EA calls for R18+ rating

Friday, May 7th, 2010

The SCAG meeting takes place in Melbourne today, and we are yet to find out whether Australia finally receives an R18+ rating for video games. In the meantime, Frank Gibeau, president of EA games, has released a statement (through gamesindustry.biz) likening Australia’s refusal to add an R18+ rating is a form of censorship, and he urges the Attorney-Generals to vote unanimously in favour of the new R18+ rating. The statement reflects not only his views, but the views of his entire company that adult consumers can make their own choices.

Gibeau then goes on to explain the changes in the userbase, saying that the average age of gamers is 28, yet the rating system only goes up to MA15+. This “demonstrates a distance between those policies and the reality of the video game industry and the people that play interactive games in Australia today.” and the legislation “effectively censor[s] entertainment choices for adults.”

Read the full statement here. Note that you have to login or register with the site to be able to read it.

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