Traditionally, Grand Theft Auto titles are always released in Japan a few months after the domestic release and Chinatown Wars, due for a release over yonder this fall, is no exception. Like all GTA titles in Japan, it’s also rated Z, which is the equivalent of an ESRB AO-rating. So what exactly is the big deal here? Well, for starters, it’ll be the first DS title that carries a Z rating.

As we have witnessed in the past, such a severe content rating often translates into less sales. It doesn’t mean that a product rated Z will utterly fail, of course, but it does mean the market potential has lowered. And on a system like the DS, which attracts a younger userbase, this is a recipe for disaster.

As Siliconera points out, this could very well be why Cyberfront instead of Capcom is publishing this particular GTA entry. The folks over at Capcom handled publishing duties for every other title in the series thus far, but is turning its back on Chinatown Wars.

Will Chinatown Wars beat all odds and become a top-selling title in Japan? Time will tell.

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Read more: Pachter Says Marketing Not To Blame For Less Than Stellar GTA DS Sales,  Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Coming To DS,  Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars First Official Trailer,  Clip: GTA Chinatown Wars Gameplay Trailer Take Three,  ESRB: Mature Rated Games Down 50 Percent From 2005