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PS3 News \ R18+ Games Rating May Not Change Anything

An Australian R18+ rating for games will not guarantee that violent or drug-referencing games will make their way onto Aussie shores according to Australia's Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus.

The role of the Home Affairs Minister includes classification policy, Debus has stated that introducing a R18+ classification was no guarantee that games such as Fallout 3 would be sold in Australia. Gamers have been calling for the introducing of the adult rating for many years but the issue has resurfaced recently with the banning of the post-apocalyptic RPG-shooter Fallout 3. A game being refused classification (RC) means that it is banned from sale, import or advertisement within Australia. The game was banned due to it containing "incentives and rewards related to drug use."

"In the board's view, the game warrants an RC classification in accordance with item 1(a) of the computer games table of the National Classification Code," Mr Debus said. "As a general rule material that contains drug use related to incentives will be refused classification. The availability of an R18+ classification would not necessarily have resulted in a different decision by the Classification Board."

The developer of Fallout 3, Bethesda, has since removed all real-life drug references from the game. The game will be modified in all regions as a result of the OFLC RC classification. On the 7th of August the OFLC granted the title a MA15+ classification resulting in it being granted permission to be sold and advertised within Australia.

Debus said the R18+ classification for videogames is currently under review, the findings will be released to the public "once Censorship Ministers agreed to it." For the R18+ rating for games to be introduced a unanimous agreement from all state, territory and federal censorship ministers must be reached.

Debus also reminded gamers that any game refused classification "can not be legally imported, sold or advertised in Australia".

ICC_06 Kudos: 1182 Mates: 15

2 days ago 273 Views 69 Votes

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Comments

Kudos: 3,121

Mates: 74

stax28 says:

what they could do is release a MA15+ and R18+ version of games which have an extreme rating... yeah it does sound stupid now... scratch that idea unless you want to add to it

8 hours ago

PSNID= payzee87

Kudos: 14,622

Mates: 203

Cherrona says:

gdmatt said: We don't need it, people just want it because they think it will allow super violent games into the country, which would mean that games will be made just to dismember people, and have no real gameplay value in them at all. There's that, and that people want things that they aren't allowed to have.

I want an R rating so that I can make my own decision on whether or not I buy a game in store rather than import.
As an adult I should have that choice. The way it is now it's sort of like we're being treated like children even though adult gamers can legally buy porn, beer, and cigarettes.
Most of us can tell the difference between video game violence and real life.

Australia getting an R rating wouldn't have much effect on the game industry or the types of games that would be made.
The US has an R rating for games, doesn't it? (I'm pretty sure they do) If so then have they been bombarded with games that lack story and originality in favor for violence? Developers wouldn't last long if they did that.

I see you're point though Gdmatt.
Overall an R rating doesn't really matter because there are still lots of great games that have lower ratings.
Nevertheless I would still like the choice.

19 hours ago

Silent Hill -The fear of blood tends to create fear for the flesh

Kudos: 13,684

Mates: 903

gdmatt says:

We don't need it, people just want it because they think it will allow super violent games into the country, which would mean that games will be made just to dismember people, and have no real gameplay value in them at all. There's that, and that people want things that they aren't allowed to have.

22 hours ago

Melbourne, Victoria

Kudos: 3,107

Mates: 119

sturmmann says:

S0NY said: I just don't want such things as "banned games" anymore.

indeed brother

1 days ago

Melbourne, Victoria

Kudos: 6,223

Mates: 64

S0NY says:

I just don't want such things as "banned games" anymore.

1 days ago

Melbourne, VIC - I currently own 114 Japanese (Region 2) SONY PLAYSTATION 3 BD games and 14 Australian (Region 4) SONY PLAYSTATION 3 BD games...TOTAL = 128

Kudos: 7,396

Mates: 49

liam_w says:

Vinzor said: i think you mean douche, liam?

Indeed I did my young man.

1 days ago

Bottom of the Sea

Kudos: 14,622

Mates: 203

Cherrona says:

Debus also reminded gamers that any game refused classification "can not be legally imported, sold or advertised in Australia".

Meh, not gonna stop me importing banned games.

Did it with Rule of Rose, will do it with anything else I want in the future.
There's more important things for customs to be on the look out for than a few games.

2 days ago

Silent Hill -The fear of blood tends to create fear for the flesh

Kudos: 3,463

Mates: 320

zyxses says:

Isn't it up to parents...not governments, to ensure minors don't have access to 18+ content? Or is the average parent these days less mature than their children. A visit to a local shopping centre recently has me wondering. Maybe we need "Big Brother" as obviously we can't make rational decisions for ourselves?!

2 days ago

Capitalisation is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.

Kudos: 752

Mates: 1

goks says:

ICC_06 said:

liam_w said: What a deush bag. I love the little note on the end that it is also illegal for us to import a banned game.
Hows get ****ed sound?
I love how they say it to scare you but they will not have any way of stopping it for ages and ages.
I hate it that these idiots made the game be changed for the rest of the world too. It makes me embarassed that our rules are dictated by pansies.

The problem is everyone has to agree to get it passed, which is almost impossible since a majority of people in power to change this dont understand games. People fear what they don't understand.

No people just fear being control that why most Wii owner mod chip to remove region lock or buy from oversea since no one want to be control.
Skepticism the gov and no one trust in gov is good it mean we got healthy social people has alway resist control

2 days ago

melbourne, victoria

Kudos: 1,182

Mates: 15

ICC_06 says:

liam_w said: What a deush bag. I love the little note on the end that it is also illegal for us to import a banned game.

Hows get ****ed sound?

I love how they say it to scare you but they will not have any way of stopping it for ages and ages.

I hate it that these idiots made the game be changed for the rest of the world too. It makes me embarassed that our rules are dictated by pansies.

The problem is everyone has to agree to get it passed, which is almost impossible since a majority of people in power to change this dont understand games. People fear what they don't understand.

2 days ago

Why so serious?

Kudos: 752

Mates: 1

goks says:

not new anything that Simulation real life drug names used will get RC

2 days ago

melbourne, victoria

Kudos: 8,648

Mates: 66

Vinzor says:

i think you mean douche, liam?

2 days ago

hello kitty land.

Kudos: 7,396

Mates: 49

liam_w says:

What a deush bag. I love the little note on the end that it is also illegal for us to import a banned game.
Hows get ****ed sound?
I love how they say it to scare you but they will not have any way of stopping it for ages and ages.
I hate it that these idiots made the game be changed for the rest of the world too. It makes me embarassed that our rules are dictated by pansies.

2 days ago

Bottom of the Sea

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