R18+ on Australian games?

[pariah]

Looks like it...
http://www.r18games.com.au/2011/07/in-principle-agreement-reached-to-introduce-r18/ [nofollow]

[GodlikeDennis]

Yeah I saw this earlier today. It's about time. Even if NSW votes against the Home Affairs Minister said he'd veto lol. Kind of ridiculous that this has gone on for so long. Australia is the only developed country to not have an 18+ video game rating.

[Dann88]

I'm confused, they dont have 18+ games rating so how they can censored game? :|

[pariah]

Basically what they do is this: If a game is deemed too "adult" (however the fuck they judge that) for the MA15+ rating, it will either be banned or censored. There are some instances of games getting through, such as Aliens Versus Predator (2010), which was initially banned, but then re-classified MA15+ when Sega appealed.

A R18+ rating will theoretically stop games such as Mortal Kombat getting banned/censored, but i don't trust these politicians...

[cephalos]

lol, does it mean that to play SimCity4 in Australia I have to be 18?

[pariah]

Don't think so. Haven't played that game, but i think it's rated G, or PG at the highest.

[BurroDiablo]

Why would Sim City 4 be an 18?

Is GTAIV banned in Australia, or is it an MA15+ game?

[pariah]

That's MA15+. Uncensored as far as i know.

[BurroDiablo]

Think I found something about it being censored to being with, but subsequently updated and uncensored... sounds a little retarded... but then again I don't actually care for ratings. I've been playing 18 rated games since I was 9 and the only thing I can remember that made me think violence was any kind of awesome was an educational WW2 video that had a portion on the Atomic Bombing of Japan. You might as well censor history.

[pariah]

Yeah, if anything the real (or at least realistic) violence should be banned or censored. I would consider L.A. Noir (rated MA15+ here uncensored) to be more "mature" than Mortal Kombat (banned here), since that game's very realistic, and inspired by real life, whereas Mortal Kombat is purely fictional. It would be ironic, though, if L.A. Noir were to be banned in Australia. Like how Power Rangers is banned in New Zealand...

[GodlikeDennis]

Yeah basically when we didn't have an 18+ category, some games that should've been rated 18+ snuck through in the MA15+ category and other games were simply banned because the government felt they should control what we choose to view/play as adults. Now that there will be an 18+ category, true 18+ games can stay out of the hands of kids and we won't have limitations on what we can choose to purchase as adults.

Also the ratings panel is extremely subjective. L4D2 isn't that bad compared to some other games but it had to be censored to be released while other games that were worse would be released as MA15+.

[pariah]

The thing is that the government doesn't actually review or even see the games; They simply go by what the publisher describes to them, and then tell the publisher to censor certain parts they deem inappropriate, or they will ban it.

[Tankbuster]

Power Rangers is banned in New Zealand. Why?

[pariah]

Too violent, as far as i know. Quite ironic, since it's filmed there...

[Raider217]

Also the ratings panel is extremely subjective. L4D2 isn't that bad compared to some other games but it had to be censored to be released while other games that were worse would be released as MA15+.

LFD was banned due to constant violence and the fact that you were harming "infected individuals" not zombies, which to the ratings board was highly subjective... somehow?

LFD 2 Didnt deserve to be banned but it shouldnt matter as with the use of just a little wisdom (and a very smart german) you can uncensor it on PC.

Also @ Burro I think what you might have heard about GTAIV is the removal of a rape scene which was across all countries.