Update: Saints Row IV Ditches Drugs To Gain Aussie Blessing

[Doclector]

Honestly, the twats who think an 18 rating isn't enough need to sod off out of australia.

And the rest of the world. Go. Go live on a fucking island somewhere you backwards, over sensitive cunts. Go on, see how you deal with things by yourself.

And on this island, anyone who gets cut and bleeds will be taken to a back room and silently strangled so the kiddies don't have to see blood.

 

[Veloxe]

The big question: will the mission still be in the non-AU release?

In the Reddit AMA [http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1ji6sz/we_are_jim_and_scott_from_the_volition_team_the/] they did yesterday someone expressed concern that a censored Australian version "won't feel the same" and in their response they mentioned that the mission would be specifically removed from the Australian version.

"I certainly wish we didn't have to release a censored version in Australia, but as you can imagine there really was't anything we could do about it. I will say that the changes we've made are not too disruptive to the game. Assuming the current edited version gets approved the Australian version will be missing one weapon and one mission, and that is it - nothing else will be changed assuming this passes."

Admittedly it doesn't outright say it's still there in the other version of the game but it's implied enough for me anyways. Also I assume the weapon they are referring to is the probe which looks like it's still making it in as DLC.

 

[Me55enger]

"Due to the fact that the word Sex begins with an S, the Austrailian Classification Board has stated they will grant an MA15+ rating should the game drop the letter form the title so to remove any affiliation with the terrible, barbaric act.

Aint's Row IV is set to release in Austrailia in August, 2013."

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

I hope it remains uncut for the rest of the world.

I don't need some retards in the aussie government deciding what I can and cant handle half way around the world.

Aye it's worse that we have David filtering the UK's net but we don't need Aussie jumping in and ruining our games with their clearly non existent 18+ rating, I mean why do they even have it if they won't even use it or at least create a higher rating so that can be properly explained and laid out.

 

[Jynthor]

So when will the Aussies finally grab the torches and pitchforks and get rid of these jackasses "ruling" them?

 

[Coldie]

Let me respond with another question (or two): Will most players notice/care? Will the game as a whole really be impacted by the section's cut?

Granted those that hear this news will *know*, but how likely are they to be playing through the game thinking "Dammit there was meant to be a drug-related mission here! I can totally see the join where it was cut out."

People that have already played the game are saying that this mission is one of the best in the game, especially if you liked Saints Row 2.

Regardless of content, this mission is part of a set and it's probably gonna be noticeable that one of the missions is too short or missing.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Do we at least get a replacement mission? If not, then screw this game off.

 

[1Life0Continues]

I...I kinda hope they do remove it for everyone.

Now, bear with me, before...put the pitchfork down, please...before you eviscerate me. I'm Australian.

By removing this content, and stating outright why they did it, Deep Silver will put the global gamer focus on Australia and its broken rating system. By broken, I mean, it clearly isn't in line with the similar systems around the world in terms of what it allows.

A global furor over the content being cut would hopefully force the Australian Govt to review it's archaic ideas on what adults are allowed to have, and hopefully bow to putting less draconian regulations in place to align with the ratings systems around the globe.

The Australian people obviously can't do anything about it, we tried and look what we got. A half baked solution. So if it takes the whole world turning on us and glaring to get the damn rules changed, I say bring it on.

I could just be reaching, but something has to be done, and if Deep Silver have the guts to do this, I for one would applaud them.

 

[Username Redacted]

Do we at least get a replacement mission? If not, then screw this game off.

Solution: import a version of the game from a country with a less retarded censor-boner...hmmm I can't in good conscience argue that the US or UK governments are less idiotic than the government that is found in Australia but at least, I guess, the US government didn't feel the need to mandate censorship of this particular game. So yeah, import the US version.

 

[SSJBlastoise]

Because some things are believed to exceed the R18 rating such as glorify drugs.

Wait, what? Could have sworn I watched Scarface on the TV last week and I have also rented Pineapple Express before. It's not as if Scarface depicted a man becoming powerful and wealthy because of drugs and then seemingly able to shake of bullets in his last cocaine fueled stand.

OT: I'm still going to have to try and import this or find an American friend to help get this. I'd rather play games the way the creators wanted them to be played which is one reason I don't have Left 4 Dead 2 yet either. It just makes things worse when the drugs that were used were alien drugs; not even real stuff. What could we possibly think after seeing someone do alien drugs? Build a spaceship to go find aliens to get drugs off of? This whole thing has been a joke.

 

[MCerberus]

Won't someone think of the children?
-you could just not buy it for th
THE CHILDREN

Wait, GTA5 showed one of the characters smoking pot in a trailer. He didn't seem to have cancer, and the ratings board was okay with it?

 

[SSJBlastoise]

Solution: import a version of the game from a country with a less retarded censor-boner...hmmm I can't in good conscience argue that the US or UK governments are less idiotic than the government that is found in Australia but at least, I guess, the US government didn't feel the need to mandate censorship of this particular game. So yeah, import the US version.

Feel free to call our censorship board retarded, it really is. Want to know how stupid it is? Even Germany hasn't forced an altered version be sold in their country and in the past they have been more strict on games than Australia.

 

[Lo Flying Frying Pan]

It is a good thing that most adults around the world can't already obtain pornography, guns (or other weapons) and dangerous amounts of drugs / alcohol. If video-games ALONE touted and glorified these principles, the aforementioned things might actually become legal (GOD HELP US). It would be the absolute collapse of worldwide civilization. It keeps me awake at night, worrying for the poor children ...

BLATANT CENSORSHIP IS THE SYMPTOM OF A FRIGHTENED MIND

 

[Prime_Hunter_H01]

Solution: import a version of the game from a country with a less retarded censor-boner...hmmm I can't in good conscience argue that the US or UK governments are less idiotic than the government that is found in Australia but at least, I guess, the US government didn't feel the need to mandate censorship of this particular game. So yeah, import the US version.

Feel free to call our censorship board retarded, it really is. Want to know how stupid it is? Even Germany hasn't forced an altered version be sold in their country and in the past they have been more strict on games than Australia.

Also remember that the US ESRB is a self regulation board which means despite what you hear from our politicians and news, there has been so little bans or censor ship that were not decisions of the company itself. The only time that a game was "banned" was the GTA San Andreas rerating, but most reatil stores refuse to stock AO games. Similar to the Manhunt 2 problems.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

Now we wait and see if 4chan DDoS attacks the Australian government.

This is the Mass Effect "sex scenes" all over again. A lot of noise for absolutely nothing.

For nothing? I didn't even know Mass Effect existed until Fox news plastered it everywhere. Free advertising ain't nothing.

 

[chuckman1]

This is why I'll never move to Australia. Your guys government are douchey enough that the Egyptian military would've led a coupe. I hate the overarching control of us government but at least we MOSTLY have games freely released.

 

[Weaver]

They should just put it back in with a patch. Patches don't seem to be at all regulated.