Starting today, Japanese game rating board CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organisation) is closing down until May 6. The decision was made in regards to the Japanese government declaring a state of emergency in the wake of increasing coronavirus covid-19 cases in Japan.
According to CERO, it is difficult for the group to continue operating during this period in which the Japanese government is asking people to stay home. Here’s why: A group of external judges comes to the CERO offices to rate the games. CERO explains that it would be hard to have its staff go to the judges’ residences to carry out the group’s game-rating process.
for those wondering why CERO can’t currently work remotely—the judging panels are assembled from laypeople, recruited from the general public & given on-site training that can take as many as 10 3-hour days (at least as of 2004, afaik nothing’s changed)????????https://t.co/hHs5s2VMVB
— GSK???? (@gosokkyu) April 8, 2020
CERO won’t be able to receive games for reviewing during this period, either, leading to Famitsu to wonder what kind of impact this will have on future releases.
Leave a Reply