Nintendo isn’t often associated with mature games, largely due to the family-friendly nature of its first-party lineup, but that doesn’t mean that the Nintendo Switch console is exclusively kid-friendly titles. With games likeMortal Kombat 11, Bayonetta,and plenty more now on the platform, parents will want to keep an eye on the ESRB ratings of what their kids are playing. Of course, ESRB ratings mean nothing when mature games, likeDo Not Feed the Monkeys,slip through the cracks with an “E for Everyone” rating.
Do Not Feed The Monkeys,a self-proclaimed “digital voyeur simulator” according to the game’s Steam page, was mistakenly given an “E” rating on itsNintendo SwitcheShop page. The game features a cartoonish art style, but falso sexually explicit and mature content, making the mixup pretty drastic.
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The game has since been removed fromSwitch’s eShop, but the developer did provide a comment in regard to the situation, stating, “Unfortunately, we had to change the ratings. We are waiting for the rating update to be tested, and we’ll be able to release the game after that,” over on Twitter. The game was originally meant to release on June 1, and no new release date has been given.
The game is currently available on Steam, offering a bit more information about its basic premise, which involves players watching strangers through cameras, and determining whether or not to interact with them. The game’s Steam page specifically calls out its depiction of voyeurism as the reason it’s rated “Mature.” On Steam, some have compared the gameplay to being likePapers, Please.
The ESRBisn’t prone to this kind of mistake, so seeing the game make it all the way onto Nintendo’s platform with an E rating is strange in many ways. Delaying the game’s release for a new rating is the right move, but how things actually got there is still a bit questionable.
Regardless, the situation will soon be handled, and pullingDo Not Feed the Monkeysfrom the eShop in the meantime seems like a wise decision. Ratings and classification can be a complicated process, but it seems fair to say that all parties involved will want to put this behind them.
Do Not Feed the Monkeysis available now on PC. The game is awaiting re-classification for Switch.
