Australian lobby group calls for re-rating of Modern Warfare 2
by David Hinkle 
{ Oct 29th 2009 at 9:30PM }
Lobby group Australian Council on Children and the Media is calling for the second look at the game, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. MW2 currently has a rating of MA 15+ -- the highest available -- though ACCM president Jane Roberts argues that the current rating would still make it accessible to kids under the age of 15. Update: If the game was to be reconsidered and denied a rating (anything considered higher than MA 15+), it would be effectively banned.
"We understand that it's a game but ... we're not far off when you look at the images that you could actually put it on a Channel Nine news report and you'd think maybe that is real," she said. As for the re-rating, odds aren't looking good for Roberts. An Australian Classification Board spokesperson said that the Board could not review its own decisions.
[Via Kotaku]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
ChuckBartowski @ Oct 29th 2009 9:36PM
Sigh.... the Australian rating board needs to just stop.
ZaxCG2 @ Oct 30th 2009 12:05AM
Or add on another age rating. FFS.
SolidSnakeX @ Oct 30th 2009 9:21AM
Wtf 15 for this game no way it is I repeat to violent to be even be under T for Teen --> Damn and then you can see why we hate kids in Call Of Duty 4 etc..Dumb Parents today I tell you.. Just plain dumb.. Hey Adults you the parents look at the the ratings Board or in Europe and the rest of the world watch what your kids play for video games! COD/ KILLZONE 2- Socom etc or any is rated ---> 17+ up and it should be the same with the rest of the world as well the same goes for you people in Australia!! READ IT AND WEEP!..I swear Australia has a messed up ESRB over there.. Change your policies and all will be normal, Until then..Quit whining!.. Oh yeah get your kids off games that Not Appropriate for their age!...Call Of Duty be it any is rated 17 and up and that should stay that way as well..
NickAVV @ Oct 29th 2009 9:37PM
What would it be rerated to? Haven't we learned from the L4D2 fiasco that the Aussie rating board doesn't give R 18+ or X 18+ ratings to games?
Also, wtf, they can't review their own decisions?
gcountach @ Oct 30th 2009 4:57PM
I'll translate it from Bureaucrat to Straight Talk using bablefish...
"The board could not review its own decisions"
means
"The check is already in the mail."
ChuckBartowski @ Oct 29th 2009 9:37PM
Wow, your name fits you incredibly well.
Nabudis @ Oct 29th 2009 9:40PM
I hope they realise that changing the rating wont make a difference. In fact it will probably make under 15s want it more since it will become "forbidden fruit".
Wayne Campbell @ Oct 29th 2009 9:46PM
Yeah that's somewhat true. But if they don't lower the rating, more parents will assume it's ok for young children anyway than if the rating was higher. So really it kindah goes both ways.
But if I were to base my opinions of this game solely on CoD4, true or untrue, I would say they have it pegged at MA 15+.
Douche Bigalow @ Oct 29th 2009 9:40PM
[banned]
AusGamer @ Oct 29th 2009 9:42PM
Just the same as L4D2, I will be supporting the economy of another region by importing the game.
And if the game is to be re-rated, because of this one SKIPPABLE SCENE, it will be given the RC (Refused Classification), which will make the sale of this version illegal in Australia.
If anything, they'll release a patch to censor the SKIPPABLE SCENE.
And I am writing it in caps because that's exactly what it is, but these fuc**** extremists don't see that.
alinos @ Oct 30th 2009 4:22AM
to be reclassified an group outside the OFLC has to do it as they cannot review there own decisions unless the game was to be resumitted
so in short theres not enough time to ban the initial sales of the product, at most theyll ban future shipments but thatll be it
in australia it should be banned because
"Your Paying the Premium Price , for a Multiplayer Experience that will LAG and have american Hosts Kicking you as soon as they can"
Bora @ Oct 29th 2009 9:43PM
Oops.. I forgot to mention.....
I will be importing MW2 if it is censored. Just wanted to clarify that, as nothing has been done yet.
finnith @ Oct 29th 2009 9:44PM
I find the sequence to be pretty questionable, but I'm holding my opinion till I play the game itself.
It's kind of weird though, it's not as if my wanton murder rampages in the GTA series couldn't be evaluated as being on the same level as an act of terrorism, but I still feel that this is maybe pushing the envelope a bit too far. Maybe it's because the game is literally forcing you to do it? But it's still not too different from GTA or anything else. It's pretty obvious that this lobby group is just the first in line, though.
Also, 500th comment and I've been a member for longer than two years, how sad.
Freedom Town @ Oct 30th 2009 11:00AM
If you find it offensive....DON'T. BUY. IT
End of story
CH3BURASHKA @ Oct 29th 2009 9:44PM
Seriously, what's up with Australia? Does it happen to have an incredible frequency of school shootings that I haven't heard about? I know Europe is much more sensitive to violence, but THEY still get stuff alright (except Germany). What's all the fuss about, Aussies?
Azerael @ Oct 29th 2009 9:55PM
The fuss has a name, and that name is Rupert Murdoch.
Nobody with half a brain gives a shit. Australia does not give a shit.
Drew -- PS360: uphillbothways @ Oct 30th 2009 11:13AM
This issue has nothing to do with Murdoch. Does it?
Ethan @ Oct 30th 2009 10:23PM
hey mate yeah im in Australia dude and trust me its 1 person who controlls the classification board her name is Jane Roberts and she refuses to giva an 18+ nrating she also get like 200 death threats a week or something like that she is the only reason Aussies as a group hate the bitch
xxLUANCHYxx @ Oct 29th 2009 9:44PM
I hope this game does not come out in Australia. Its ridiculous how they have an issue with everything made in America.
Premature ejaculation man @ Oct 29th 2009 9:54PM
=/
Is that your opinion really? How did that get formed?
Sly @ Oct 29th 2009 10:09PM
that's so backwards. i seriously got a headache after reading that.
Dafrety @ Oct 29th 2009 10:24PM
Same way babby is formed.
Ethan @ Oct 30th 2009 10:23PM
look mate im from australia and trust me we love that shit its some stupid bitch called jane robets who is head of the classifacation board who blocks everything that doesnt smell like flowers and she gets like 200 death threats a week or something
mars @ Oct 29th 2009 9:44PM
How did they not see it the *first time they rated it?* Obviously they must've, and decided it was okay, so STFU. I'm not trying to defend IW's decision to include this scene, but its their own fault if they want to be indian-givers after rating it already.
forbizzl3 @ Oct 30th 2009 6:55PM
That's the most rediculous part. If they were people capable of playing games in the first place they would have known about this on day one. But instead ratings boards often just have the developers come to them and tell them everything they think might be sketchy, along with some assorted assets.
They probably didn't even see the loading screen of the game.
Kyle @ Oct 29th 2009 9:46PM
I've been watching this for a few days and haven't really formed a decision yet. I can see both sides. The side defending it as just a scene that is skip-able and as part of the story has its point. And the side saying it's inappropriate and controversial just for controversy's sake also has one. However, I feel that both are correct, yet the game should not be censored. And it definitely shouldn't be re-rated and receive and Australian death sentence by being unrated. I think Australia needs to lighten up on the hard handed banning of media and let it's citizens make their own decisions. In the end, it's not hurting anyone, and it has a valid point. Terrorists exist, violence exists, and hiding from the problems of the real world doesn't make them disappear. While I do think the USA (I'm West Virginian) is backwards in its views on violence, such as violence being more acceptable than sex, I don't believe that banning violent media of any kind has any real effect. People have been violent since the beginning of the human race, and killed and hurt others before books were even thought of.
Either we grow out of violence as a whole, by accepting it's unnatural state, seeing what it really does, and learning why it's wrong, or we destroy ourselves. I don't see how running and hiding from it will ever help us.
Sly @ Oct 29th 2009 9:48PM
well written.
Mr.ESC @ Oct 29th 2009 9:56PM
Maybe I am very cynic but for me both sides sound like this:
"I play video games and I want my senseless and gory violence intact.I don't care who it might offend"
"I'm a concerned parent and I care that is why I want others to protect my children from fictional violence"
JXCgunrunna @ Oct 29th 2009 10:23PM
And my view is to let the parents decide if this is something their kids should be seeing. I for one will not alow my kids to play games like this until they have a firm understanding and respect for weapons in real life. Idk, maybe its just my midwest values but I would rather be the one to decide what and when my children should be exposed to this stuff. Every kid matures at a different rate.
Freedom Town @ Oct 30th 2009 11:03AM
You sire are thinking too much about this. This is not a problem. This is a form of entertainment. You can either participate in this, or not. No one is forcing anyone to buy a video game, and watch said scene.
So stop thinking so hard, this topic doesn't deserve a philosophical debate over violence. What it deserves is a debate over freedom, and self-governing.
If you don't want to see it, don't buy it. The end.
kevin @ Oct 29th 2009 9:48PM
Is it me or has the world become a bit over sensitive ,since 9/11.come on now thier's been fighting going on in some countries like forever . no matter how pc you become or rigthous .stuff will take place no matter what .so get over it people .
Sly @ Oct 29th 2009 9:47PM
the thing is, you've already proven yourself to be a major reactionary.
Bora @ Oct 29th 2009 9:48PM
@ xxLUANCHYxx - They don't have an issue with everything made in America. The issue is that the rating system in Australia is pathetic.
@ mars - They did see it. Because they allowed it, all these nanny's are creating a s*** storm, wanting the Classification Board to re-review the entire game for 1 scene.
xxLUANCHYxx @ Oct 29th 2009 10:39PM
Oh i see. Well thanks for the nice comment unlike the no-lives who dwell this site every second.
Mr.ESC @ Oct 29th 2009 9:48PM
"when you look at the images that you could actually put it on a Channel Nine news report and you'd think maybe that is real"
Whoa the graphics most be awesome...
or Channel 9 footage is full of jaggies.
Freedom Town @ Oct 30th 2009 11:06AM
Yea, when I read this.....just shaking my head.
Really? Really??? You would think this is real life footage on a news channel?
Credibility->lost
Wayne Campbell @ Oct 29th 2009 9:48PM
I believe the term you were searching for is "fine art". Not "high art".
"High art" is art that gets made when you do a lot of drugs lol
Which oddly enough is usually some of the best art....
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington] @ Oct 29th 2009 9:50PM
They have a point, though. It's a voluntary experience and the decision whether to allow a child to play the game is entirely up to the parents. If there's one thing I can't stand it's parents who get their collective panties in a bunch due to a video game's content. Maybe they should look at the shit they're buying and come to their own decision regarding the game's appropriateness.
Premature ejaculation man @ Oct 29th 2009 9:52PM
I just can't stand that one person is responsible for our constant classification debacles. Just the one minster who says R18+ will allow kids to buy the games (when really, it only funnels 18+ games into MA15+ ratings).
It seems the only way we will get R18+ games is by waiting for the man to retire/expire.
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington] @ Oct 29th 2009 9:57PM
Give me a case of Vegemite and some Carlton Draught and you're on.
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington] @ Oct 29th 2009 9:52PM
Also, stop trying to start shit. It's getting old.
Azerael @ Oct 29th 2009 9:54PM
Ironically only the single-player will be anywhere near playable here anyway. Ask anyone outside the United States what they think of peer-to-peer "matchmaking" networks, and you'll hear the same old story about being linked to some shithead in another country and terrible latency. Dedicated servers are the only way worth playing out here, without them multiplayer is pretty much redundant.
To be honest, I'm so disillusioned with Infinity Ward right now I almost wish it was banned here. Fuck the game and fuck Activision too.
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 9:54PM
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Mr.ESC @ Oct 29th 2009 9:58PM
Martian man hunter is doing a facepalm.
You can't unsee.
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington] @ Oct 29th 2009 9:59PM
Man, Aquaman must have fucked up big time.
Sly @ Oct 29th 2009 10:10PM
good god, you're making these ASCII things annoying as hell. you post them at least 3 times a week. not new ones either. just the same ones every time. seriously, lay off em for a lil while, or find fresh new ones. kthanks.
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 10:12PM
I've only posted two in the last two weeks, and they were both today.
*is confused*
Not sure how two in two weeks is 'overdoing it', but whatever.
Sly @ Oct 29th 2009 10:21PM
oh really? every time i see them, its by you. it used to be a once a month kind of thing... anyways, they're still getting old. we need new ones. but yeah, sorry for kinda attacking you.
Dartmerc @ Oct 29th 2009 10:23PM
Two in one day is overdoing it.
It would help if you balanced them out with some useful posts, but it seems your ascii art is the closest to useful you get.
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 10:23PM
It's all right. I went back and checked, last time I used it was October 15th.
I try not to use the things anymore, though. But this was just stupid on the lobbyist's part.