Revised Guidelines for R18+ rating released
According to Kotaku Australia, the revised guidelines for the R18+ rating for video games has just been released. First, they discuss how the following hierarchy will be used to classify games, ranging from mild to very high.
The Guidelines use the following hierarchy of impact:
• very mild – G
• mild – PG
• moderate – M
• strong – MA 15+
• high – R 18+
• very high – RC
In addition, it mentions what games will be refused classification, and still argues that interactivity affects the level of impact.
Due to the interactive nature of computer games and the active repetitive involvement of the participant, as a general rule computer games may have a higher impact than similarly themed depictions of the classifiable elements in film, and therefore greater potential for harm or detriment, particularly to minors.
Interactivity may increase the impact of some content: for example, impact may be higher where interactivity enables action such as inflicting realistically depicted injuries or death or post-mortem damage, attacking civilians or engaging in sexual activity. Greater degrees of interactivity (such as first-person gameplay compared to third-person gameplay) may also increase the impact of some content.
Interactivity includes the use of incentives and rewards, technical features and competitive intensity.
Except in material restricted to adults, nudity and sexual activity must not be related to incentives or rewards.Computer games will be Refused Classification if they contain:
(i) illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards;
(ii) interactive drug use which is detailed and realistic.
Finally, the guidelines state what can and cannot be permitted in an R18+ game:
R 18+ – RESTRICTED
Impact test
The impact of material classified R 18+ should not exceed high.Note: Material classified R 18+ is legally restricted to adults. Some material classified R 18+ may be offensive to sections of the adult community.
Classifiable elements
THEMES
There are virtually no restrictions on the treatment of themes.VIOLENCE
Violence is permitted. High impact violence that is, in context, frequently gratuitous, exploitative and offensive to a reasonable adult will not be permitted.Sexual violence may be implied, if non-interactive and justified by context.
SEX
Sexual activity may be realistically simulated. The general rule is
“simulation, yes – the real thing, no”.LANGUAGE
There are virtually no restrictions on language.DRUG USE
Drug use is permitted.
Drug use related to incentives and rewards is not permitted.NUDITY
Nudity is permitted.
Ron Curry, the CEO of iGEA, was pleased at how R18+ was proceeding, yet raised some concerns about the discussing of interactivity.
“We are pleased to see this process moving forward and understand that great care has been taken to balance the concerns of those who have resisted an R18+ classification and adults who want to play video games designed specifically for mature audiences and readily available in other developed democracies.
“There will be continued debate about whether the interactivity of video games has a greater impact than other forms of media, and we will continue to refer to the lack of the evidence to support these claims. With that being said, we welcome the commitment from all parties involved to seek a reasonable outcome to address this longstanding issue.
“We now look forward to the Commonwealth, States and Territories implementing these guidelines in an expedient manner.”
You can view the entire set of guidelines at the Classification Board’s website here.
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Troy says:
“We are pleased to see this process moving forward and understand that great care has been taken to balance the concerns of those who have resisted an R18+ classification and adults who want to play video games designed specifically for mature audiences and readily available in other developed democracies”
Now I wonder what group would have resisted the R18+ rating hmmm let me think.
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Troy says:
“We are pleased to see this process moving forward and understand that great care has been taken to balance the concerns of those who have resisted an R18+ classification”
And it also concerns me that those who resisted the R18+ rating (Need I ask who it was) were allowed to influence the guidelines.
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John F says:
@Troy
You’re absolutely right, the ACL and all those who opposed the rating for so long have no interest in gaming or even have a basic understanding of what gaming is all about but because it violates their standards of morality views they think they have a right to interfere by expressing their primitive views which is working by the way. It just goes to show that the minority has a stronger influence due to their religious beliefs over the majority. This is how these guidelines came to be, why am I not surprised?….
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Troy says:
@ John F
Do you know what the ACL always remind me of that movie with Sylvester Stallone called Demolition Man because if the ACL ever got into power then I think this would happen LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puM1eT15NYw
Just watch the video in the link and you’ll know what I mean and understand why I think of Demolition Man when ever the ACL gets involved or if they ever rose to power.
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John F says:
@Troy
LOL, yeah that’s exactly the future Australia is headed towards. You can’t do this, you can’t say that. Now it’s you can’t play that. Democracy will be a distant memory and we will succumb to communism. Screw that….
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Dean Shaw says:
Reading this bit off the site that’s refrused classification and i quote :
Computer games will be Refused Classification if they contain:
(i) illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards;
(ii) interactive drug use which is detailed and realis
1 game that was given an ma15+ rating and has pretty much every thing listed in this Scarface the world is yours sexual,drugs and violence why the hell was that allowed in and sold still in stores today in australia the classifications board are a bunch of cock suckers with to much power and no fucking brains
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Dean Shaw says:
oh not to forget all the restricted r18 content listed below on this page pretty much there argument becomes invalid and they are going against every decision they have made for this game :scar face the world is yours