Government to introduce R18+ Games despite opposition

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

According to Adelaide Now, the Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O’Connor, is flexing his muscles again by challenging state governments to agree to an R18+ rating for video games.

We’re becoming the laughing stock of the developed world, where we’re the only country that doesn’t have an R18 classification level for video games. I foreshadow that if there is not a consensus around this issue, the Commonwealth will certainly be considering other options because we cannot continue to have an outdated classification system that’s actually, in my view, causing harm to young people. I’m not going to let this matter end because it’s too important to allow one or two jurisdictions to stop the majority of jurisdictions in this country moving on an important reform. But can I say my very strong preference is to have consensus around the table in July.

So even if one or states oppose the rating, the Federal Government is still going to introduce one whether the states like it or not, therefore overturning a undemocratic law which states all censorship ministers must agree to a change in censorship laws.

What needs to happen is enormous pressure being put on politicians to amend the laws so that in the end only a majority of votes can implement the change we really need.

Mortal Kombat Still Refused Classification

Monday, March 14th, 2011

According to GameSpot, the attempt by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to lower Mortal Kombat‘s RC rating to MA15+ has failed, meaning that the game is unable to be sold here.

The Classification Review Board met on Friday to confirm its RC status, possible due to excessive violence. WB has issued the following statement:

We’re obviously extremely disappointed that the Refused Classification decision has been upheld by the Classification Review Board. We want to thank the thousands of Mortal Kombat fans in Australia and around the world who have voiced their support during the appeal process.

They have two options here. They modify the game, removing the offending content and resubmit the edited version to the Classification Board, or simply not release the game at all.

After F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin was slapped with an RC rating in 2008, WB launched a successful appeal, meaning that the game could be sold with a MA15+ rating.

Warner Bros. to appeal against Mortal Kombat ban

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

Last week, the Classification Board decided to give the Mortal Kombat reboot an RC rating, making the title illegal to be sold in Australia. It is the first game to be Refused Classification in 2011 and the first time an MK title is banned due to the interactive nature of the series.

Now GameSpot reports that Warner Bros. Interactive Australia have decided to challenge the original decision to have the rating lowered to MA15+.

After careful consideration, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Australia have decided to appeal to the Australian Classification Review Board against the RC (Refused Classification) decision given to Mortal Kombat.

After reviewing both the gameplay and the Board’s original decision, WBIE Australia believes the violence in the game is on par with numerous other titles readily available for sale in the Australian market. As such the company wants to exhaust all options to make the game available to Mortal Kombat fans in this country. An identical version of the game will be submitted for appeal.

The Classification Board decided to award Mortal Kombat an RC rating on the basis that the game contains “explicit” violence, blood spray, and limb dismemberment, but this type of content is already present in games like Splatterhouse, Alien vs. Predator, and previous MK titles, all of these available in Australia under an MA15+ rating.