R18+ rating for computer games
It's been a few years since my open letter to the then South Australia Attorney General. I'm happy to hear that the voices of the wider community has finally been answered.
The Standing Committee of Attorneys-General decided a few hours ago to introduce an R18+ rating for video games in Australia, in line with films and television.
With the exception of NSW which has abstained from the vote, all states and territories have agreed to implement the rating at some stage, and NSW is likely to follow after a separate meeting.
If you didn’t know, Australia is one of the few countries that do not possess an R18+ classification for video games.
This means that games rated Adults Only in the USA or Europe (like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto 4, Left 4 Dead 2 and Mortal Kombat) are refused classification and can’t be sold here.
What this meant was that some games (Left 4 Dead 2) are edited and released in Australia with toned-down violence to meet the MA15+ rating.
Other games are barred from entering the country since the developer refuses to edit the game (Mortal Kombat).
The worst scenario however, is that big budget games (Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto 4) are given preferential treatment, and reclassified as MA15+ with little to no edits in order to sell here. Year 10 students end up playing games that are meant for adults only.
Luckily for us, the end to misclassification looks near, and we adults can soon play the same games that the rest of the world is playing, while ensuring aussie parents know the difference between games for children, and games for adults.
Yeah!
Rounding up a week of pro R18 activism, and the big ‘up yours’ from Rebellion
*UPDATE: perhaps I am Nostradamus: AVP got unbanned, with no changes. Another full-flavored adult game (recognised internationally) that is given permission for sale in Australia for 15 year old kids. What is classification for?
Last week, I received an overwhelming response from site visitors regarding my open letter to Michael Atkinson. I wholeheartedly thank everyone who took time to read or post a comment.
To cap off a week of pro R18 games activism, Aliens vs Predator, a game based on the film saga of the same name (which was based on a game made in 1999 (which was based on a comic)) has just been refused classification by the Classification Board due to excessive violence.
UK-based developer Rebellion released the following statement:
"Rebellion is disappointed that its upcoming title Aliens vs. Predator has been banned in Australia. However, as we understand the law in that country, the authorities had no choice as we agree strongly that our game is not suitable for game players who are not adults."
"The content of AVP is based on some of the most innovative and iconic horror movies, and as such we wanted to create a title that was true to the source material. It is for adults, and it is bloody and frightening, that was our intent. We will not be releasing a sanitized or cut down version for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices."
What can I say? Gold. Absolute gold. I applaud Rebellion for giving Australian censors the big 'up yours' for wasting game development time to water-down games for high-school kids. When I think of games ruined by forced edits, No More Heroes and Left 4 Dead 2 come to mind. When will decision-makers like Michael Atkinson realise the true art-form that video-games have become? We don't gasp in horror at parents who have R18+ films in their cabinets, so why not games?
AVP would have been a fun game to play, but we gamers wouldn't give a toss about games getting banned, most adults are more than capable of acquiring these games by other means. The only victims here are retailers, and the humble Australian media industry. Though the AVP series didn't score well with the critics, it was still a box-office contender - the absence of this game is just less money for the economy. Even if Rebellion did decide to edit the game in order to release it (which will eventually happen), I doubt the shooting and stabbing would be toned down in a meaningful way for an MA15+ classification.
If every developer followed Rebellion's lead, perhaps more games would simply not be released in the country. EB Games will try to sell more copies of family-friendly games and mature gamers will simply import our games from New Zealand or download the game illegally. If this becomes habitual, perhaps people will stop buying games and films altogether, and retailers overstocked with The Sims eventually lose all business.
We need this R18+ classification in order to be relevant with the rest of the cultured world- please, support an R18+ classification by posting your support or emailing Mr Atkinson directly.
Maybe I'll keep talking about Flash from now...
/ragequit
Garry
Open Letter to South Australia Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson
Dear Mr Atkinson,
I take this opportunity to express my disappointment in your position against implementing an R18+ video game classification in Australia, and the fact that you are appealing the classification of Modern Warfare 2. As a media practitioner and video game enthusiast, I believe that the addition of an R18+ classification will in fact be an informative and practical safeguard for our children as opposed to an excuse to let more violent and/or sexually explicit material be placed on our store shelves. More importantly, I speak as a mature gamer (who accounts for the majority of the gaming population) who would prefer the choice whether or not to play adult games the same way as adults decide whether or not to watch violent or sexually explicit movies.
Foremost, I find it personally and professionally insulting that you have suggested that the banning of high-impact games is the same as banning child pornography in an interview you had with GameSpot. Child pornography is a grotesque crime in which children are victimised in its production, video games however have no such victims involved in their production or distribution. It is clear from this point alone that you are not in touch with the gravity of these issues, and to use it to form part of your argument is in the very least inappropriate.
I understand that there is still ongoing but inconclusive research both for and against your argument that high-impact media have direct effect on children and vulnerable adults, so I prefer not to bring this into my argument except to communicate to you that Craig Anderson's research does not represent that of the wider scientific community.
Examples such as Halo 3, The Witcher, Dead Rising and now Modern Warfare 2 have seen many un-edited games rated 18+ in foreign countries being given M15+ classifications in Australia. This proves that you (and your associates') stance on stubbornly refusing R18+ classification has potentially exposed our minors to content considered adult by the international community as you predicted would happen.
I do not deny that your veto has produced your desired result of forcing several games to be edited before being allowed classification in Australia, but the previous examples show how your policy has also resulted in undesirable results, the last of which is Modern Warfare 2: a best-seller that is already being played by thousands of Australians under 18 years old. If an R18+ classification had existed, Modern Warfare 2 would easily have been pushed into this restricted rating, forcing parents to rethink purchasing this game for their children.
Hopefully my words contribute to the Australian introduction of an R18+ video classification in the near future for the benefit of the wider community, not just the gamers.
Yours Sincerely,
Garry Law