R18+ games legislation hits (Australian) parliament

R18+ games legislation hits (Australian) parliament

www.computerworld.com.au

Minister for home affairs, Jason Clare, has introduced legislation into parliament that will pave the way for an R18+ classification for video games. The state and territory governments will also have to introduce legislation to allow adults only games.

“The R 18+ category will inform consumers, parents and retailers about which games are not suitable for minors to play, and will prevent minors from purchasing unsuitable material,” Clare said in a statement.

Australia's highest current rating is MA15+ and games that exceed that classification's criteria are refused classification.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It's about time! The only reason Australia doesn't already have an R18+ rating for computer games is because of the powerful religious lobby that exists, skulking around the heels of our politicians.

I realise this doesn't effect everybody, only gamers in Australia, but this is a HUGE leap forward and has the potential to revitalise a failing, stagnant gaming industry that is clinging on for dear life currently here in Oz.

www.computerworld.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

Australia has always been screwed up regarding video games.

Good thing the crazies are weakening.

Well it looks like the voices of gamers have finally been heard. While it has not passed yet, it is only a matter of time until it does. There are already R rated movies and pornos, why not games?

reply to post by Dark Ghost

There are already R rated movies and pornos, why not games?

I never buy games from Australian shops anyway. I mean who goes into a game shop that doesn't have any of the good R18+ games (or just censored versions), and buys ridiculously over priced games... when they could just go onto the internet and buy what ever damn game they want for half the price. What pissed me off most was when they messed with Fallout 3.

Because of the changes that Bethesda had to make to accomodate the Australian MA15+ rating, they decided that rather than release two separate versions globally, they would roll out the changes to the international version of Fallout 3 also. As a result, gamers internationally were forced to play the watered-down Australian version rather than enjoy it as the designers intended, which caused a considerable outcry amongst the community.

Fallout 3

The people making these decisions in Australia need to grow the hell up, it infuriates me.

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


Yep, thanks to 'Steam' and now EA's 'Origin' I have turned to downloading the international versions of games (with a little tweaking to get them to accept I am not in Oz).

Thank goodness I will only have to do that for another few months before this legislation comes into effect.

reply to post by Kryties


I wasn't aware gamers in Australia had this problem. Glad steps are being taken to fix it! Still, It makes me wonder what happens to the games that go over the MA15+ class and don't get classified? If I had to guess it sounds like those games wouldn't be as easy to find and therefore buy?

We had some computer stores here in my part of Ohio a few years ago who refused to carry games, music, and movies that went over the into our version of the MA range of ratings. That store chain went bankrupt soon thereafter.

It's about time Australia started to move away from being a nanny nation, it's always annoyed me the fact the government believes they know what's best for me, and feel the need to restrict my choices in a great many ways.

reply to post by Kryties

Yep, thanks to 'Steam' and now EA's 'Origin' I have turned to downloading the international versions of games (with a little tweaking to get them to accept I am not in Oz).

Eh steam sucks as well. They force you to do everything their way or the high way. Screw that. I want the game installed as a single unit on my machine, not part of some convoluted steam setup that makes modding the games harder and more prone to bugs. At least Fallout 3 could be installed without steam, but New Vegas was steam only from what I could tell, so I was forced to get the steam version. It's the only game I have on steam, and if I didn't need steam to play New Vegas I most certainly wouldn't. I mean what happens in the future if steam goes out of business and shut down their servers. Ooooops, too bad folks, all your games will become unplayable because steam wont be able to log you in properly.

I just buy games from online international game shops or websites like eBay and wait a few extra days for it to arrive.

reply to post by Inquisitive1

Still, It makes me wonder what happens to the games that go over the MA15+ class and don't get classified? If I had to guess it sounds like those games wouldn't be as easy to find and therefore buy?

They simply don't let those games into Australia, and I even think it's illegal to have them imported into Australia. Although it's still easy to buy them and get them shipped here, customs never seems to be worried about things like that, well I've never had a problem anyway.

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


Yeah I am not the biggest fan of Steam either, nor Origin for that matter, but I like to get my games relatively instantly rather than waiting weeks for shipment from the international community.

FINALLY!

I hope that the introduction of an R-18 category will revitalise the Aussie Game Industry, as it desperately needs it.

Why should a grown adult miss out on adult natured games because kids also play games, don't kids also watch movies? so why can they still sell movies with an r+18 media, their is one difference ... one device uses a remote and the other a controller... both are means of control. Games in my honest opinion may mimic life but their not.. they are pixels on a screen run by a machine. Politicians who ignore this are ignorant and need to be educated. R18 games all the way, kids under 18 stay away!!!!

reply to post by camouflaged


It's not so much the politicians, but the powerful religious lobby that has gained a foothold here in Australia. Snaking around in the background, pretending to be so morally right and thinking they know what's best for the average Aussie and we don't.

It truly is sickening.

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder
reply to post by Inquisitive1

 

Still, It makes me wonder what happens to the games that go over the MA15+ class and don't get classified? If I had to guess it sounds like those games wouldn't be as easy to find and therefore buy?

They simply don't let those games into Australia, and I even think it's illegal to have them imported into Australia. Although it's still easy to buy them and get them shipped here, customs never seems to be worried about things like that, well I've never had a problem anyway.

Now I see the full reason behind the frustrations of Australian gamers like you. That's a very crappy process to go through just to get some good games. Thank the gods of button smashing and dungeon grinding that you all won't have to do that for long. Well, lets hope it (the legislation) passes anyway.

Then you shall all hopefully witness the feeling of playing your beloved, gore filled, R18+ video games the SAME day you buy them off a SHELF -- though it may be high, and behind the counter..

reply to post by Inquisitive1

Then you shall all hopefully witness the feeling of playing your beloved, gore filled, R18+ video games the SAME day you buy them off a SHELF -- though it may be high, and behind the counter..

I wouldn't be surprised if they did keep them behind the counter. Though even if this legislation passes I still wont be going into the shops to buy my games, because they are much cheaper from online shops. I don't mind waiting a few extra days for my games to arrive, I'm not a very impatient person. You see all these Australian shops whining like little children that everyone is starting to buy stuff online (which are often foreign owned businesses) and it's affecting their business and the economy... well maybe if they didn't overprice things people wouldn't need to buy things online so much, did they ever think of that? Everyone wants a free market and open competition, but then when online businesses offer lower prices they throw a tantrum and make a big fuss. I laugh at their stupidity.