EB Games launches R18+ petition

posted by Glenn on February 5th, 2010 at 2:04 pm

As previously mentioned on this site a while back, the government’s proposed Internet filter would deal with games that are rejected by the Classification Board. With this in mind, it’s hardly surprising to find a growing number of companies lobbying for an R18+ rating for video games.

EB Games is the latest company to join the fight for the rating. The company decided to launch a petition not because customers asked them to, but because it is an issue the company feels strongly about. Managing Director Steve Wilson told Games.On.Net:

“With the release of the Government’s discussion paper, we knew as a company that we needed to act on this issue as it continues to cripple our industry and cost local jobs. …. Our customers have sent us a message loud and clear that this is an issue that needs to be addressed and we only get one shot at this. Once this Government paper is closed, it could be many years before we get another chance to voice our opinion on this issue. The time to be heard is now … This is not a call for violent video games, but rather a call for a better classification system that brings Australia in line with the rest of the world and other Australian entertainment industries, such as films.”

Even if you submitted a response to the discussion paper, it is important than ever to voice your opinion on the issue. You can drop by your local EB Games store or sign their petition at their web site.

Three new case studies added

posted by Glenn on January 26th, 2010 at 12:15 pm

It has been a while since two case studies have been added to this site, and now we are pleased to bring you three more.

Duke Nukem 3D was initially self-censored before it was released in Australia, and it contained no violence or nudity. A patch that gave people the uncut version of the game circulated on the Internet, and as a result, the OFLC attempted to reclassify the game before being forced to release the US version of the game.

House of the Dead: Overkill was not Refused Classification, but it is another example of how the Classification Board inconsistently classifies games. It has excessive violence and a high amount of profanity that is available for children aged 15 and over. Meanwhile, overseas rating agencies have classified the game for adults only.

Left 4 Dead 2 was originally rejected for the same type of content that was already present in the original game. Before it was rejected a second time, another version was passed with cuts made by the publishers, such as the removal of dead corpses lying around the environment as well as the amount of violence being toned down. It is now being available in Australia for children age 15 and over.

So grab a sandwich and a cup of coffee and have them while you are reading one of the case studies.

Atkinson has a go at Gamers4Croydon

posted by Glenn on January 26th, 2010 at 9:12 am

In what seems to be a foolish move, South Australian attorney-general Michael Atkinson has launched an attack on Gamers4Croydon who has recently became a registered party in South Australia. Atkinson told GameSpot:

“It’s 60 days until the election and they [Gamers4Croydon] don’t even have a candidate yet. Their Web site is full of memorabilia but not much else. This electorate has some 24,000 people to talk to and convince. Personally, I see no evidence of local support for their party.

“I assume the Gamers4Croydon campaign will involve criminal activities and dirty tricks, which is what I’ve come to expect from gamers,” he said. “Regardless, I think they will struggle to get even 1 percent of the votes, and their campaign will actually discredit the public campaign in support for R18+ rather than enhance its chances. They [Gamers4Croydon] might do better leading up to the election, but at this stage they’re not doing anything. What’s more, David Doe has to stop taking pleasure in people abusing me.”

Atkinson may have the right to stop Australia from introducing an R18+ rating for games, not allowing adults to play the games targeted for them. But to actually accuse a political party of engaging in “criminal activities and dirty tricks” just because they suddenly become a threat is the equivalent of labelling someone a child abuser. As for G4C getting one percent of the vote, we are confident that G4C will get more than that.

Aliens vs. Predator Classified MA15+

posted by Glenn on December 18th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

SEGA have won their appeal today against the RC rating given to the upcoming game Aliens vs. Predator, meaning that the game now has an MA15+ rating and will be available, unedited, in February. The reasons for the decision are as follows:

A three-member panel of the Classification Review Board (the Review Board) has unanimously determined that the computer game Aliens vs Predator is classified MA 15+ with the consumer advice ‘Strong science fiction violence’.

In the Review Board’s opinion the violence depicted in the game can be accommodated within the MA 15+ category as the violent scenes are not prolonged and are interspersed with longer non violent sequences. The violence is fantastical in nature and justified by the context of the game, set in a futuristic science-fiction world, inhabited by aliens and predators. This context serves to lessen its impact. The more contentious violence is randomly generated and is not dependent on player selection of specific moves.

Although this looks like a win for gamers, it clearly means that the game will be available to 15 year olds, despite the game specifically targeted at adults.

This is the same Review Board which previously refused to overturn the ban on Left 4 Dead 2. Their reasons for Refusing Classification to an uncensored L4D2 were that the game featured:

• Realistic, frenetic and unrelenting violence
• Insufficient delineation between the depiction of general zombie figures and the human figures
• Close-in attacks that cause copious amounts of blood spray and splatter, decapitations and limb dismemberment as well as locational damage where contact is made to the enemy which may reveal skeletal bits and gore

And yet only a month later, the Review Board has granted an MA15+ rating to a game which, according to the Classification Board, features:

…close-up depictions of human characters being subjected to various types of violence, including explicit decapitation and dismemberment as well as locational damage such as stabbing through the chest, throat, mouth or eyes. Characters can be stabbed with a Predator’s wrist blade or an Alien’s tail in depictions reminiscent of impalement.

The Predator collects “trophies” by explicitly ripping off human heads, their spinal columns dangling from severed necks. Heads can be completely twisted around in order to break a character’s neck. Eyes can be stabbed through or gouged out, leaving empty, bloodied eye sockets. It is noted that a player is able to combine manoeuvres together in quick succession, which further increases impact; for example, a Predator can stab a character through both eyes with its wrist blades and then rip off their head, with spinal column still attached. Extensive post-mortem damage, including decapitation and dismemberment, is also possible.

Depictions of violence such as the above are accompanied by copious amounts of blood and gore, including ample wound detail and visible skeleton.

So, according our Federal ratings body, it is okay to perform gratuitous violence displayed in graphic detail upon realistically depicted humans, but it is not okay to perform the same sort of violence upon mindless zombies who just happen to look like humans.

With this sort of constant inconsistency surrounding what is and isn’t appropriate for an MA15+ rating, it is more important than ever that Australia joins the rest of the world in having an R18+ rating for video games.

Make your submission today to the discussion paper and help bring about this change as soon as possible.

Online Discussion Paper Submissions

posted by Tim on December 18th, 2009 at 9:43 am

Grow Up Australia has put together an online submission form for the R18+ Games Discussion Paper. This form allows you to create a submission for the discussion paper quickly and easily, which will then be collated and sent to the Federal Government in time for the deadline.

You can find the online submission form by clicking here.

This is an excellent move and offers a convenient way to make your voice heard. Please pass it on to as many people as possible so that they can contribute to a safer, fairer ratings system for all Australians.