Australian Gamers Rejoice!

[Shazbah]

Today (as of 2 hours ago) all the state attorney generals agreed (in principle) to a R18+ rating for Australia! So now we can finally stop being the joke of a gaming country!
ABC Online News;
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-22/australia-moves-towards-r-rating-for-video-games/2806882?section=entertainment

Anyway, with this in mind, any games you think/want to be released? I think I speak for a lot of gamers when I say a proper version of Left4Dead 2, I know it's been out for a while now, but a proper copy would be nice

 

[Dr.Panties]

This sounded like excellent news, until...

"JASON OM: Gamers shouldn't get too excited about all extreme games entering Australia. Those games are still likely to come under RC or refused classification."

I'm hopeful, yet my cynicism remains.

 

[loodmoney]

To add to the above worry:

Our view is to fold the MA15+ into the R18 classification, when it comes in, so that in effect an extra sticker goes on top of the box. Where it says MA15, there'll be an R18 sticker put over that MA15 in South Australia.

But it's a start.

Personally, I haven't been too affected by the lack of an R18+ rating, but it will be good enough if it stopps the rest of the world laughing at our supposed nanny state government that removes every bit of violence from every game ever.

 

[Von Strimmer]

I do believe one of the Attorney Generals came out and said that any game that was banned will not be unbanned. Furthermore they will still ban games that the censorship board (or classification board) deems unfit for Australian eyes. Now I have to try and track down the article. It's on the Escapist somewhere.

 

[Terminally Chill]

Why the hell does SA have to make everything so goddamn difficult.

But, really, I'm happy. Just - jesus, there's an easy way and a hard way, and they went for Chaos mode. Pick just about anyone off the street and they could do a better job than these schmucks.

 

[Bobbity]

On the other hand, we're not getting TOR on release. So it's six up and half a dozen down.

 

[Techno Squidgy]

Congrats Aussie gamers on your new freedom!
What do you mean, now you can be a joke of a gaming country? You always have been, guys

 

[Haagrum]

Not exactly what I'd have liked, but better than the alternative. Now I'll wait for the Murdoch press to start screaming about the Gillard government unleashing this tidal wave of murder and smut on young children, like the "fair and balanced" news service that it is.

My understanding of the new ratings classification system was that to get banned, a game needs to involve reward-related drug use, criminality, sexual violence or truly excessive guts and gore. I think that's a fair line to draw. Hopefully they'll reconsider some of the previously-banned games under the new system.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I do believe one of the Attorney Generals came out and said that any game that was banned will not be unbanned.

It was O'Connor himself who said that. Of course, that set a lot of people waving their arms and running in circles instead of reading the rest of his statement (admittedly half the media didn't bother reporting the important part) where he said that when the new classification scheme in introduced previously RC'ed or modified titles will be allowed to resubmit for a new assessment.

 

[Shazbah]

Congrats Aussie gamers on your new freedom!
What do you mean, now you can be a joke of a gaming country? You always have been, guys

Wow, I'm so tired, that was meant to say the opposite, no idea why I said that...

 

[projectX42]

finally us Australian have seen the truth, don't know why it took them so long to get around to it our own government had to admit their was not link between games and violence

dobt believe me? the link

http://afr.com/rw/2009-2014/AFR/2010/12/01/Photos/e0ddc5b2-fd12-11df-a8cc-e31df0216e94_Literature%20review%20on%20the%20impact%20of%20playing%20violent%20video%20games%20on%20aggression.pdf

 

[Von Strimmer]

Must have glossed over that part... Thank you Australian media for your unbiased and completely factual reporting of this issue

/sarcasm

On a further note you sir have made my day with that little gem of information

captcha: talk turkey? is it a sign the government is lying?

 

[TheFinalFantasyWolf]

Wow, this is pretty cool, I wonder what'll happen next ^-^

I wonder if Yahtzee will mention this as a side note in his next review. (Since he lives in Australia) It would be nice to hear him be cheerful, at least for 50% cheerful. Er, make that 25%, no no, 10%-5% cheerful. Yeah I think even that ammount will make my day