I guess the Aussies should stick with the PS3 version of GTAIV then and import a copy from the U.S. to get the unedited game.

Today I pre-ordered the Collectors Edition of this game...

I don't why I'm not hyped... I'm gonna buy it just for collectible reason... but I'm 100% that I will never finish this game.

=(

Ah well, here we go importing from New Zealand again.

Shouldn't we have this information available to us before we pre-order a game?

Now I have no idea what parts of the game will be taken out and I've already paid for the damn thing. Not really good business practice from T2.

I'm guessing that by censoring GTA IV they probably just gave Nico erectile dysfunction. So that the sexual simulation in this game is equal to that of a panda.

Gah!

I just know that this is going to start more pretentious debating (not here necessarily) about censorship in videogames.

To think I was in the clear after Manhunt 2 was out of the news.

Censorship in games suck, why it is the exact same as censoring art, I hear a lawsuit a coming, and not one started by Jack; although it will definitely involve him.

Many an aussie has a relative in the UK. Perhaps ask them to send a copy over.

I'll order a UK pal copy from play.com and have it delivered to Australia so that I can play it on my Aussie pal 360.

If they were doing it smart, they'd make it the same disc, but the extra content a download patch for NZ.

Kinda sucks that we don't get it though.

If it's possible to play a USA version of the game on Xbox360, I'd just import that instead.

2 reasons:
1) It won't be overly censored
2) It's cheaper than buying it here (Xbox360 games are AU$110, which is approximately US$100).

There's no reason NOT to import!

If anyone's curious, the reason the earlier versions of GTA were edited is because the censorship laws in Australia are very strict on not combining violence and sex.

Sex in Mass Effect and Fahrenheit? Fine.
Violence in Resident Evil 4 and Condemned? Fine.

It's the combination of the two (i.e. having sex with, and then killing someone) that's not allowed, and even an R18 rating probably wouldn't allow for it.

I imagine they've just removed the ability to pick up prostitutes and then kill them. There are supposedly strip club scenes (lap dances, etc) in GTA4, and so long as you can't get a lap dance and then put a bullet in the girl's temple, they've probably been left alone.

What wouldn't they do to ensure a special treatment from Yahtzee!

I'd prefer if they didn't include an R 18+ system, hardly any games worth playing get banned anyway.
And they won't take much out, you probably won't even notice it.
It just gives them a reason to rate all violent games R 18+ now.

You Aussies shouldn't be playing video games anyway, you should be out in the sun! If I lived there I would spend as little time as possible indoors. (im from the cold, miserable and rainy UK btw)

Hmm, GPStore.com.au list GTA IV as "yet to be classified", yet the NZ store lists it still as R18. Nothing's in stone of course, but here's hoping NZ still get the full version - we got the un-edited San Andreas... *crosses fingers*

Can I just say that I wish they would simply put controllable filters on the game? I know that sounds blasphemous to say to video gamers, but what would be the big deal about simply having a "no nudity" checkbox, or a "no language"? It would be so simple and then everybody wins.

And really, what's the reason they don't? Artistic license? I mean, tell me honestly...is a character saying the phrase "don't $%!* with me or I'll kill you" really any different than if it just skipped the curse word and muted it out like on TV? I mean, maybe that would sound weird, but wouldn't it only promote sales to show that if players or parents didn't want to hear/see that, that they could turn it off?

I recognize that in a game like this you obviously can't turn off the violence (which, coincidentally, I don't think *most* parents have a problem with) and I really don't think most people would want to...I'm just saying that if they allowed this option, it would boost sales and R*'s rep, which can't hurt.

America Fuck Yeah

I know this is a sweeping comment, but I'm glad I don't live in places like Australia and Germany. Being forced to play pussy, cut down versions of games, becuase it upsets some old fart who looks for things to be upset about, becuase they got bored with waiting to die!

The dingo ate my content!

You know, I keep hearing from people how "uptight" and "puritan" America is because we don't have nudity in beer commercials, but it seems like every time I turn around, Australia is censoring something that would seem fairly innocent or at least viewable by adults in The United States.

I do believe Australia and Germany take the prize for most censored video games and movies. How about a little respect for the United States and our success in fending off the puritans and politicians so we can at least have the option of buying media aimed at an adult audience?

The initial Australian release of GTA3 was uncut as it was submitted to the OFLC uncut and was passed uncut.
Then the wowsers found out you could hire a hooker then kill her afterwards to regain your cash. And so the rating was revoked.
The cut version of the game still allowed you to hire a hooker, you just didn't get a chance to kill her afterwards. That's it.

Rockstar are gutless for submitting an already neutered version. Show a little integrity and stand by your game's vision, guys.

does anyone know if there are any issues/problems with playing a nz (or any other country that has the same region) games in australia on an australian console, with xbox live and downloadable content? because i know there is content coming for the xbox360 version of gta4, and if i get an uncensored version i want to know if it will work.

Got this from an NZ store I ordered through

We have been informed today that New Zealand will be receiving the same version of Grand Theft Auto IV as Australia.

As you have placed your order after Rockstar announced that the Australian version was edited, we are assuming that you will no longer require the game to be shipped from us, as we can't supply you with an uncut version.

The last thing we want to do is supply you with a product that does not meet your needs and we've therefore taken the liberty of removing your GTA4 order from our web site.

We certainly hope we can be more helpful to you in the future! :)

Kind Regards,

Katey

Customer Service
Gameplanet Store

this is bullshit, just because australia have stupid rating rules, we here in NZ have to suffer too? JESUS FUCK!

As an Aussie all I can say is God bless America!!
Got my US version of GTA preordered from America seeing as how the bunch of Fascists in charge of us downunder keep either banning or censoring stuff.
I know it hasn't exactly gotten rave reviews but after playing the first one I would've liked to at least had a try of Manhunt 2 but unless it gets released on the PS3 which given it's sales on the PS2 seems unlikely guess all I can do with that one is look at the screenshots and use my imagination thanks to our backward government.
I just hope with that with ordering GTA IV from overseas the government doesn't click onto it too fast so we don't get stupid situations like where buying Aus versions of Manhunt on Ebay australia is like buying something off the black market.

if i order a ps3 vesion of it from america will i be abl to play it in australia

yeah, there are a lot of fuckups with australia's stupid system.... especially with that ramsay's kitchen show comment.... we show ramsay's kitchen nightmare's at an 8:30 timeslot, with swearing and everything, but they dont wanna let us play a miserable fucking game that shouldn't be cut up and edited so more people can play it. It's not about censorship, they just want more fucking sales, fucking communists. The same happened with manhunt... honestly have we had any reports in australia of "game-related violence"
NO WE FUCKEN HAVENT! SO STFU OFLC! AND GIVE IT A R-18 RATING SO SOME OF US CAN AT LEAST ENJOY IT FFS!

i feel pretty bad tho for nz, they're just fucken paranoid about someone going into a grocery store and pulling out a sawn off when its them not the fucking game!

i could go on....

Wait and see what happens. If you can't buy an uncensored version easily, fuck them, steal it. They don't deserve your money.

iv got gta 4 on ps3 and i dont think anything has been edited you still go to strip clubs and there is a good amount of blood so i dont know what the us version is like but i still think its unedited.