Importation of games that have been refused classification into Australia.

[TheCakeIsALie]

I have been recently looking into buying a PS3 copy of Dark Sector from the UK. The only thing that is stopping me is that I have heard bad things about importing games that have been refused classification from overseas. I have heard about fines ranging from $500 to $26,000...the latter seeming highly unlikely. And seeing as I would be using someone I knows credit card to buy it cause I don't have one...I really don't want to get them into trouble.
Thanks in advance.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

Yahtzee imported a game for the wii...

 

[stompy]

Yahtzee imported a game for the wii...

Technically, Yahtzee did something illegal. If you import something into Australia which is refused classification, then you will get fined and could go to prison.

It's a shame too, since we Aussies will be missing out on an awesome game.

 

[kinch]

Hmmm... about 15 years ago back when I was in high school, my dad got back from a holiday to England. He brought with him a gift, a game called Phantasmagoria. At the time it was pretty interesting (came on 7 cds, and was among the early adopters of full-motion video capture/playback). When I told my friend at school about it, he gave me a magazine article about it, and how it had been banned in Australia (I believe the reason for the ban was a rape scene, but I never understood why, since the two people involved were clothed). I'm sure they're more strict these days about imports, but I really can't see you getting in much trouble if you buy a game and have it shipped to you from overseas.

 

[brabz]

It's not legal to own the game for personal use? I could see fines being dished out to persons selling and making a profit off of these games, but how exactly would they regulate a game title delivered from overseas?

 

[werepossum]

Yahtzee imported a game for the wii...

Technically, Yahtzee did something illegal. If you import something into Australia which is refused classification, then you will get fined and could go to prison.

It's a shame too, since we Aussies will be missing out on an awesome game.

Freedom is dead. Long live the nanny state!

 

[sma_warrior]

Dark Sector recently got a modded version reclassified as MA15+ if you're that desperate to play it and hyper concerned about something being illegal or not - go to a local store and order a copy.

(this isn't intended to start a debate on editing games and anyone who does start that should have their account blocked by the moderators)

 

[stompy]

It's not legal to own the game for personal use? I could see fines being dished out to persons selling and making a profit off of these games, but how exactly would they regulate a game title delivered from overseas?

I think they're pretty lax about personal use, but if you get caught, you can expect massive fines (for video games that is).

Freedom is dead. Long live the nanny state!

Ultrajoe and his companions are right: we need a revolution!

 

[sma_warrior]

It's not legal to own the game for personal use? I could see fines being dished out to persons selling and making a profit off of these games, but how exactly would they regulate a game title delivered from overseas?

I think they're pretty lax about personal use, but if you get caught, you can expect massive fines (for video games that is).

I would imagine the likelihood of being caught would be quite substantially increased with the new consoles being hooked up to the net and all...

 

[Eyclonus]

They are ways of getting it imported. Try being REALLY nice to any relatives overseas!

 

[stompy]

Yahtzee imported a game for the wii...

Technically, Yahtzee did something illegal. If you import something into Australia which is refused classification, then you will get fined and could go to prison.

It's a shame too, since we Aussies will be missing out on an awesome game.

Actually, he didn't the game was imported by the person who sold it to Games Trader, and even then it wasn't available to us only because it hadn't been coded yet and paid to be imported on a mass scale.

If you're sure about Manhunt's legal status in Australia, ok then. But, the legal status for Dark Sector, at the time of writing, if RC, and thus he can't legally import it. And shouldn't, for that matter.

 

[PurpleRain]

Yahtzee imported a game for the wii...

Not really. He got a earlier copy. SSBB came out around the review. So they probably had boxes of the things, just not displaying them.

As for the Manhunt review. That was given classification, just taken off the shelves. So if you have a copy that okie dokie.

 

[stompy]

No, they actually did retroactively ban it, and order that all copies be handed over (or something, I'm pretty sure you can't possess a copy).

Indigo's right; they banned the game some time after it was released, so Yahtzee could've legally obtained that game, finished it, reviewed it, and had it taken away... or not.

Regardless, you can't import Dark Sector OP. Sorry, but since it's been refused classification, you can't import it. The same goes for Fallout 3, so we Aussie gamers can't import and enjoy the game.

 

[Aries_Split]

I have been recently looking into buying a PS3 copy of Dark Sector from the UK. The only thing that is stopping me is that I have heard bad things about importing games that have been refused classification from overseas. I have heard about fines ranging from $500 to $26,000...the latter seeming highly unlikely. And seeing as I would be using someone I knows credit card to buy it cause I don't have one...I really don't want to get them into trouble.
Thanks in advance.

Dark Sector isn't worth it. Trust me, It's a piece of crap. It's whack a mole with fancy graphics.

 

[Xhumed]

So... I couldn't, for example, go to the UK, buy a copy, bring it back in my suitcase? Or perhaps just the discs in a CD holder? would customs even be on the lookout for that?