were probably around that age when we played Diablo 1 or 2 for the first time... imagine what you'd be thinking if they unfairly didn't allow you to play, say a brand new D2 expansion beta because of your age. Those 13 year olds probably play the game and have time to test it much moreso than you do.
Think is there is one major component missing... Whats your age? Whatever I feel like typing.
Very true, I was just curious when I made the OP. Also I'm not 100% on whether our battle.net's have our age, or possibly an email attached to the battle.net that asked our birthday when we created.
Not a HUGE deal, mostly asking because i'm glued to my computer watching people who've never touched anything but wow have a hard time with diablo (sadface).
Some good points as far as they need to test it with people who've never played, but I could argue that it's such a brand new game from the ground up (isometric view, and lore are pretty much the only recurring things) that even us veterans of D1 and D2 are going to be brand new to everything, and could give equal feedback.
Indeed in most European countries you're not allowed to sell games to kids that are of less age than the pegi rating of the said game, unless they have a grown up with them (used to work to a retailer myself).
As for buying a digital copy of the game, that would require a credit card. And you can't have a credit card:
1. Unless you're over 18.
2. Unless your parents aren't paying attention and you use it in secret.
Either way the online store that does the selling never takes the blame.
On topic now, I don't think there's going to be an age restriction in order to be picked for the beta.
The beta does not have a rating.
maybe they didn't need one cuz they didn't invite ppl under [put in any number]?
we don't know, so let's hope for the best.
Betas are almost never rated by the ESRB (Spelling) due to the constant changing of content. Thus it really has no rating and legally they can invite who they want.
edit: its important to note, im replying solely to the question of the OP. WIll the games release rating effect beta invites, ad that is a 100% no (not a guess, but a no).
Not saying blizzard wont choose and age limit tho
No. They don't have any such obligation. The ESRB is completely voluntary and set up by the industry. First Amendment protects game companies from having any legal obligations.
The ESRB also is for purposes of preventing minors from BUYING games, it is not in place to prevent them from downloading them for free, or playing them on the internet.
http://huntersc.tv
Many of us were probably around that age when we played Diablo 1 or 2 for the first time... imagine what you'd be thinking if they unfairly didn't allow you to play, say a brand new D2 expansion beta because of your age. Those 13 year olds probably play the game and have time to test it much moreso than you do.
I really hope so... that will probably help ensure a better success rate of the beta to pinpoint and fix problems before release.
D3 Channel: OnetwoD3
Very true, I was just curious when I made the OP. Also I'm not 100% on whether our battle.net's have our age, or possibly an email attached to the battle.net that asked our birthday when we created.
Not a HUGE deal, mostly asking because i'm glued to my computer watching people who've never touched anything but wow have a hard time with diablo (sadface).
Some good points as far as they need to test it with people who've never played, but I could argue that it's such a brand new game from the ground up (isometric view, and lore are pretty much the only recurring things) that even us veterans of D1 and D2 are going to be brand new to everything, and could give equal feedback.
Rawr. /rage
As for buying a digital copy of the game, that would require a credit card. And you can't have a credit card:
1. Unless you're over 18.
2. Unless your parents aren't paying attention and you use it in secret.
Either way the online store that does the selling never takes the blame.
On topic now, I don't think there's going to be an age restriction in order to be picked for the beta.
*edit* but not yours... some other pretty off-topic posts.
Now let's all stay on topic, shall we?