David Jaffe Says You Can't Fight City Hall

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

There is something you can do, ignore the law and download a less-than-legal copy of the game. Since the game isn't available here, they can't really cry that they are losing money unless the Cartels plan on suing the OFLC.

 

[Vierran]

Sorry but i am not willing to give in no matter who else does.

 

[Sibbo]

You could always fire-bomb city hall... What!? Just sayin'.

But seriously, you Aussie's live in a democracy right? Isn't there someone you guys could vote out/in to make the policies change?

The bottom line is that nobody wants to run at the head of the pack and spend the money needed to fight.

You CAN fight City Hall, and it doesn't even take firebombs usually. You might notice my more serious suggestions have included things like Valve organizing a "million nerd march" against the censorship policies or something of the sort.

On free speech issues actual violence is perfectly reasonable, BUT this is not to that point yet.

For all my comments about Baby Boomers, they kind of demonstrated that yes you CAN fight City Hall and in the end it's not them who has the power, it's you.

Really I think the fan community needs to go after the game companies and pressure them to fight censorship any way nessicary. The bottom line is simply a lack of backbone, with all the millions of gamers out there we can be a much bigger societal force than we think assuming someone with the resources and voice rallied us.

I agree entirely. I guess a lack of political activism isn't just a problem in America, huh?

Actually there was a gaming organisation that commissioned a survey to see whether or not the Australian public cared about an R18+ category. The survey was carried out by Bond university here and the results were for a R18+, but the results were twisted by Michael Atkinson, his logic being that if 91% of people supported an R18+ category then children would likely get there hands on these games as people would buy them.

[quote/]'Interactive Australia 2007', a report prepared by Bond University for the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia, surveyed 1,606 Australian households randomly. The report found "79% of Australian households have a device for computer and video games". Further, 62% of Australians in these gaming households "say the classification of a game has no influence on their buying decision".

Given this data, I cannot fathom what State-enforced safeguards could exist to prevent R18+ games being bought by households with children and how children can be stopped from using these games once the games are in the home. If adult gamers are so keen to have R18+ games, I expect children would be just as keen.[/quote]

I'm also pretty sure that he attacked the survey based on the fact it was funded by a gaming group so yeah.... yay Australia.

Sources here [http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/10/study_shows_gamers_are_generally_adults_and_we_need_an_r18_rating_for_games/#more-312418/] and here [http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/11/a-letter-from-michael-atkinson/]

 

[TitsMcGee1804]

ozzies, vote with your feet

 

[Pendragon9]

I actually had a solution to the Australian censorship crisis, if David Jaffe doesn't feel like fighting for it:

1. Have Microsoft make another Halo game
2. Make it R rated (I don't know, Cortana X Master Chief Hot Coffee mod or something)
3. Release it worldwide.

Trust me, if they're bold enough to buy exclusives from other consoles, they'd be willing to tear up the Aussie censorship board for their titles to be released. Microsoft would not miss out on such a large consumer base.

Maybe then it would open the way for r rated games. But you can only dream about it, I guess.

 

[squid5580]

I completely agree with Jaffe on this. He is absolutely right. Bottom line this is a government thing. A government of another country. It is none of our business and not our fight (unless you happen to be reading this as an Australian citizen then git off yer ass LOL). We don't have to like it but we should at the very least respect their government and the citizens who voted them in. Has history taught us nothing?

 

[Royas]

I really think the publishers and developers should refuse to make any changes in their games to satisfy the Australian ratings board. They refuse to rate the game? Screw them. The public will still get their games through illegal imports and downloads, and the government will miss out on any tax revenues the game sales might have generated.

Bottom line, you folks down under really need to vote some of the assholes out. They're making you look bad.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

I think this is Jaffe's attempt at being "mellow"

He really sucks at it.

 

[Flying Dagger]

This guy clearly has NO IDEA how government works.
if threatened by enough votes , anyone will buckle.
just needs the aid of some lobbyists and to prove that this is an important issue.

 

[Flight]

The people need to make their voices heard and play hardball considering the matter of Australia's censorship. If everyone just rolls over and accepts it, it won't do anybody any good.