Australia's R18+ rating fails again, Outlast 2 banned in Australia. - Sensationalist Headlines

[QUOTE]Outlast 2, the sequel to Red Barrels' surprise 2014 survival horror hit, has been refused classification in Australia, meaning it's effectively banned in the country. It joins the likes of Hotline Miami 2 and Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkuni on the list of games that have been banned since the introduction of an R18+ rating in 2013. According to the board's website, refused classification can result from games that "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified." That doesn't necessarily mean it's the end for Outlast 2 in Australia: some studios and publishers have previously edited games to accommodate the country's vigilant classification board. Recent examples include The Bug Butcher, which was initially banned due to incentivised drug use, but later altered and granted an M rating.[/QUOTE] Still sucks that this shit is happening, sadly the general consensus is that gaming is only for kids still here. [URL="http://www.pcgamer.com/outlast-2-is-the-latest-game-to-be-refused-classification-in-australia/"]Source[/URL]

from other thread [QUOTE=Hamsterjuice;51967558]if you have a console it's getting a physical release so just import it i guess either way get fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked[/QUOTE]

At least they're consistent in applying the law. But it's fucking stupid. The classification criteria should be expanded.

I do find it deeply ironic that Australians are portrayed as manly men (and woman) and yet their rating offices pull this shit often :U

Games should be held to exactly the same standards as movies. The only thing that should be getting banned is CP, rape videos, snuff films etc.

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;51968241]I do find it deeply ironic that Australians are portrayed as manly men (and woman) and yet their rating offices pull this shit often :U[/QUOTE] Blame the fact that the people who decide this are a bunch of assholes being the moral police.

[url]http://www.classification.gov.au/About/BoardMembers/Pages/Classification-Board-Members.aspx[/url] The current board. All of them are from Sydney, most are university graduates, many are involved in the media industry, Several work for other organisations as media classifiers.

maaaaan I remember getting excited over video games getting a R rating here when I was younger... thought then we could get everything instead of weird censored versions like L4D2 aaaaand that didn't happen lmao fuck

It is kinda funny, germany now bans less games than australia, never thought I'd see the day

[QUOTE=Niklas;51968331]It is kinda funny, germany now bans less games than australia, never thought I'd see the day[/QUOTE] I thought Germany was known for censoring games, not banning them entirely?

Well now they're kinda equal in banning and censoring games. For instance, Hotline Miami 2 was banned in Australia, but IIRC was released without issues in Germany. The opposite happened recently with Carmageddon: Max Damage, Australia allowed an uncut release with an MA15+ rating, whereas Germany didn't allow a rating due to the game having running over pedestrians as an objective (even though the actual violence in the game itself isn't as bad as something like DOOM 2016 or Killing Floor 2, which both got released in Germany uncensored rather easily, and for reference both games got an R18+ rating in Australia). Though really, asides from Carmageddon, Germany's ratings board now only seems to want to censor/ban games with Nazi symbolism such as Wolfenstein: The New Order (which is still fucking retarded).

[QUOTE]"depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified."[/QUOTE] Sounds like something right out of the 1930's over a banned book.

[QUOTE=Niklas;51968331]It is kinda funny, germany now bans less games than australia, never thought I'd see the day[/QUOTE] Last time I checked, this is the first Banned game in ages here. Germany bans them way more often.

[QUOTE=download;51968277][url]http://www.classification.gov.au/About/BoardMembers/Pages/Classification-Board-Members.aspx[/url] The current board. All of them are from Sydney, most are university graduates, many are involved in the media industry, Several work for other organisations as media classifiers.[/QUOTE] They look pretty qualified to me, even though they made a terrible decision just now.

They probably have some stupid guidelines that have been forced upon them, even if they don't agree with them.

This is really odd considering the Demo for Outlast 2 was rated R18+

[QUOTE=Xonax;51968441]This is really odd considering the Demo for Outlast 2 was rated R18+[/QUOTE] Demo probably didn't have something that's just insta-ban, like any kind of sexual violence [editline]16th March 2017[/editline] Bingo (kinda spoilers) [quote] [sp]a female creature, her greyish breasts bared, pushes him onto his back, holds his arms to the ground and repeatedly thrusts her crotch against him. As Blake protests, saying "No! Stop that!" the creature thrusts again, before placing its face over his midsection and then sitting up and wiping its mouth. Although much of the contact between the creature and Blake is obscurred, by it taking place below screen, the sexualised surroundings and aggressive behaviour of the creature suggest that it is an assault which is sexual in nature. The Board is of the opinion that this, combined with Blake's objections and distress, constitutes a depiction of implied sexual violence. [/sp] In the Board's opinion, the above example constitutes a depiction of implied sexual violence and therefore cannot be accommodated within the R18+ classification category and the game is therefore Refused Classification.[/quote]

[QUOTE=FlandersNed;51968435]They look pretty qualified to me, even though they made a terrible decision just now.[/QUOTE] The only qualification they're supposed to have is be an accurate representation of the population.

Wow, this is worse than in Germany. I can't believe people who are over 18 get treated like children.

[QUOTE=Antimuffin;51968486]Wow, this is worse than in Germany. I can't believe people who are over 18 get treated like children.[/QUOTE] How is this worse than Germany? Germany would ban games over Gore, even the slightest bit of Gore. Australia just bans rape. I am not trying to defend the Classification board here, I am just saying you can't compare the two considering they ban different subjects, and the Cultures and beliefs are different.

[QUOTE=Tetsmega;51968337]I thought Germany was known for censoring games, not banning them entirely?[/QUOTE] Germany itself doesn't censor games, publishers request a rating from our rating board USK. Getting a rating has the advantage of being save from "indexing", which outside germany is often refered to as a game being banned. Indexed games are more precisely handled like pornography, they may be sold but can not be shown in stores or otherwise advertised. It is pretty much forcing devs and publishers to self-censor their games if they want to actually sell a decent amount of copies. Actual banned games, which has to be done by a court, may not be sold or distributed, but can legally be owned (even imported, as long you bought it yourself outside the country). While selling a banned game is illegal, buying it is not, meaning that if I order a banned game from abroad the worst that can happen is that I get unlucky and costums stop the package. As far as I know australians have it worse regarding this [quote]Material that is refused classification is put on the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service list of prohibited items. Any copies of such games found at the border will be seized, and the recipient, depending on the number of copies being imported, may receive up to A$110,000 in fines.[/quote] [QUOTE=Xonax;51968431]Last time I checked, this is the first Banned game in ages here. Germany bans them way more often.[/QUOTE] The last game that was supposed to be banned, Dead Rising 4, was passed by a court and now released with an 18+ rating. Because of titles like DOOM, Dead Rising 4, Killing Floor 2 and Mortal Kombat being given 18+ ratings, many games that were previously banned or indexed are being unbanned right now due to compareable content. The way its developing anything with violence is being given a rating, only games with swastikas and other prohibited symbols are being censored now. Hell, even our rating board stated that they consider the artistic value of a game when giving a rating, so if a publisher decided to release a game including swastikas there is a good chance that they could claim protection for arts too, but it is simply to risky, so the status quo stays. [QUOTE=Xonax;51968503]How is this worse than Germany? Germany would ban games over Gore, even the slightest bit of Gore. Australia just bans rape.[/QUOTE] Before 2012 maybe, but now pretty much anything with gore gets a pass, the last games to be banned for violence, as far as I know, is Hatred for obvious reasons, and the last game to be indexed was Dying Light for violence against children. Australia also has banned games for prescription drugs, like State of Decay, which is pretty silly, don't know if this changed.

-snip-

[QUOTE=Tetsmega;51968337]I thought Germany was known for censoring games, not banning them entirely?[/QUOTE] Same thing? Publishers censor their games because the original would be banned.

Can't let those 20-30 year olds buy those [I]violent[/I] videogames

Isn't this the country where every living thing wants you dead? You'd think that what happens in a video game would be the least of their concerns.

[QUOTE=kaze4159;51968472]Demo probably didn't have something that's just insta-ban, like any kind of sexual violence [editline]16th March 2017[/editline] Bingo (kinda spoilers)[/QUOTE] I...I'm curious...

[QUOTE=orcywoo6;51969388]I...I'm curious...[/QUOTE] It's not really plot spoilers, just spoilered in case anyone doesn't want to know what happens :v:

Why don't they just release an Australia version with no rape? south park and saints row 4 got sold here with anal probes cut out of the game This is like when hotline miami 2 got completely banned because of the 3 second scene on the movie set

[QUOTE=Reds;51968253]Blame the fact that the people who decide this are a bunch of assholes being the moral police.[/QUOTE] Aren't the ones deciding about these a bunch of grumpy fossils that get triggered when anything that wasn't status quo back in 1960 pop's up?