I think GOW 3 will be banned in Oz

[Macgyvercas]

*sigh* I feel sorry for Aussies.

STFU Atkinson, and get an M rating for Christ sake!

Sorry, I rant at people against video games from time to time. (Next on my list of people to yell at: Jack Thompson)

 

[yoyo13rom]

I think you guys should just pirate those games (that's how we did it in my country at least)

 

[Georgeman]

Well... considering that the vast majority of the enemies in the game are monstrous rather than humanoid, I don't really think it will necessarily be banned. Then again, that was the excuse of the ban commitee for the Left 4 Dead 2 ban and considering its incosistency, well according to what I've heard, one can never be sure.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

It won't get banned... it'll be punished with death penalty! It'll be crucified and burnt in front of all God of War fans.

 

[Delock]

It will probably be banned, and a good thing too. It clearly teaches children to be ancient Grecian demigods and disembowel mythical creatures with oversized weapons and magic powers. You have no idea how many times I walk down the street and see children randomly and senselessly decapitating a Gorgon.

It doesn't even have to be that fanciful. My proof: Dead Rising. If there was going to be any game that caused violence, it would be the one where every object you came across was a weapon (and it showed you exactly how to use them.

Seriously, I'm American and I'm beginning to hate Michael Atkinson (he's like your Jack Thompson).

 

[AddytheGreat]

If that gets classified in Australia I'll eat my hat

 

[oppp7]

I think that you guys should learn how to vote properly.
On a more serious note, If L4D2 got banned God of War 3 is well within the red zone.

It was either Labour or the even more conservative Liberal party. Who have the same policy on video games.

A liberal conservative party...?
OT: Ya, it probably will... Why don't you guys have a massive protest?
A little off-topic, but what are Atkinson's views on other issues, such as gay marriage and the economy?

 

[Arcane Azmadi]

Possibly, although the main problem the OFLC had with L4D2 was that it was set in the first person, in the modern day, and that you were hacking apart living, albeit mutated, humans (if the infected had been actual "walking dead" zombies it might have got away uncensored). On the other hand, God of War 3 is played in the 3rd person, set in a mythological setting and has you (mostly) ripping apart monsters. So the OFLC are likely to treat it not quite as harshly as they did L4D2, but it's still quite possible they'd rule it R18+ material (and thus refuse it classification).

Although for my part, I don't really care about God of War 3. I bought the original game and played it for a bit, but it never held my interest, which is kind of odd because I beat Devil May Cry 1 & 2 and played 3 up until I met Agni and Rudra (being too proud to lower the difficulty, my run stopped right there. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThatOneBoss]) Maybe I'm just over 3rd person action games.

 

[Acaroid]

I think that you guys should learn how to vote properly.
On a more serious note, If L4D2 got banned God of War 3 is well within the red zone.

doesnt matter they both have the same policy when it comes to video games, it is STUPID...

what we really need to do is get together has a large group and stage mass protests for getting a R rating for video games.

 

[MasterKirov]

OK, everyone who is commenting about how Australia sucks, shut up. That's not what this is about.

Also, we have no say in who is picked to be Attorney General. Voting won't change that. If you don't know why we don't have an R18+ rating, do some research. In a vote to introduce an R18+ rating for games, all state's Attorney Generals were required to agree. South Australia's Michael Atkinson said no. The rest said yes.

Atkinson is misguided. His reasoning for saying no is that he "doesn't want kids to be able to get their hands on adult content" (or words to that effect). However, this has, in some cases, made it easier for kids to access 'adult' content. Take Borderlands for example. A fairly violent game that was rated 18+ in Europe, whereas in Australia it was rated MA15+ (The highest AU rating for video games).

In short, it's not our fault one person is a douche.

I agree there. Although mind you, I heard Aussie shopkeepers were a lot stricter on who buys what than everyone else, so while his reason is sound, the odds are generally lower than say the UK or the US.

 

[The Austin]

Lets reserve GOW for Gears of War, OK guys?

God of War was first
God of War is actually a good game
Gears is Gears.

oh and /soothe to all you aussies.

WOOT! REBUTTAL TIME!

In order:

Yes, but GOW is more commonly used for Gears of War
So is Gears of War
Yea, Gears could work.... But I don't like compromise.


So... Yea.

 

[dls182]

I agree there. Although mind you, I heard Aussie shopkeepers were a lot stricter on who buys what than everyone else, so while his reason is sound, the odds are generally lower than say the UK or the US.

I work in a video store so I deal with a lot of kids trying to hire movies or games that are restricted. In Australia we have 2 ratings that restrict who can hire/buy movies. MA15+ and R18+. You can probably see what ages they're restricted to. I'm quite strict about this for one main reason. If I hire a movie to someone who is not of an appropriate age to view it (ie. under 15 or 18), I'm liable for a $5000 dollar fine and the store itself gets a $10,000 fine. So there is good reason to be strict! I'm not sure how tight the laws are in other countries.

Unfortunately, these laws are made redundant if a parent comes in. I'm sick of negligent asswipes hiring their 10 year olds movies rated R. That's what Atkinson should focus his criticisms on, not the gamers that haven't done anything wrong

 

[MasterKirov]

I agree there. Although mind you, I heard Aussie shopkeepers were a lot stricter on who buys what than everyone else, so while his reason is sound, the odds are generally lower than say the UK or the US.

I work in a video store so I deal with a lot of kids trying to hire movies or games that are restricted. In Australia we have 2 ratings that restrict who can hire/buy movies. MA15+ and R18+. You can probably see what ages they're restricted to. I'm quite strict about this for one main reason. If I hire a movie to someone who is not of an appropriate age to view it (ie. under 15 or 18), I'm liable for a $5000 dollar fine and the store itself gets a $10,000 fine. So there is good reason to be strict! I'm not sure how tight the laws are in other countries.

Unfortunately, these laws are made redundant if a parent comes in. I'm sick of negligent asswipes hiring their 10 year olds movies rated R. That's what Atkinson should focus his criticisms on, not the gamers that haven't done anything wrong

I absolutely agree with your point. Here in England, we basically allow eleven year olds to run around with copies of Gears of War. We place responsibility on the parent rather than the clerk at the store.

In some ways thats a good thing - like what shows your kids watch for instance - but it also means we are much more likely to have incidents like the infamous "Manhunt murder" commited a few years ago. I don't belive "New Media are Evil" , but i do put the blame on both the parents for not checking thoughougly (and most don't as far as i know) and the goverment for having a lassies faire attitude. Its not like these kids do the innocent hobby of sneaking into a cinema to watch a over their age group movie!

At the same time though, i do think the Aussie censorship takes it overboard. I'm one of the very few who ae actually glad L4D2 got banned over there - not because of the gore, or a malicious reason, but because i see it in my opinion as inferior to the first L4D and I am doing my best to boycott it. However, between that and things like Gears (where you can disable the blood and even the language in case a minor walks in), there's a thin line.

It may be that GoW 3 is released in Oz. If it is, i expect it to be a watered down version.

PS: What kind of country doesn't have a "M for Mature" rating? Sounds kinda silly.

 

[Jabberwock xeno]

I swear, Austrailia, europe and the US (where I live) need to get a realty check. we are all paranoid of "corrupting our youth" and crap. anything you can think of in a videogame, a person has seen worse.

 

[Threx]

It will easily be banned and I know it has been stated but if Left 4 Dead 2 is cancelled for realease than they shouldn't have much faith for any more games.:S

 

[dls182]

PS: What kind of country doesn't have a "M for Mature" rating? Sounds kinda silly.

Our rating system is pretty good, other than the obvious omission of an R18+. We have G (General - for everyone), PG (Parental Guidance recommended), M (Mature - parental guidance for people under 15) and MA15+ (Restricted to people under 15). It's logical to have the adult rating there. The fact that it's not is ridiculous

 

[Kermi]

Also I agree, he is quite the douche. Someone needs to go Agent 47 on his ass. Fibrewire anyone?

It's comments like this that Atkinson uses against the gaming community to prove his point that gamers aren't mature enough to handle having an R18+ rating.

 

[Dys]

Can you not just import PS3 games easily over there, or is the import tax as steep as the other taxes you pay.

Damn, fuck being an Ozzy. No wonder they all come over here.

We can import, though it's rather illegal. And a LOT cheaper. Like, $40 odd. Guess what I'll be doing regardless of the ban (though I still have the first two to play through)?

 

[AWC Viper]

I think that you guys should learn how to vote properly.

it's only one person who's stopping it and all the-goody-two shoes who support him.