Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Publisher: ZeniMax Media
Release Date: 31 October 2008

See the Classification Board entry.

Fallout 3 was initially refused classification in Australia by the Classification Board. They objected to the high level of realistic drug use involved in the game, specifically noting that players could use morphine to dull pain, and that the use of drugs was too realistic, providing players with an incentive to use them. The Classification Board did not object to the level of violence in the game, noting that “the violence in Fallout 3 which includes large blood bursts, dismemberment and post-mortem damage is strong in impact” and “can be accomodated at an MA15+ rating”.

Bethesda Softworks through their publishers withdrew the game and made a series of edits to it, resubmitting it to the classification board in late August. The major change made to the game was to alter the depiction of the game’s drugs to reduce their realism and change their effects. All real-life drug names were removed and replaced with fictional alternatives, which satisfied the board’s criteria that there was no incentive or reward for a player to choose to use drugs. The game was released on October 31 2008 in Australia with an MA15+ rating.

Fallout 3 is an violent and adult game. It features a dynamic combat system which allows players to selectively target enemy limbs and provides real time depictions of the damage inflicted, ranging from dismemberment to exploding heads. The player explores a devastated post-apocalyptic landscape and is exposed to many mature themes such as strong language, slavery, drug use and the supernatural. Though the drug use was altered to reduce its realism it still plays a major part in the game and is often useful for helping players to perform even greater acts of violence.

Because of the changes that Bethesda had to make to accomodate the Australian MA15+ rating, they decided that rather than release two separate versions globally, they would roll out the changes to the international version of Fallout 3 also. As a result, gamers internationally were forced to play the watered-down Australian version rather than enjoy it as the designers intended, which caused a considerable outcry amongst the community.

Even with these changes, Fallout 3 is still rated for 18 years old and above in Britain, New Zealand and across Europe. In the United States it is rated M17+. In Australia however, this violent and adult game is legally available to children as young as 15, simply because Australia lacks the capability to restrict games to adults only.

Parents need to be informed about the high-impact content that games like Fallout 3 expose the players to. Currently, our ratings system has no way of protecting children from being exposed to games like this, and that needs to change.