The video gaming industry has had constant difficultly with its own self image and the portrayal of mature content, and David Cage, director of Heavy Rain, took the issue of mature content in games head-on during his keynote for GDC Europe [thanks Gamasutra]. Citing the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas "Hot Coffee" controversy, he said that the consequences of that game are still felt today.
"If you have a naked girl in the textures for your games" but if it's not in-game, "then you can go to jail if it's discovered by the ratings boards."
Cage lamented the fact that part of the blame for the situation rests with game creators, because they often won't stand up for their creation. The French developer lauded EA for their assertive response to the Mass Effect sex scene that was scandalized on Fox news.
Indigo Prophecy, Quantum Dream's last major project was given mature ratings but Cage noted that because of some brief frontal nudity, "we had to put a swimsuit on the girl... to take a shower." He concluded by saying that, while ratings systems are necessary, "I would like the same rules to apply to games [that] apply to the movies and television."
