R18+ Rating Not For Another Two Years

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

Many people believe that an R18+ rating for games is going to be introduced in the immediate future, but that is not according to Classification Board applications manager, David Emery, who spoke at the Politics of Play debate held at Macquarie University.

He outlined the lengthy process that will take another two years.

“There is legislation that’s been put to Parliament about the changes. What happens next is a long process again. It’s probably going to take another couple of years before you’re actually going to get an R18 that you can apply for, like a conventional classification that you have today.

It’s got to go to Parliament, then there’s changes that have to be made subsequent to that — to the Classification Act — to allow for people who have had a game that has gone to the classification board and been refused classification to then be resubmitted in some form.

There also needs to changes made to each state and territories classification act, that needs to go through the exact same process that I’ve just described, except on a state level. All of those things take ages, there are lots of delays.

The answer is that it’ll probably be another couple of years before we’ll be able to accept an application for an R18 game.”

Source: Games On Net

ALRC Report: Video Game Classification is Broken

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

The Australian Law and Reform Commission has just released a discussion paper commissioned last year by the Federal Attorney General, Robert McClelland. The ALRC agrees that the video game classification system is failing.

The ALRC has heard loud and clear that the current system is broken and no longer fits with how people are consuming media content. It is poorly equipped to deal with the challenges of media convergence, and the case for reform is strong. The ALRC is proposing reform that can be phased in to allow time for industry and the community to adapt to the new scheme. Responses to the paper will help inform the development of final recommendations for reform.

There are forty-three proposals, with the major one calling for an introduction of voluntary classification for G, PG, and M games.

“The classification of most other media content–for example, books, magazines, websites, music, and computer games now likely to be G, PG, and M–should become or remain voluntary. However, the ALRC proposes that industry bodies should develop codes of practice that encourage the voluntary classification of some of this other content, such as lower-level computer games, using the categories, criteria, and markings of the National Classification Scheme.”

In addition, games rated MA15+ or higher should be referred to the Classification Board.

More information is available on GameSpot.

The discussion paper can be found here. Note that submissions can be made before November 18, 2011.

HOTD: Overkill Extended Cut Reclassified

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

The Review Board has awarded House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut an MA15+ rating (‘strong horror violence, strong course language) in its uncut form. This follows SEGA’s appeal to have its RC rating lowered.

SEGA’s Managing Director, Darren Macbeth, was overwealmed that the game was lowered to MA15+.

“It is with great pleasure that we announce the success of our appeal. We are proud to confirm that the game will be released in Australia in its original entirety, with no content altered or removed in any way. We were confident of successfully appealing the board’s original decision to refuse classification, and appreciate that the Classification Review Board has made a decision that complies with the current guidelines and framework.”

While HOtD fans may share the good news amongst themselves, it still highlights the need of an R18+ rating for video games, which hopefully is introduced by the end of the year. But as it is, games like this one, along with F.3.A.R. and Dead Island are available to minors while these games recieve adults-only ratings overseas.

House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut goes on sale in Australia October 27th.

SEGA challenges RC rating for HOTD: Overkill – Extended Cut

Monday, September 12th, 2011

Last month, the Classification Board slapped House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut with an RC rating. According to an article by Kotaku Australia, the Board had a problem with the game’s recently added ‘Hardcore’ mode.

“The “Hardcore” game mode allows players to play in a manner that exceeds strong in impact,” claims the report, “engaging a headshot-only mode which results in frequent, detailed blood and gore as the zombies and mutants [sic] heads explode into bloody pieces that spread around the environment and onto the screen. The game also contains an “Extra mutants mode” which increases the amount of mutants the player must kill to proceed, resulting in an increased intensity and frequency of violence. In addition the game contains a baby mutant that jumps onto the screen and explodes into bloody chunks when killed.”

In response to the ban, SEGA’s managing director, Darren Macbeth, had this to say:

“There are far worse titles currently available in the marketplace which involve more than shooting down mutants in humorous circumstances. We will do everything we can to prove that House of the Dead: Overkill is worthy of an MA15+ rating in Australia.”

The company had three choices on its hands: edit the game’s content so that the game is passed MA15+, challenge the RC rating, or don’t release the game in Australia. They chose the second option, and the Review Board will meet on September 26 to review the decision.

NSW Gives Support to R18+, All States Now On-Board

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

The ABC News is reporting that NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith has given his agreement in principle to the inclusion of an R18+ rating in Australia.

This news means that all states and territories have now signalled their support for the move, and discussions can begin on the guidelines to be used by the Classification Board under the new regime.

R18+ Games Australia would like to offer our congratulations to Greg Smith on his sensible decision and we welcome the continued development of the Classification system to incorporate this necessary and worthwhile addition.