Cosplay For A Cause Canceled

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Cosplay For A Cause Canceled


Cosplay for a Cause, the dress-up rally in support of an R18+ videogame rating in Australia, has been canceled due to "lack of numbers."

Cosplay for a Cause was scheduled to take place on March 4 in the South Australia capital of Adelaide to demonstrate support for an adult videogame rating in Australia. But the inexplicable focus on cosplayers by rally organizer Gametraders [http://gametraders.com.au/] led to a large amount of negative feedback among gamers in Australia and abroad, many of whom felt that serious political concerns could not be adequately presented by people dressed as Snorlax. As a result, Gametraders said it would "reconsider" the rally and has now decided to postpone it indefinitely.

"Gametraders is canceling its Cosplay for a Cause rally, which was to promote the need for a fair and equal classification of the entertainment industry, due to lack of numbers," the company said in a statement posted on R18games.com.au [http://www.r18games.com.au/2009/02/r18-rally-cancelled/]. "The rally, which was to go ahead on Wednesday March 4, was to begin with a press conference on the steps of Parliament House followed by a presentation of a petition of 2600 signatures to go to the Attorney General, Michael Atkinson."

Gametraders still intends to hold a rally in support of the cause at some point in the future, but noted that the cosplay angle is out. "We have received an overwhelming amount of support from the public on our drive to have an R18+ rating introduced in Australia, especially with our latest drive," said Gametraders' National Marketing Manager Chad Polley. "We have listened to our customers and to the numerous forum postings and have taken into account new ideas on how to get our message across." Foremost among those ideas: Normal clothes.

Just about everyone can agree this is a good cause and while attending a political rally dressed like Princess Peach might be fun, as we noted earlier [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89563-Cosplay-For-A-Cause-In-Australia] it is sometimes necessary to set fun aside when you want to actually accomplish something. A cosplay rally would attract all the wrong sorts of attention and likely just cement in the minds of Atkinson and his ilk that gamers are pretty much exactly as he envisions them: Not quite right in the head.

And only 2600 signatures? Come on, Australia. You can do better than that.

via: GamePolitics [http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/02/26/cosplay-rally-planned-aussie-parliament-scrubbed-will-return-sans-costumes]




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Trivun

Stabat mater dolorosa
Dec 13, 2008
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Not a big fan of cosplay usually, but this seems like an interesting event. Shame it got cancelled. As for the cause, why have only 2600 people signed the petition? I'll bet it's a simple answer. The rest of the Australian population are either non-gamers or are gamers who are under 18 and don't want to be stopped from playing sick games like Manhunt, or from buying the latest Halo and Gears of War game (note that those ones aren't sick, but they are rated for a reason...). I agree with Malygris, you Aussies can do much better than that!
 

Doug

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Apr 23, 2008
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Hankage said:
Nice one. I don't think I've ever seen someone shoot themselves in the foot with such skill.

'Let's have a rally! And let's make it one nobody will ever want to attend!'
Yeah, someone should have clicked that, heh
 

nova18

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Feb 2, 2009
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Malygris said:
But the inexplicable focus on cosplayers by rally organizer Gametraders [http://gametraders.com.au/] led to a large amount of negative feedback among gamers in Australia and abroad, many of whom felt that serious political concerns could not be adequately presented by people dressed as Snorlax.
*Takes off Snorlax costume*

Maybe it wouldnt have been taken seriously, but it could still get their message across. Plus if they signed the petition then someone would HAVE to listen.
 

spyrewolf

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Jan 7, 2009
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yeah man, i feel your pain aussie's, your tyrannical government ratings board stomps on anything that comes close to be a mature product, you poor buggers, have had some good titles slip through your fingers in the past....interestingly though you managed to get the first man hunt which was banned all over the place.
 

Doug

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Apr 23, 2008
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nova18 said:
Plus if they signed the petition then someone would HAVE to listen.
You're making the rather large assumption that politicians care what you think. Unfortunately, we in the UK know that isn't true. Also, the politicians know we know, so don't even pretend that much anymore.
 

Rajin Cajun

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Sep 12, 2008
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OMG Jesus does answer my prayers! Now if Grandfather Nurgle would answer mine and give all Cosplayers some kind of deadly plague the world would be perfect.
 

Lvl 64 Klutz

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Apr 8, 2008
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Rajin Cajun said:
OMG Jesus does answer my prayers! Now if Grandfather Nurgle would answer mine and give all Cosplayers some kind of deadly plague the world would be perfect.
Not cool, dude. Not cool at all. I'm no fan of cosplaying, either, but how are they hurting anyone? If that's what they enjoy doing, then let them enjoy it. Why wish harm on someone for simply having a different hobby?
 

Gummy

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Oct 24, 2007
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Trivun said:
Not a big fan of cosplay usually, but this seems like an interesting event. Shame it got cancelled. As for the cause, why have only 2600 people signed the petition? I'll bet it's a simple answer. The rest of the Australian population are either non-gamers or are gamers who are under 18 and don't want to be stopped from playing sick games like Manhunt, or from buying the latest Halo and Gears of War game (note that those ones aren't sick, but they are rated for a reason...). I agree with Malygris, you Aussies can do much better than that!
Thats the point. In Australia we CAN'T play Manhunt, it was released for a short time, until some "family values" politician saw it and described it as like a snuff movie* and appealed for the oflc to review their decision. (*to me it looks like a tame version of Saw or Hostel all of which are free to watch down-under).

Halo and GoW are both rated MA15+ here, I don't know id they were edited to achieve this or not. I don't watch the XBox scene as closeley.

other banned games include Marc Ecko's Getting Up, GTA3 and 4 & Fallout 3 (original versions), Dark Sector, and I'm pretty sure Reservoir Dogs and Scarface were also banned. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is outlawed, but interestingly Playboy, the mansion, and the God Of War series are not, despite sexual content. the only people I know who ever played the playboy game were my mates' little sisters.

first time I found this site though
www.r18games.com.au
nice one!
 

Rajin Cajun

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Sep 12, 2008
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Lvl 64 Klutz said:
Rajin Cajun said:
OMG Jesus does answer my prayers! Now if Grandfather Nurgle would answer mine and give all Cosplayers some kind of deadly plague the world would be perfect.
Not cool, dude. Not cool at all. I'm no fan of cosplaying, either, but how are they hurting anyone? If that's what they enjoy doing, then let them enjoy it. Why wish harm on someone for simply having a different hobby?
What is more pathetic a cosplayer or someone on a forum taking sacrifices to Grandfather Nurgle seriously?
 

scotth266

Wait when did I get a sub
Jan 10, 2009
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Heh. The cause is good, but if you can't attract people what's the point?