• Australia may establish an R18+ rating for games
    2 replies, posted
[quote=Sydney Morning Herald digihub]Do we need an R18+ rating for games? aturner | December 7, 2010 Does the lack of an R18+ rating for computer games protect children? For several years conservative South Australian Attorney General, Michael Atkinson, thwarted efforts to introduce an R18+ rating for computer games - which would bring it in line with other forms of entertainment such as movies. As a result games which aren't considered MA15+ are "Refused Classification", which means they can't be sold in Australia. Conservative groups seem to believe that the lack of an R18+ rating for computer games is protecting children by ensuring that the most vile games aren't sold in Australia. It's a noble sentiment, but sadly misguided. The lack of an R18+ rating means that many games which should be rated R18+ managed to sneak through as MA15+ with few if any changes. If the same logic was applied to movies, most R-rated movies would be rated MA15+ and open to children. Only 12 games have been banned in Australia over the past five years due to excessive violence, according to ABC gaming expert Nick Ross. Ten of these 12 are now available - some such as Aliens vs Predator receiving an MA15+ rating on appeal with no changes. If we had an R18+ category, such games would be locked behind glass rather than available for children to buy. Australia's Attorneys-General are meeting on Friday to discuss such issues. Now that Atkinson has stepped down, his replacement John Rau says he is open to the idea of an R18+ rating system for video games. The Federal Government is also expected to support such a move. Conservative lobbiests who cry "think of the children" have their heart in the right place, but I think their logic is flawed. I say think of the children and introduce an R18+ games rating so we can get violent games off the shelves and locked behind glass where they belong. It will make it harder for children to buy them and easier for parents to know which games aren't suitable. What do you think? Does Australia need an R18+ rating for games? [/quote] [url=http://digihub.smh.com.au/node/1945]source[/url] It's good to see that Michael Atkinson is leaving and taking his outdated view on video games with him.
Actually, he left a VERY long time ago. The reason the rating is being introduced just now is because the state talks with all the ratings system commissioners only happens every 6-12 months, we're just lucky they decided to do it this december. An R18+ rating is a good thing for us because Australia's gaming community is mostly made up of children, annoyingly. The same types that get thrown in from the whole CoD disaster. Not only will it keep some of them away from our safer havens, but it also allows L4D2 to be uncensored here too. Fun for everyone. (Except the bratty kids who think they're smart when they're really some of the stupidest people you will ever see)
Having an uncensored left for dead 2 is definitely something im looking forward to, its also nice to read that we are taking a step away from censorship
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