This episode explores the history and controversy surrounding the 1992 video game "Night Trap," focusing on its role in the creation of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). The discussion begins with the game's origins, inspired by the play "Tamara" and the arcade game "Dragon's Lair," detailing its full-motion video (FMV) format using VHS technology. Against the backdrop of Hasbro's initial involvement and subsequent abandonment of the project due to emerging CD-ROM technology, the hosts highlight how the game was revived by its original developers, who formed Digital Pictures and released it on Sega CD. More significantly, the conversation covers the 1993 Senate hearings led by Senators Joe Lieberman and Herb Kohl, which scrutinized "Night Trap" and "Mortal Kombat" for their violent content, despite "Night Trap's" violence being cartoonish and suggestive. As the discussion pivots to the game's actual content, the hosts emphasize that players were tasked with preventing violence against young women, not perpetrating it, underscoring the senators' misrepresentation of the game. The episode concludes with the game's re-release and its lasting impact on video game ratings, reflecting emerging industry patterns of self-regulation in response to public and political pressure.
