Aliens vs. Predator Classified MA15+

Friday, December 18th, 2009

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.

AVP Board Report, Publishers To Appeal

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Earlier in December it was reported that the upcoming game Aliens Vs Predator had been Refused Classification. R18+ Games Australia has obtained the decision report from the Classification Board, outlining the reasons for the ban. As expected, the Board takes issue with the game’s copious amounts of violence.

The game contains first-person perspective, 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.

In the opinion of the Board, the violence in the game causes a high playing impact due to its first-person, close-up perspective, conceptual nature and the level of explicit detail involved in the depictions. The game is therefore unsuitable for a minor to see or play and should be refused classification.

The Board was right to refuse this title: this level of violence is clearly unsuitable for a 15 year old to see. If this was a movie, it would receive an R18+ rating and everything would continue without a hitch – unfortunately, Australia continues to have a puzzling lack of an adults-only rating for video games, and so the Board was forced to ban the title.

Speaking to the media, Rebellion’s CEO Jason Kingley stated that:

“Rebellion is disappointed that its upcoming title Aliens vs. Predator has been banned in Australia. However, as we understand the law in that country the authorities had no choice as we agree strongly that our game is not suitable for game players who are not adults.”

“The content of AvP is based on some of the most innovative and iconic horror movies, and as such we wanted to create a title that was true to the source material. It is for adults, and it is bloody and frightening, that was our intent.”

“We will not be releasing a sanitized or cut down version for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices.”

Though they will not be releasing a cut-down version, publishers SEGA have confirmed that they are appealing the ban, with the Classifications Appeal Board due to hear the case tomorrow, Friday the 18th of December. Given the past failure of titles such as Left 4 Dead 2 to overturn the bans, and the statement of Rebellion that they will not sanitise the title for Australia, it seems like we will miss out completely on this game.

You can download the full text of the Classification Board’s Decision Report (PDF) by clicking here.