Syndicate refused classification in Australia, called 'unsuitable for a minor' [update]
43
Syndicate has been refused classification in Australia, due to being "unsuitable for a minor to see or play." The current Australian classification standards still reject classification (i.e. ban) for any game that is only suitable for citizens over the age of 15.
"Combatants take locational damage and can be explicitly dismembered, decapitated or bisected by the force of the gunfire. The depictions are accompanied by copious bloodspray and injuries are shown realistically and with detail," reads the Classification report obtained by VG24/7. "Flesh and bone are often exposed while arterial sprays of blood continue to spurt from wounds at regular intervals," the report states, discussing an example mission."
The most high-profile Aussie rejection in 2011 was Mortal Kombat, which tried to appeal the decision and lost. The Witcher 2 avoided the issue with a small edit to pass the board. We've contacted EA to find out if the publisher will appeal or resubmit the title with alterations.
Update: EA not releasing Syndicate in Australia, notes "arcane censorship."
"Combatants take locational damage and can be explicitly dismembered, decapitated or bisected by the force of the gunfire. The depictions are accompanied by copious bloodspray and injuries are shown realistically and with detail," reads the Classification report obtained by VG24/7. "Flesh and bone are often exposed while arterial sprays of blood continue to spurt from wounds at regular intervals," the report states, discussing an example mission."
The most high-profile Aussie rejection in 2011 was Mortal Kombat, which tried to appeal the decision and lost. The Witcher 2 avoided the issue with a small edit to pass the board. We've contacted EA to find out if the publisher will appeal or resubmit the title with alterations.
Update: EA not releasing Syndicate in Australia, notes "arcane censorship."
Reader Comments (43)
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:10AM Ebok007 said
I'm trying to figure out what's going on in that picture, but I'm not so sure I want to.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:30AM Hunter141072 said
@Ebok007
it´s the Aussie classification board´s hand checking syndicate.....and calling it unsuitable. This kind of this are completely idiotic, i wouldn´t be surprised if the game ends being pirated in Australia and everybody plays it anyway, but of course with a big price, how is possible that a country who has one of the biggest legal prostitution zones in the world could think that a game is unsuitable???????????? not that prostitution is bad, but at the end you cant ignore the double moral of some countries .......
Reply
it´s the Aussie classification board´s hand checking syndicate.....and calling it unsuitable. This kind of this are completely idiotic, i wouldn´t be surprised if the game ends being pirated in Australia and everybody plays it anyway, but of course with a big price, how is possible that a country who has one of the biggest legal prostitution zones in the world could think that a game is unsuitable???????????? not that prostitution is bad, but at the end you cant ignore the double moral of some countries .......
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:32AM Miranda Lawson said
@Ebok007 Hank Hill Voice: "Looks like a bank. No, a church. Wait, a casino? I don't know what the hell I'm looking at."
Reply
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 6:41PM rartemass said
@Hunter141072 Thankfully we are in the process of getting the R18+ rating for games in Australia, however it will take most of next year to sort out.
The reason is we are apparently getting an overhaul of the entire system as the whole thing is archaic. That doesn't help us for this game however.
This only increases the desire to pirate the games, the same as Mortal Kombat. Pirated games cost about $10 each, and people charge $50 to modify the Xbox to play pirated games. So it costs far less than buying a single game legally ($110 or sometimes $90 at launch).
Not saying piracy is the answer, just showing the reality of why the ratings and game costs need adjusting.
Reply
The reason is we are apparently getting an overhaul of the entire system as the whole thing is archaic. That doesn't help us for this game however.
This only increases the desire to pirate the games, the same as Mortal Kombat. Pirated games cost about $10 each, and people charge $50 to modify the Xbox to play pirated games. So it costs far less than buying a single game legally ($110 or sometimes $90 at launch).
Not saying piracy is the answer, just showing the reality of why the ratings and game costs need adjusting.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 8:42PM Hunter141072 said
@rartemass
And if you add to all those things ridiculous prices and stupid ratings, well..... the piracy option is more a real option than a bad one..............
Reply
And if you add to all those things ridiculous prices and stupid ratings, well..... the piracy option is more a real option than a bad one..............
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:14AM xiLeShadow said
I Hate Censorship!!!
I use to play Doom, Quake, Mortal Kombat, etc when I was like 4 - 6 years old. Guess how I turned out? Perfectly fine. I'm about to graduate with my Bachelor's in Economics and Sociology with Honors instead of what these censorship programs think I would be doing, liking mass murdering people in the name of GTA and launching more nuclear bombs in the name of Call of Duty.
I use to play Doom, Quake, Mortal Kombat, etc when I was like 4 - 6 years old. Guess how I turned out? Perfectly fine. I'm about to graduate with my Bachelor's in Economics and Sociology with Honors instead of what these censorship programs think I would be doing, liking mass murdering people in the name of GTA and launching more nuclear bombs in the name of Call of Duty.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:19AM Klearwater Killer said
Australia seems like a bunch of dicks.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:40AM TrogdorForHire said
@Klearwater Killer Down-voted for stupidity.
Reply
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:43AM yomachaser said
@Klearwater Killer That's why sex is an AOE attack there!
Reply
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 1:06PM Klearwater Killer said
@Klearwater Killer
Joystiq seems like a bunch of dicks.
Reply
Joystiq seems like a bunch of dicks.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:20AM xreadmore said
Sorry adults, games are still only for kids!
/lame
/lame
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:22AM Author X said
Wow, who needs to buy ads with endorsements like that?
"Combatants take locational damage and can be explicitly dismembered, decapitated or bisected by the force of the gunfire," and is, "shown realistically and with detail."
Sounds cool to me!
"Combatants take locational damage and can be explicitly dismembered, decapitated or bisected by the force of the gunfire," and is, "shown realistically and with detail."
Sounds cool to me!
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:35AM baby sea tuna said
@Author X
Seriously. This is basically how I pick out my games these days. "Oh, it's banned in Australia? Sign me up!"
Reply
Seriously. This is basically how I pick out my games these days. "Oh, it's banned in Australia? Sign me up!"
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:31AM CreepinJesus said
Why do games even need to be like this? Does it really add that much to the game to have unnecessary amounts of gore?
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:41AM Author X said
@CreepinJesus
They don't need to be. Many aren't. Some are! But I don't see why they need to be squeaky clean, either. If developers want to add gratuitous violence, and gamers want to buy it, it doesn't really matter if it's "needed" does it?
Of course, if developers want to add it and nobody wants to buy it, it'll flop. Free market and all that.
Reply
They don't need to be. Many aren't. Some are! But I don't see why they need to be squeaky clean, either. If developers want to add gratuitous violence, and gamers want to buy it, it doesn't really matter if it's "needed" does it?
Of course, if developers want to add it and nobody wants to buy it, it'll flop. Free market and all that.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:47AM Copybass Ah jeez zombies said
Dear lord! This MATURE game is not suitable for children! What ever will we do!
I love Australia, a place where you even have to make sure your porn is suitable for children.
I love Australia, a place where you even have to make sure your porn is suitable for children.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:47AM butaneko said
They're probably not going to be to keen on Revengeance
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 8:03PM Yellowdevil said
@ObiBen8
"Revengeance" is not a suitable word for children, adults, or common sense, let alone a title to a Metal Gear Solid game.
Reply
"Revengeance" is not a suitable word for children, adults, or common sense, let alone a title to a Metal Gear Solid game.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:48AM ObiBen8 said
I thought Australia had finally gotten and 18 rating in place. IS that some alternate dimension that I'm thinking of?
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:53AM DangerMouse001 said
Don't fret, Australia, you just got saved from having another mediocre game flooding your store shelves.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:14AM Copybass Ah jeez zombies said
@DangerMouse001
I'm sorry, what about this game has ever made you think it would be mediocre?
Reply
I'm sorry, what about this game has ever made you think it would be mediocre?
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 1:36PM DrDrew Pinsky said
@DangerMouse001
I dunno, everything they just described in there sounds pretty awesome to me.
Reply
I dunno, everything they just described in there sounds pretty awesome to me.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 10:55AM Lerkero said
They're still not done with this crap? Hey Australia, people live to be over 15 years old, and they still want entertainment.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:05AM (Unverified) said
im not sure if i am allowed to post this but, here are the board members http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/classification.nsf/Page/ClassificationinAustralia_Whoweare_ClassificationBoard_ClassificationBoardMembers
it seems bizarre that not one of them lists their religious details :P
heres where to contact them to tell them what a great job they are doing http://classification.gov.au/www/cob/classification.nsf/Page/ClassificationinAustralia_Contactus_Contactus
it seems bizarre that not one of them lists their religious details :P
heres where to contact them to tell them what a great job they are doing http://classification.gov.au/www/cob/classification.nsf/Page/ClassificationinAustralia_Contactus_Contactus
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 12:51PM JakeAuditore said
@(Unverified) What does religion have to do with this? I'm a Christian, and yet I love games like Mortal Kombat, Unreal Tournament, Dead Space, etc.
Reply
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:26AM Triscuit said
I guess "life" would be banned under Aussie certification, too.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:31AM anatomyishorror said
Sucks for Australians, but I just watched a trailer after reading about how violent this game's gonna be, and it looks sick as hell. Can't wait.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 11:58AM xxMayDay31xx said
Just curious, but was Fallout 3/NV or Ninja Gaiden 2 also banned? If not, why?
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 9:47PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
@xxMayDay31xx
Fallout 3 got through classification fine.
Reply
Fallout 3 got through classification fine.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 12:57PM covertpetersen said
What I took from this article:
1. The Australian games classification's board is dumb.
2. The games combat sounds awesome and I'm now interested.
1. The Australian games classification's board is dumb.
2. The games combat sounds awesome and I'm now interested.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 1:35PM kentuckyfried said
As much as I'd love to live in Australia, the government seems awfully repressive towards particular game titles.
Posted: Dec 20th 2011 7:18PM Tinkus said
˙dıɥsɹosuǝɔ uɐıןɐɹʇsnɐ ʞɔnɟ
Posted: Dec 21st 2011 6:17AM maxwell97 said
Further evidence that "democracy" is not equivalent to "good government."








