South AU replacing MA15+ with R18+ for games

[doggie135]

http://au.games.ign.com/articles/118/1182354p1.html

While I'm a New Zealander, I think this is both pathetic on behalf on Australia's government and unfair for all the 12-17 year-old gamers who wish to enjoy their art-form.

Why can't Games and Movies just share? :/

Putting it frankly though, imagine Uncharted being rated Adults Only...


Discuss.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

I'm rather happy I'm not staying in Aussie anymore. Like jeez... really? When Aussie gamers said they wanted a R18 rating for games, I don't think they meant it quite like this.

 

[SoulSalmon]

... Ok, well, thats it then.
Should I move to The Netherlands, Japan, or Germany?

 

[ChupathingyX]

Glad I don't live in South Australia.

Just hope this doesn't transfer over to Victoria :/

 

[Superior Mind]

John Rau continuing SA's streak started by Michael Atkinson of having Australia's most idiotic Attorney General I see. Ridiculous. All I can say is Aussie gamers, make your voices heard. Fight for your right to game without clueless old men deciding what you can or can not enjoy.

Ihis has some positive effects for gamers over 18 in that hopefully it'll mean an end to games being banned, at least in SA. Still it still represents a continuation of Australia's stupid ratings system.

I'm a New Zealander too but I'm always pissed off about this issue on behalf of my Aussie cousins.

 

[Zhukov]

Well, um... baby steps, right?

Heh. I would be significantly more annoyed by this if I were under 18 and living in SA.

 

[Zenode]

I don't see a problem with this. Some games DESERVED to be in the R18+ category, but were bumped down to MA15+

You know...there is still a Straight M rating, the games that are on the lesser end of the MA scale will more than likely end up in the M rating.

 

[LookingGlass]

I'm OK with this going national... but of course I'm over 18.

The problem as I see it, which led to this, is that the way they've been arguing about the need for an R18+ rating is by saying that young people (15-17) are able to play games that they shouldn't be allowed to and that providing an R18+ rating would fix this. So basically, they're saying games are being rated MA15+ when they should be R18+ (so they're saying there are games which should be banned under the current system that are MA15+). Which means they're basically saying the raters are getting it wrong. Not really the right way to make a proposal.

We're actually trying to let more games be legal for sale in this country... for adults. You know, people who are able to make their own decisions on what is and is not appropriate.

 

[Project_Xii]

I'm over 18. So I don't care. I actually think it's a good thing. Now it means kids can't buy the games at my store, and parents will know exactly what type of game they're buying for their kids. If they still want to buy it for the kids, sure no problem, but at least it's clear now. GTA 4 should not be MA15+, and i'm sick of parents not understanding that.

Really the only people that WILL cry about this are people under 18. Sucks, people, but you'll live. You're not a teenager forever.

 

[deltoid]

What a bunch of noobs. Sounds like the input of gaming community has just been ignored again.

 

[NerfedFalcon]

I already bought Fallout 3, Bioshock, Just Cause 2, Left 4 Dead 2 (the censored version), Half Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 (while it still cost money up front) on Steam. I also have Call of Duty 4 on hard-copy, from before they introduced this. I live in Victoria, and I really hope it doesn't spread here. If it does, well...I'll just tell my parents that I found the gore in Bioshock and Half Life 2 don't go any further than blood splatters on the walls, and I never really got into Fallout 3 anyway.

 

[doggie135]

My issue is more that Games aren't getting the same treatment as Films.

However, as I said before, imagine something like Uncharted being handed the same classification as Lars Von Trier's Antichrist...

 

[NerfedFalcon]

GTA 4 should not be MA15+, and i'm sick of parents not understanding that.

And what about games that should? Like, say, Half Life 2? I found that to be rather mild compared to stuff like modern Fallout or, yes, GTA.

Let's take a film for a second: The Dark Knight. In no game rated M, or most games currently rated MA, will you find anything on the same level as the Joker's pencil trick or half of Harvey Dent's face being burned off. Compare Half Life 2, where the worst the game gets is Ravenholm.

Spoiler: For the record...

That's the chapter where you use a Gravity Gun and sawblades to slice headcrab zombies in two.

But just because it's interactive, people think it's worse. ...Seriously?

Edit:

My issue is more that Games aren't getting the same treatment as Films.

However, as I said before, imagine something like Uncharted being handed the same classification as Lars Von Trier's Antichrist...

Quoted for truth. Pretty much what I said, only I used a different example: Zelda: Twilight Princess being rated the same as The Dark Knight.

 

[Pat8u]

Skyrim has the pssibilty of being R oh right I have parents to get these games for me(Note:I will only get games that are supposed to me mA 15 +
EDIT: What about Digital distribution hmm?

 

[Octorok]

Sweet Incompetent Jesus! Australia, IT'S NOT THAT DAMN DIFFICULT.

Some games should be 18's, some should be 15's... not... Not one or the other... It's just....

The mind boggles at the kind of stupidity required by so many people on so many levels to cock this up this badly. It's actually something quite special that any body of people can indeed all be insane, gormless raving bureaucrats without anyone interjecting.

I pity you, Australia. You seemed to be doing Independence so well, up until this videogames thing. Maybe you and Canada should just come home and have the UK run your business for a while....

 

[deltoid]

Skyrim has the pssibilty of being R oh right I have parents to get these games for me(Note:I will only get games that are supposed to me mA 15 +
EDIT: What about Digital distribution hmm?

That's always been the case. When I was under 18 - just find someone who's over 18 and bam you've solved the problem.

In regards to Digital Distribution, I don't think they would have much control over that except doing what they have done to previous titles (aka Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead 2) and just take out the 'gory' and 'innapropriate' content so that everyone has the same game. Interestingly enough I did notice that if you had someone buy the content for you as a gift (in another country like Taiwan) you got the uncensored copy. Don't know whether that still happens though.

 

[Zipa]

Dear God Australia your government is officially retarded. They should be listening to the gaming community... to people like Yahtzee who actually have a fucking clue about the games industry.

 

[Project_Xii]

And what about games that should? Like, say, Half Life 2? I found that to be rather mild compared to stuff like modern Fallout or, yes, GTA.

Let's take a film for a second: The Dark Knight. In no game rated M, or most games currently rated MA, will you find anything on the same level as the Joker's pencil trick or half of Harvey Dent's face being burned off. Compare Half Life 2, where the worst the game gets is Ravenholm.

Funny you should mentioned the Dark Knight. I was watching it the other night, and I noticed the length they had to go to in order to make it M/MA.

You mention the pencil trick, but have you watched that scene closely? The Joker just slams the guys head down. You don't see anything, but the implication of what just happened is what makes us go "Awwwww no way". The same for the Joker slitting the mob bosses throat/face in a scene just after this. We don't see it happen, we just here a "schlit" sound and his cronies look shocked.

This is the difference. In games, we see everything. In GTA 4, you actively point-blank execute people. BAM. No mercy, right in the head. Not mindless pedestrians, much akin to dolls, wandering the streets. Talking, borderline-realistic people you've built a connection with, often begging you not to do it. I'm as desensitised as they come, but during these scenes I was definitely a little disturbed, and resolved to never let my child play this until I thought he was good and ready.

So while most games now days have violence, there's a difference between moderate implied violence (eg. Assassins Creed, where the attacks LOOK brutal, but there's no dismemberments and the blood is negligable), and gratutious, over the top violence. I'd like to think the censors will acknowledge this, but I can't say for sure :/ We'll have to see. But really, I'm just glad we're finally getting a rating system that let's parents know once and for all that some of these games are NOT meant for children. A few M rated game casualities along the way are just a nessacary sacrifice, and again, won't piss off anyone but the kiddies.

 

[Sprinal]

Well if it gets banned and I want it HELLO PIRATE BAY

Really though its pointless banning or censoring stuff in a world where the majority of the western world has a permanent internet connection.

And this is what (in my opinion) this is. IT DOESN'T work and never will. So the people sitting in parliament house need to understand