Australian Ratings Board Upholds Mortal Kombat Ban
- Thread starter Logan Westbrook
- Start date
While I agree that the classification choice is odd considering that I don't really see what MK really does differently from other violent games, I would say that given the track record of quality (or, more correctly, the lack thereof) in the MK series, I doubt Aussie gamers will be missing much.
Poor AU gamers...
You don't have access to a shitty fighting game!
Now, go play a good fighting game. Like Blazblue or something.
This is a blessing in disguise.
You don't have access to a shitty fighting game!
Now, go play a good fighting game. Like Blazblue or something.
This is a blessing in disguise.
Our highest ratings for games in Australia is MA15+ which I think is more than appropriate for "fanatical" violence.
I think it's funny to think they don't believe a 15yr old is mature enough to be able to deal with that sort of gameplay.
I actually had a listen to the the Top 40 Music the other day and I'm pretty sure I'd be more concerned about the content that is being broadcast for everyone to hear over the airwaves if I was a parent.
I think it's funny to think they don't believe a 15yr old is mature enough to be able to deal with that sort of gameplay.
I actually had a listen to the the Top 40 Music the other day and I'm pretty sure I'd be more concerned about the content that is being broadcast for everyone to hear over the airwaves if I was a parent.
...And dante's inferno, which is the most vile, putrid, disgusitngly violent game I have ever played.Jumplion said:
Of course, it's SUPPOSED to be vile, putrid, and disgusting.
Apparently Australia does have ESRB M and AO equivalent ratings, R18+ and X18+ respectively, but some stodgy old law prevents them from being used to classify video games.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Film_and_Literature_Classification_(Australia)
Dear Australian Classification Board and Australian politicians,
As one of the many adults world wide who enjoys video games I find it absurd that your ratings system is not allowed to use the existing R18+ and X18+ ratings for video games. By refusing to issue these classifications you are preventing adults in your region from purchasing games intended for adult consumption. Games made by adults, for adults. As an adult I would find it demeaning and insulting if the ESRB and my government were to treat me like a child by refusing to rate any game that was not appropriate for anyone younger than 18. Frankly I find it demeaning and insulting that some US politicians continue to treat video games as a child's toy and try to ban the sales of ESRB M rated games in the US.
Video games are not exclusively toys for children and haven't been for a long time. Please, for the sake of Australia's adult gamers and for the benefit of Australian based software developers, lift this restriction on adult ratings for video games.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Film_and_Literature_Classification_(Australia)
Dear Australian Classification Board and Australian politicians,
As one of the many adults world wide who enjoys video games I find it absurd that your ratings system is not allowed to use the existing R18+ and X18+ ratings for video games. By refusing to issue these classifications you are preventing adults in your region from purchasing games intended for adult consumption. Games made by adults, for adults. As an adult I would find it demeaning and insulting if the ESRB and my government were to treat me like a child by refusing to rate any game that was not appropriate for anyone younger than 18. Frankly I find it demeaning and insulting that some US politicians continue to treat video games as a child's toy and try to ban the sales of ESRB M rated games in the US.
Video games are not exclusively toys for children and haven't been for a long time. Please, for the sake of Australia's adult gamers and for the benefit of Australian based software developers, lift this restriction on adult ratings for video games.
They do have an option besides toning down the violence and resubmitting. They can just say the hell with it, and not release in Australia. They have a particular idea of how the game is supposed to look and feel, they shouldn't compromise just because some elements of the Australian government can't seem to figure out that games are more for adults nowadays, not children. Really hardcore gamers will just import the game (illegally, yes, but still doable).
The shit thing is, we already ARE 20 years behind, what with this "National Broadband Network" that, by the time its rolled out, will put us roughly 10 years behind 2nd World nations like South Korea...which means countries where 80% of people don't have a computer will have better internet access than us, WTF?Shade184 said:
Seriously, what savvy minded Australian planned to buy this locally anyway? With the strength of the Australian Dollar internationally, it was ALWAYS the cheaper option to import it from somewhere like PlayAsia.
Now they can still do that, avoid any potential watered down version, AND still get it cheaper than just about any local retailer would have sold it for.
http://www.play-asia.com/Mortal_Kombat/paOS-13-71-bp-49-en-70-3x07.html
$65 Aussie dollars, plus a bit more for postage.
Compare that to $119 AU RRP.
*edit* Just noticed the 'Game is not available in your region'. If PlayAsia won't ship it to Aus (not sure why not), there's still plenty of other options.
Now they can still do that, avoid any potential watered down version, AND still get it cheaper than just about any local retailer would have sold it for.
http://www.play-asia.com/Mortal_Kombat/paOS-13-71-bp-49-en-70-3x07.html
$65 Aussie dollars, plus a bit more for postage.
Compare that to $119 AU RRP.
*edit* Just noticed the 'Game is not available in your region'. If PlayAsia won't ship it to Aus (not sure why not), there's still plenty of other options.
Gotta love an incompetent government. Just how do you get away with an issue like this by continuously pretending it doesn't exist? Australia, you should get the gaming community together over there (possibly with other groups supporting you from elsewhere as well) and protest the shit out of the issue until it's resolved. Denying an adult rating for an entire country is simply ridiculous.
And they wont be dying out for a while, as they each get $150,000 a year for the rest of their lives.Shade184 said: