Jul -- Gaming: MMOs now banned from sale in Australia

Xkeeper

Level: 263

Posts: 9221/25353
EXP: 297157533
For next: 1802920

Since: 07-03-07

Pronouns: they/them/????????

Since last post: 3 days
Last activity: 14 hours

Posted on 02-05-09 02:46:19 AM

Link | Quote

Somehow, I'm not entirely surprised...

Wouldn't it be relatively simple to just get it classified under, say, 13+? That would solve this problem pretty quickly, especially if they were able to put a disclaimer stating that outside forces (e.g. players) might make the rating different (see also ESRB "Game experience may change").

Eh.

____________________

Homepage (project updates, etc)

Raspberry
Thank you for my time here. I won't ever forget..
Level: 85

Posts: 683/1823
EXP: 5727211
For next: 171329

Since: 07-07-07

Pronouns: she/her

Since last post: 1.0 years
Last activity: 78 days

Posted on 02-05-09 02:48:31 AM

Link | Quote

Australia doesn't have a 13+ (or was it 15+...I don't remember) rating at all, so a lot of things end up getting banned because they don't meet the highest rating they have.

____________________
~Rin Kaenbyou

— Colin —
Missing: One avatar. Will be restored at some point.

Post 641/10052
Active 8.3 years ago

Posted on 02-05-09 05:21:19 AM

Link | Quote

Australia's system is one of the most ass-backwards systems I've ever seen. UK is strict too but at least there's room for appeals and publishers generally want to tap that market. Australia? Some companies won't even bother. Fallout 3 almost got banned, I think.

____________________
Colin's Babble... er, blog.

roxahris
600

was seriously wounded, but the soul still burns.
Level: 52

Posts: 493/600
EXP: 1081356
For next: 2484

Since: 07-08-07

From: Somewhere.

Since last post: 9.4 years
Last activity: 8.6 years

Posted on 02-07-09 12:00:18 PM (last edited by roxahris at 02-07-09 09:02 AM)

Link | Quote

Originally posted by Orin
Australia doesn't have a 13+ (or was it 15+...I don't remember) rating at all

Way to exaggerate, man. It's 18+...
I don't have much intrest in WoW, so I can't say much on the subject. Sucks for those who play it, or want to here, though.

____________________

White on white... hard to see, right?

Sukasa

Level: 123

Posts: 639/4326
EXP: 20936870
For next: 294396

Since: 07-07-07

Since last post: 1.1 years
Last activity: 1.1 years

Posted on 02-07-09 03:37:44 PM

Link | Quote

This coming from the same government poised to ram internet censorship down the throats of everyone in Australia? Doesn't surprise me.

____________________

[18:18:26] <&SuBot> Ask Tina

Xkeeper

Level: 263

Posts: 9290/25353
EXP: 297157533
For next: 1802920

Since: 07-03-07

Pronouns: they/them/????????

Since last post: 3 days
Last activity: 14 hours

Posted on 02-07-09 04:10:55 PM

Link | Quote

Originally posted by roxahris
Originally posted by Orin
Australia doesn't have a 13+ (or was it 15+...I don't remember) rating at all
Way to exaggerate, man. It's 18+...
I don't have much intrest in WoW, so I can't say much on the subject. Sucks for those who play it, or want to here, though.

I don't know if you noticed, but he clearly stated he doesn't remember. Hell, I didn't, either.

Xenesis

Roy Koopa
Actually a Doctor
Level: 101

Posts: 179/2732
EXP: 10487248
For next: 230427

Since: 07-28-07

Pronouns: She/Her
From: Orange Star's Retirement Villa

Since last post: 10 days
Last activity: 11 hours

Posted on 02-08-09 08:09:22 AM (last edited by Xenesis at 02-08-09 05:10 AM)

Link | Quote

As an Australian I will now proceed to explain our rating system.

G: General - Recommended for all audiences
PG: Parental Guidance - Recommended for children in the presence of an adult or for people 13+
M: Recommended for 15+
MA15+: Restricted to 15+
R18+: Restricted to 18+.

The big issue here with videogames and ratings is that in the rating system is that the ratings for videogames are only covered from G to MA. There's no R18+ rating for videogames because they haven't standardised it across all forms of media. Hence, anything that would legitimately fall in that for other media (Movies, music, etc.) is just titled under refused classification and cannot be sold.

It's a total crock of shit.

Regardless, the MMO thing is that the content for multiplayer-only games is not rated due to it being controlled entirely by other people - you can't rate such a thing. Until then, MMOs didn't have a rating. They're basically just closing a loophole in our retarded system. Essentially this whole debacle is the fault of Michael Atkinson, a geriatric crusader against the evils of videogames. Think Jack Thompson, but with the power to actually affect your life. We won't get R18+ for Videogames until he's moved on.

Australia's system is one of the most ass-backwards systems I've ever seen. UK is strict too but at least there's room for appeals and publishers generally want to tap that market. Australia? Some companies won't even bother. Fallout 3 almost got banned, I think.

It was refused classification until Bethesda removed all references to morphine and got it re-rated.

This coming from the same government poised to ram internet censorship down the throats of everyone in Australia? Doesn't surprise me.

They're still trying. Fortunately every single ISP thinks it's unviable.

Xkeeper

Level: 263

Posts: 9372/25353
EXP: 297157533
For next: 1802920

Since: 07-03-07

Pronouns: they/them/????????

Since last post: 3 days
Last activity: 14 hours

Posted on 02-08-09 09:03:18 AM

Link | Quote

God, that's crap. At least we're rid of Tack Johmpson. From the sounds of it, you're going to be stuck with that dumbass for a while :\

Register - Login
Views: 99831673	Main - Memberlist - Active users - Calendar - Wiki - IRC Chat - Online users Ranks - Rules/FAQ - Stats - Latest Posts - Color Chart - Smilies	05-03-22 09:29:45 PM

Query execution time:	0.099249 seconds
Script execution time:	0.017756 seconds
Total render time:	0.117005 seconds