The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s ESRB rating is out. It is certified M for Mature, and as you can imagine, CD Projekt RED earned this rating.
We had some idea that the game would have strong sexual content, but it also ramps up on the violence. The ESRB describes large blood splatter following dismemberment or decapitation in combat. Cutscenes are also filled with gore, including decapitations in slow motion, a torture victim autopsy, and rooms in corpses.
ESRB describes the sex in the game with these exact words:
During the course of the game, the central character can engage in sexual activity with prostitutes and female companions. These brief sequences depict females' breasts and buttocks—sexual moaning sounds can be heard, though the camera cuts away from explicit sexual acts.
Of course, this would seem mild in comparison, but Geralt, as well as other characters, swear when they go drunk in a certain scene. They use the words “f**k,” “sh*t,” and “c*nt.
In a prior interview, CD Projekt RED revealed that they filmed 16 hours of motion capture for the sex scenes alone. In an episode of Feminist Frequency, the two prior Witcher games were propped up as examples of games that used the trope of women as background decoration. While ESRB may have omitted these details in their description (possibly to minimize spoilers), it’s highly likely that women characters will once again be used in this context in the game. Without a doubt, this is not a game meant for everyone.
There is one more aspect to this rating, of course, connected to the fact that the game was originally slated to release yesterday. While CPR say they’re not done with the game, they may have finished with the story element already if the ESRB is done with their rating. What may remain is the work of optimizing the game, if not on PC, than on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be released on May 19, 2015, for GOGcom, Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Are you still looking forward to this game? Or does knowing everything outlined above change your mind? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
