Aussie AG halts R18+ rating for games indefinitely
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Oct 29th 2008 at 8:45PM }
Atkinson is quoted as saying to Australia's parliament earlier this year that he's opposed to the introduction of an R18+ rating because, despite it denying adults choice, it was necessary to protect children from "potentially harmful material." Australia's OFLC has effectively "banned" or edited several games this year due to its classification system revolving around 15-year-olds as a bellwether.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
syrik zero @ Oct 29th 2008 8:47PM
Bummer
,,, @ Oct 29th 2008 9:31PM
just import the games, problem solved. :)
stick that up Atkinson.
GalileoAce @ Oct 30th 2008 1:59AM
,,,: It's actually illegal to import games that have been denied classification... You can do it, but if you get caught the fine can be pretty hefty (about $5000 iirc).
Moptimus Slime @ Oct 29th 2008 8:49PM
Cant wait until the boys over at Australian Gamer get to rant about this, bringing Yahtzee onto the show would propel it to instant epicness. I'm sure Blunty3000 will also have a few choice words for this decision
Nick the Hero of Canton @ Oct 29th 2008 8:51PM
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/2569/1219730956451ua5.gif
syrik zero @ Oct 29th 2008 8:56PM
That was funny
BPMOmega [gamertag] @ Oct 29th 2008 10:37PM
Every bit as appropriate as the Joystiq post's image.
Good job.
Murray @ Oct 29th 2008 9:06PM
This is fucking bullshit.
Ihavepants @ Oct 30th 2008 3:21AM
I know eh.
"he's opposed to the introduction of an R18+ rating because, despite it denying adults choice, it was necessary to protect children from "potentially harmful material."
Isn't that what an R rating does? Plus it would push some games that really should be R eg. Gears of War and GTA out of the MA section and further away from children.
lolwat @ Oct 29th 2008 9:11PM
Feels good to live in America.
Exo @ Oct 29th 2008 9:14PM
yea who cares about the economy going to shit when you can have violent video games
syrik zero @ Oct 29th 2008 9:15PM
Hahaha
BananaBoat @ Oct 29th 2008 9:23PM
If only the entire world economy weren't going to shit. Atleast everyone in every country is feeling our pain...except for those countries that can't afford stock, they are in GREAT shape right now.
Also, isn't 18+ for tits? Does Aussieland 18+ a game for violence? I thought that was just Germany and Japan. Either way, censorship, yay tits and gore!
( I've had one too many )
BananaBoat @ Oct 29th 2008 9:33PM
boo censorship*
Moptimus Slime @ Oct 29th 2008 9:39PM
In America
chubytuby @ Oct 29th 2008 9:16PM
Feels good to live in Canada.
Doug @ Oct 29th 2008 9:27PM
Well, at least you'll get to enjoy Fallout 3. I'll promise to send you guys all the games you want :D. (Shipping+$ purchase+tax not included). Still, I'll do it. Maybe.
LuckyEMS @ Oct 29th 2008 9:44PM
isnt it all about adult's choice. its like saying you cant sell porn because a minor might watch it.
SpikeDelight @ Oct 29th 2008 10:59PM
Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself!
LuckyEMS @ Oct 29th 2008 11:01PM
someone should go to this guys house and then stop him whenever he tries to do something a 10 year old couldnt do
BigD145 @ Oct 29th 2008 11:06PM
Wal-Mart's motto.
GreyFox @ Oct 30th 2008 1:59AM
I think you meant to say HOLY CENSORSHIP BATMAN!
Surge @ Oct 29th 2008 9:52PM
Looks like play-asia will keep my business afterall. Not only is it already ~30% cheaper than in Aus, they will sell me the unnerfed version :)
Dyabolik @ Oct 29th 2008 10:01PM
May as well ban porn and R rated movies while you're at it, they're just as likely to fall into minors hands...
o well I never buy games from here anyway.
Infidel @ Oct 29th 2008 10:24PM
"Hey, you know what we should do, censor all games and deny adults the choice so that kids with bad parents dont see the gore and turn in to violent serial killers, coz, y'know thats what always happens with games. Although we'll let them see it all in films and tv and on the internet, but thats ok coz those forms of entertainment dont make them killers, even if it did we couldnt do anything about it anyway, banning games is easy, plus it gets me in the papers."
silverwolf761 @ Oct 30th 2008 9:12AM
You may only be able to see it all on the Internet for a couple more years (in Australia anyway). The Australian government is mandating installation of filtering technology at the ISP level. It was initially proposed to be opt-in, but they're supposedly toying with the idea of making it mandatory.
I have absolutely nothing against Australians, so please don't take that as a slam of any kind against them. I just think it's ridiculous, and I would be seriously pissed off if I lived there. Once again, politicians ruining life for all.
Chase @ Oct 29th 2008 10:45PM
That's quite bothersome.
Pwnzerfaust @ Oct 29th 2008 11:10PM
Michael Atkinson is a prudish old codger with a hard-on for censorship, so I can't say this is unexpected.
God I hate politicians.
Ordeith @ Oct 29th 2008 11:21PM
Sounds like an AUS version of Joe Biden.
Sora @ Oct 30th 2008 12:29AM
Or Jack Thompson.
Courtney @ Oct 30th 2008 1:41AM
Or the former Attorney General John Ashcroft and the infamous covering of the statue the "Spirit of Justice" because she had tits.
Mr Khan @ Oct 30th 2008 9:03AM
Ashcroft and Gonzalez. Both crazy.
Haggard @ Oct 30th 2008 2:48PM
Nah, Joe Biden is pro-copyright, Palin is the pro-censorship one.
Blank-Mage @ Oct 31st 2008 12:14AM
"God, I hate politicians."
Yeah, God hates them, too.
LuckyEMS @ Oct 29th 2008 11:15PM
but...but...i dont come into any contact with any kids, im an only child, i dont have kids, i dont work with kids, in fact the only place i come into contact with kids is when i pass them on the street.
THEY WILL BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE AND PLAY YOUR 18+ RATED GAMES AND THEN LEAVE WITHOUT YOU EVER KNOWING!!
Pwnzerfaust @ Oct 29th 2008 11:46PM
Search your feelings, young Skywalker. You know it to be true.
Poisoned Al @ Oct 29th 2008 11:33PM
You could say it's possible for a minor to get hold of beer?
Will Australia stop selling beer next? Oh yeah, like HELL you will, you fucking hypocrites.
Pwnzerfaust @ Oct 29th 2008 11:51PM
But beer doesn't have boobies in it.
In fact, if my experience is any indication, beer is the antithesis of boobies.
Schmobu @ Oct 29th 2008 11:53PM
That sucks New Zealand gets all our games from Australia even though we have R18+ rating
Remis Vancosid @ Oct 30th 2008 12:00AM
Old news for Australian gamers :P.
Firstly: "Atkinson is quoted as saying to Australia's parliament earlier this year that he's opposed to the introduction of an R18+ rating because, despite it denying adults choice, it was necessary to protect children from "potentially harmful material." Hey guys, lets protect children from harmful content by denying an adults only classification, thus adding more confusion about the MA rating and allowing children easier access to harmful content, through confused parents and uncaring retailers. Hell, lets make all our classifcations fruit coded. Apples will be general audiences, as everyone likes apples. Mangoes can be parental guidance, as sometimes kids cant figure out how to cut them into square bite sized bits. Coconuts can be mature because they are brown... and pineapples are mature audiences 15+ because they have spikes. SIMPLE.
Secondly: We can't import "R" rated games into Australia as they will be seized by customs. This is because they are considered contraband from their refusal of classifcation.
Thirdly: This + the internet filter that is being introduced (thank you Kevin Rudd), Australia is a fun place to be a gaming adult.
Kotaku Australian edition have some interesting stats on this stuff:
http://www.kotaku.com.au/games/2008/10/how_old_is_the_average_australian_gamer_30.html
Josh (be logical; vote for Obama) @ Oct 30th 2008 12:17AM
Australians, you obviously have some work to do. I wish you the best.
p3arl88 @ Oct 30th 2008 8:05AM
woah. WHAT!
K.Rudd is trying to put an internet filter out there!
Is that possible? thats....thats censorship. Like, there will be people who CHOOSE what is right for us to see.
........you cant do that man. FUCK!
Remis Vancosid @ Oct 30th 2008 9:47AM
In regards to the Australian Internet filter:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,24569656-5014239,00.html
"Australia's level of net censorship will put it in the same league as countries including China, Cuba, Iran and North Korea, and the Government will not let users opt out of the proposed national internet filter when it is introduced."
"Groups including the System Administrators Guild of Australia and Electronic Frontiers Australia have slammed the proposal, saying it would unfairly restrict Australians' access to the web, slow internet speeds and raise the price of internet access."
Negativecool @ Oct 30th 2008 12:01AM
Bah! This is nothing! In communist Russia, R18+ games indefinitely delay YOU!
Pwnzerfaust @ Oct 30th 2008 12:06AM
Did you know that Michael Atkinson is the sixth most hated person in Australia? I sure didn't.
Thanks, Wikipedia!
Tyler @ Oct 30th 2008 12:41AM
Hey all. Just thought that I would let you know that the Aussie game retailer, Gametraders, is one of the few companies in Australia to voice their objection over the lack of an R18+ rating for games. At the moment, they are launching a campaign to get the law through and all Gametraders stores have petitions in store that you can sign to voice your opinion. Please sign this, and be a part of the movement!
Anticrawl @ Oct 30th 2008 2:28AM
Guess it is just Australia's way of coming to terms with it's origins.. yeah pretty lame ass comment but in all seriousness this does suck for our Aussie brothers. Hopefully their government will lighten up because it is hurting the industry as a whole, just look at how it caused all versions of Fallout 3 to be edited.
Anticrawl @ Oct 30th 2008 2:30AM
On a lighter note the soda drinkers of the country in Australia atleast have those spiffy new coke machines that are easily "hacked" in a manner of speaking. I won't go into any detail but I think those defects were fixed anyway.
johnny @ Oct 30th 2008 3:08AM
Our rating system is fucked up. They push most "R Rated" stuff out as "MA" then refuse classification to the odd game, to look tough. With proper regulation, an "R" rating would work as DVD's and Magazine's do now. Atkinson just doesn't get it, and most of his age group here thinks alike unfortunately.
pedantics @ Oct 30th 2008 5:17AM
there's a barrel full of acid in a bank vault just waiting for this douchebag