Australia Bans Dead or Alive: Dimensions After All

[John Funk]

Australia Bans Dead or Alive: Dimensions After All

Dead or Alive: Dimensions' "PG" rating in Australia has been revoked.

When Dead or Alive: Dimensions was been banned in Sweden [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110509-Dead-or-Alive-on-3DS-Gets-PG-Rating-in-Australia] over concerns that the free-camera mode could allow gamers to look up the skirts of the title's buxom (and underage) girls - and Australia had some of the most notorious games censorship guidelines in the world.

Well, be amazed no longer, because that classification has been revoked [http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/find.nsf/5b6ebdff7f5b9a24ca2575ca00062226/041910cf6ad468f9ca2578310057fa68?OpenDocument]. As of today, Dead or Alive: Dimensions cannot be sold in Australia, and copies of the 3DS fighter have been pulled from store shelves.

According to GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6318966/dead-or-alive-dimensions-aussie-rating-revoked], the Aussie classification board says that the original classification was based off of incomplete information supplied by THQ, which usually distributes Tecmo's games in Australia. "Information provided to the Board last week suggested that the game contained content not drawn to the Board's attention in the original classification application," said a spokesperson for the group.

Presumably, the information in question is that some of the girls in the game are under the age of 18 - though Nintendo Australia, who has taken over distribution of the title from THQ, says that the game does not include information about the characters' ages at all.

"When Nintendo Australia agreed to distribute the Dead or Alive: Dimensions game in Australia, it had already been submitted for classification by another video game company," a Nintendo AU representative told GameSpot. Nintendo also intends to submit the game for re-classification in the hopes of getting the title another rating that would allow it to be sold in the country. May I suggest simply going into the data files and changing that "17" to "18"? It'd do you a world of good, fellas.

Though Australia's Federal Minister of Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor supports introducing an 18+ rating [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6299917.html] to the classification board, his office issued a statement in support of Dead or Alive's nixing. "The material in this game is clearly not appropriate to be played by children," read the statement. "I am pleased the Classification Board took swift action to address community concerns."

I dunno. I think if Brendan O'Connor and the rest of the Aussie classification board are concerned about panty-shots, they should forbid Australians from ever visiting Japan. Their heads might explode the moment they got off the plane.

(GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6318966/dead-or-alive-dimensions-aussie-rating-revoked])

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[Z of the Na'vi]

I dunno. I think if Brendan O'Connor and the rest of the Aussie classification board are concerned about panty-shots, they should forbid Australians from ever visiting Japan. Their heads might explode the moment they got off the plane.

If such a fate is appropriate for those who create such a ludicrous game rating system, then I will help pay for their ticket myself.

It would at least open their minds a little.

 

[RatRace123]

I'm starting to think Australia's policy of banning games is a conspiracy by the Australian Tourism Bureau.
Think about it, they ban games so people can't play them. If they can't play games then they have to go outside and go to one of Australia's fine beaches or partake in other delights native to that paradise on Earth.
Then secret bureau agents take snapshots of all the people on the beaches and puts them in a travel brochure all to ensure that Australia has a constant stream of tourists.
WHO ARE THEN GROUND UP INTO VEGEMITE
VEGEMITE IS PEOPLE, VEGEMITE IS PEOPLE!!!

It's all so obvious now, and it's a better explanation than the classification board being staffed entirely with people who are determined to be buzzkills.

 

[Macgyvercas]

I dunno. I think if Brendan O'Connor and the rest of the Aussie classification board are concerned about panty-shots, they should forbid Australians from ever visiting Japan. Their heads might explode the moment they got off the plane.

If such a fate is appropriate for those who create such a ludicrous game rating system, then I will help pay for their ticket myself.

It would at least open their minds a little.

OHHH! BURN!

I salute you to the highest degree, my good sir.

 

[Ghengis John]

Though Australia's Federal Minister of Home Affairs Brendan O'Connor supports introducing an 18+ rating [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6299917.html] to the classification board, his office issued a statement in support of Dead or Alive's nixing. "The material in this game is clearly not appropriate to be played by children," read the statement. "I am pleased the Classification Board took swift action to address community concerns."

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6299917.html

So wait, you're telling me that there currently is no adult rating for video games in Austrailia? It's either a game is safe for or caters to children or it can GTFO? I don't mean to simplify matters here, but that seems astonishingly behind the times. I wish Mr O'Conner and other supporters of creating the classification luck.

Then secret bureau agents take snapshots of all the people on the beaches and puts them in a travel brochure all to ensure that Australia has a constant stream of tourists.
WHO ARE THEN GROUND UP INTO VEGEMITE
VEGEMITE IS PEOPLE, VEGEMITE IS PEOPLE!!!

I loved the evolution here. Then again, I post things like number 25 in this thread: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.283150-Poll-Fooly-Cooly-Vs-Kissxsis#11121186 Kudos to you, good sir.

 

[SageRuffin]

Man... Australia must really hate games geared towards older players.

Though I do fault this partly on the developers, Team Ninja. I used to be a strong follower of the DoA franchise (until 4 hit, now everything sucks), and not once were Ayane and Kasumi's ages mentioned in-game. It's not until you pull up one of the authentic Japanese player guides (or the image books; they're kinda like artbooks) that the character's ages are revealed, them being 16 and 17 respectively.

I can understand being up in arms about it to a degree, and the developers themselves are partly to blame, but I'd be more concerned about getting kicked through the jaw trying to get that random panty shot than whether or not some kid might see the girls' panties... while kicking someone through the jaw.

 

[Worgen]

I dont get why they dont just say the chars are 18, I mean they already look 18, all you need to do is change one number and boom, legal

 

[OceanRunner]

Australia's big wigs are probably paranoid shut-ins, like Mr Burns in "$pringfield".

 

[Imp_Emissary]

I'm starting to think Australia's policy of banning games is a conspiracy by the Australian Tourism Bureau.
Think about it, they ban games so people can't play them. If they can't play games then they have to go outside and go to one of Australia's fine beaches or partake in other delights native to that paradise on Earth.
Then secret bureau agents take snapshots of all the people on the beaches and puts them in a travel brochure all to ensure that Australia has a constant stream of tourists.
WHO ARE THEN GROUND UP INTO VEGEMITE
VEGEMITE IS PEOPLE, VEGEMITE IS PEOPLE!!!

It's all so obvious now, and it's a better explanation than the classification board being staffed entirely with people who are determined to be buzzkills.

O_O Yahtzee has been eating people?!

.....Actually, that makes sense. Nevermind.

 

[Imp_Emissary]

Because as we all know, only children play video-games.

Yeah, and Bulletstorm promotes rape.(FOX)

When people say things like this,(and are listened to), I just feel like rage quitting the world.

>_< Or making the ones who say this crap others force quit.

 

[Kajin]

Australia is obviously embarrassed that someone banned something they didn't, and is trying to rectify that mistake with a hasty retcon. Poor, backwards Australia. When will you learn that it is utterly impossible for you to be among the "in" crowd of nations?

 

[MrTub]

Please give me a real link that Sweden banned this game, and perhaps mention that Denmark and Norway is also not getting this game.


I do not understand why they do not just change the age on characters.. Should solve their problems (I might be wrong tho).

 

[MrTub]

Because as we all know, only children play video-games.

Hmm?

They are banning this game:
"over concerns that the free-camera mode could allow gamers to look up the skirts of the title's buxom (and underage) girls"

Not that childrens might see it.

 

[Inkidu]

But, but but, how are lonely, awkward Australian preteen boys going to become men?

 

[Ketsuban]

I dont get why they dont just say the chars are 18, I mean they already look 18, all you need to do is change one number and boom, legal

A not-insignificant portion of the audience for the game are creepy 40-something men. If the girls are legal, they're not interested.

There's a good reason I've jokingly called it "Dead or Alive: Dateline" on other forums.

 

[bit_crusherrr]

I got DoA for my 3DS today. None of the characters I've unlocked are under-age. Some have ages set to N/A but other than that the lowest age I've found is 19 :/

 

[braincore02]

Glad I don't live in Australia. I'm sure gamers there are thinking "thanks mom"

So we can see panty shots of underage girls....

Mortal Kombat, is a game we should raise a fuss over losing. DOA is something we should see as a "think god that shit isn't coming here".

I'm sure you think DOA is all about T&A but the fighting system puts MK to SHAME. And I like MK, but still.

 

[Worgen]

I dont get why they dont just say the chars are 18, I mean they already look 18, all you need to do is change one number and boom, legal

A not-insignificant portion of the audience for the game are creepy 40-something men. If the girls are legal, they're not interested.

There's a good reason I've jokingly called it "Dead or Alive: Dateline" on other forums.

your fucking me? you mean people actually care if a game says a char is under 18 despite them looking at least 25?

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

I dunno. I think if Brendan O'Connor and the rest of the Aussie classification board are concerned about panty-shots, they should forbid Australians from ever visiting Japan. Their heads might explode the moment they got off the plane.

If such a fate is appropriate for those who create such a ludicrous game rating system, then I will help pay for their ticket myself.

It would at least open their minds a little.

Sigh. Hilarious pun aside, the reason the games rating system is so bad is because it follows to a tee the movie rating system. It's like if the MPAA rated all the games in America instead of the ESRB. It's not a separate board, and that's a HUGE issue. Games need to be rated differently than they're being at the moment, lack of 18+ aside.

oh and of course if it's not suitable for children. it needs to be banned, because we all know that no adults play games.
fuck, this is the only reason i wanted a 3DS!

Australia frowns very heavily on underage sexual material. It's probably the only rational part of our banning system. I mean, pornography with small-breasted girls (I think it's under B-cup?) gets banned instantly, won't even scrape in under the X18+ rating!! This is the one thing that the law really has on their side, and though I'm against censorship in any way shape or form, it's the one thing that makes even a shred of sense to me.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

Here's what I don't get about this...are these real people in the game? Is the game real life? If so, age would be a factor, but it's not porn unless there's...you know, porn. However, these characters are much younger than 18, since they've existed less than 18 real years.

If by some weird circumstance, characters in games AREN'T real, then there's no means for a ban. First and foremost, pixels are not people. They have no applicable real-world age any more than a cardboard box. More-so, pixels can't be victimized. There's no crime here.

Fantasy and Reality are different things...it's mind-boggling that the people tasked with running the whole damn country can't separate the two. It's downright frightening for many reasons, embarrassing for many more. The people that have the power to control the lives of millions don't have a sane grasp on reality...good sign.

Then again, this is a country where cartoons are people, if something can be imagined to be something illegal, it's illegal, and where age is based on the lowest of appearance or written age.

Yeah, life makes no sense. What a country we live in.