Grand Theft Auto V Gets Thumbs-Up For Australia

[Rekiara]

Good: The game was given an appropriate rating for sales to the appropriate audience.

Bad: It's still going to be subject to ridiculous Australian retail pricing markups.

And, really, there's no "WTF?!?" comparison to be had with SR4. One game depicts violence and drug use with negative consequences, one game depicts them with only positive benefits. It's a pretty darn clear difference. Now, I fully believe that judgement of whether one or both of those is acceptable should be left to the adult consumer, not some government committee; but as things currently exist in the Australian system, the games were rated properly. Stupidly, but properly.

 

[ssgt splatter]

Good for you Aussies.

In regards to Saits Row 4, that game is GTA only with wacky/almost-tasteless-humor and physics. Hell, you get to beat people to death with giant purple dildos for gods sake. So naturally, SR4 will be harder to classify.

Yahtzee must be pleased.

 

[ssgt splatter]

What if the SR4 refusal was a conspiracy? Rockstar is trying to muscle out the competition.

You sir, just blew my mind. The Saints Row games are the only real competion for GTA games, right?

 

[Ignuus66]

What if the SR4 refusal was a conspiracy? Rockstar is trying to muscle out the competition.

You sir, just blew my mind. The Saints Row games are the only real competion for GTA games, right?

Well Just cause might be one, but it will come much later.

 

[RicoADF]

How on earth did Grand Theft Auto, the gritty one, get away with drug usage, and Saints Row IV, the completely bonkers one, doesn't?

This doesn't compute. At all.

It comes down to context, if you read the announcement the classification board posted regarding SR4 it was due to the game "depicting illicit drugs in a positive light". It's not having drugs in the game that's the issue, it's how their showing them. My guess is that SR has some illegal drug in the story as what gives the saints their powers or something to that effect, which going by the code the department has to follow is not allowed. This is for games, movies, music etc.

GTA on the other hand as you said has drugs in there correctly and within context, so it has no issues coming into the R18+ rating which Australian gamers have always wanted.

This has "playing favorites" written all over it. Rockstar owned Team Bondi, and its home is in Sydney, Australia. Now this is where it gets interesting - Australia's game industry is actually suffering. Given the number of closings of Australian development houses over the years, often by publishers trying to trim the fat, it sounds like the government it trying to keep on Rockstar's good side by greenlighting this game despite being slightly more serious than SR4. What if they didn't? Would the company that actually brought in jobs (even if they were terrible) decide to no longer do business with the country, causing more controversy against the government?

Maybe that's what they're trying to do - In order for SR4 to be given the thumbs-up, Deep Silver has to start an development house in Australia, hiring talent from former development houses such as THQ Australia and Pandemic's Brisbane office.

Actually if anything Rockstar would be under more scrutiny both due to previous issues with their games and the fact Team Bondi died. As stated above it's to do with context of how the drugs have been used in the game, not that there are drugs in the game itself. The seriousness of GTA is probably what got it past, their not treating the drugs like candy but rather as a serious issue people face unlike what I suspect SR4 will be doing.

 

[Lionsfan]

How on earth did Grand Theft Auto, the gritty one, get away with drug usage, and Saints Row IV, the completely bonkers one, doesn't?

This doesn't compute. At all.

Because you touch yourself at night.

Truth hurts don't it

[sub][sub]All I got is that we're talking about a bureaucracy, efficiency isn't really in their job-titles[/sub][/sub]

 

[Dark Knifer]

Good, I get to play this one yaaay.

 

[Creator002]

Of course it did. The Classification Office didn't want to poke THAT hornet's nest. If a GTA game got the ban here, there'd be riots.

This is basically my thought on this. I reckon the game passed classification because its so high profile. That means money for our economy. Saints Row? I doubt they'd even heard of it before now (unless the same people did the classification for The Third).

Still, glad we get the play the normal version of GTA V.

Edit - Just to clarify, I know nothing of economics, politics or whatever. Feel free to correct me if my "money for the economy" statement was wrong, but don't bite my head off. I've had people try and decapitate me for asking how a Big Mac can cost so much in my next state over.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

How on earth did Grand Theft Auto, the gritty one, get away with drug usage, and Saints Row IV, the completely bonkers one, doesn't?

This doesn't compute. At all.

I'm guessing it probably has something to do with context. GTA5 probably has all the sex and drugs woven into the narrative, whereas in SR4 it is presumably just there for shits and giggles.

 

[TheRussian]

Glad to know at least Australia has good taste in games.

On a more serious note, of course I think all games should be allowed to be sold everywhere, but this situation is just too perfect not to rub it into SR fans' faces.

 

[Aussie502]

These "Congratulations Australia for getting GTA: V" articles that are popping up everywhere are a bit condescending, even if they don't mean to be.

The issues surrounding Saints Row IV should really be seen as an anomaly. Most games get released with no problems whatsoever. GTA V would probably have squeezed into the MA15+ category if we didn't have the R rating just like every other GTA and Saints Row before.

 

[prowll]

Great! Now when is it NOT going to be 200$? I mean, the rest of the world is just paying 60...

 

[Strazdas]

the game is rated "strong impact" "high impact"

wait that? they are still going with "games make you maniac" in Australia?

 

[Millky95]

I feel like if SR4 just changed the names of the drugs to something else it'd be accepted. They made the Anal gun DLC which we can't buy, that's fair. Just change the names of the drugs? Didn't Fallout do that?

 

[Kahani]

it may also be a tad baffling for the folks at Deep Silver: While Grand Theft Auto V got the go-ahead on its first try, the upcoming Saints Row IV has been refused classification not just once, but twice [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126393-Saints-Row-IV-Refused-Classification-in-Australia-Again].

Not only is there nothing baffling about it, the reason is very clearly explained in the very article you linked.

In regards to Saits Row 4, that game is GTA only with wacky/almost-tasteless-humor and physics. Hell, you get to beat people to death with giant purple dildos for gods sake.

I've never understood this. GTA San Andreas let you beat people to death with a giant purple dildo years before Saints Row even existed. So why do people constantly bring it up as an example of how much wackier Saints Row is?

 

[ssgt splatter]

it may also be a tad baffling for the folks at Deep Silver: While Grand Theft Auto V got the go-ahead on its first try, the upcoming Saints Row IV has been refused classification not just once, but twice [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126393-Saints-Row-IV-Refused-Classification-in-Australia-Again].

Not only is there nothing baffling about it, the reason is very clearly explained in the very article you linked.

In regards to Saits Row 4, that game is GTA only with wacky/almost-tasteless-humor and physics. Hell, you get to beat people to death with giant purple dildos for gods sake.

I've never understood this. GTA San Andreas let you beat people to death with a giant purple dildo years before Saints Row even existed. So why do people constantly bring it up as an example of how much wackier Saints Row is?

Well, first of all, I never played GTA SA. GTA IV was the first GTA game I ever played. Second, there are no giant purple dildos in GTA games anymore, the new ones at least, that I've heard of.

But anyway, to each his own in terms of opinion.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I'm embarrassed as an Australian that this is even fucking news. We need to grow up and realise that games aren't just for children.

 

[LongAndShort]

I hate how a major and popular game getting an appropriate rating, given its content, in Australia is news. I really hate that. Ah well, such is the life of an Australian gamer.

 

[gyroscopeboy]

I'm just interested to see how sales go with this being the first R18+ GTA