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GAMING NEWS

Australia Gets R18+ Game Rating

Posted on Monday, June 18 @ 12:37:19 Eastern by

The Australian legislature has passed a bill that allows an R18+ rating for video games at retail. Speaking with News.com.au, Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said:

These are important reforms over 10 years in the making. The R18+ category will inform consumers, parents, and retailers about which games are not suitable for minors to play and will prevent minors from purchasing unsuitable material. The reforms also mean that adults are able to chose what games they play within the bounds of the law.

Most of Australia's bans have come from high levels of violence. Games like Left 4 Dead 2, Manhunt, and Postal have bee banned previously. The most recent ban was handed out to the reboot of Mortal Kombat last year. Lesser expected bans were handed out to Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (for glorification of grafitti) and NARC (for drug references).

Many titles (like the Grand Theft Auto series) underwent self-censorship to get a classification in Australia and make their way to store shelves. With an R18+ rating in place, gamers will be able to make their own decisions at the register.
Tags:   esrb


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Comments
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous

    Joined: Jul 2011
    Posted: Jun 18th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
    Welcome Aussie gamers, we've missed you. Now who wants to do some drugs then spray graffiti on a hooker we just had sex with and then murdered to get our money back?
  • UghRochester
    UghRochester

    Joined: Jun 2006
    Posted: Jun 18th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
    madster111 is so Fucking happy! You read this madster! Now you can't use that reason to pirate these violent games.
  • Squiggy
    Squiggy

    Joined: Nov 2005
    Posted: Jun 18th, 2012 at 2:23 pm
    I read the quoted segment in a fake Australian accent.
  • tinymhg
    tinymhg

    Joined: Jun 2011
    Posted: Jun 18th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
    Yeah, The Elder Scrolls sure have changed since they became an M rated game.
  • damo_rox619
    damo_rox619

    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posted: Jun 18th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
    yay! by the way Left 4 Dead 2 here wasn't banned here, it was just heavily altered to the point of not being worth a purchase
  • LawnGnome
    LawnGnome

    Joined: Apr 2007
    Posted: Jun 18th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
    I've never understood the censorship of movies and video games that goes on down under. Are there really that many conservatives/prudes in Australia? Why haven't they been voted out yet?
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff

    Joined: Nov 2009
    Posted: Jun 18th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
    I don't get it either. You'd think a nation with criminality in its heritage would be more than welcoming to these themes. :P Joking Aussies!
  • dirty_f
    dirty_f

    Joined: Nov 2010
    Posted: Jun 19th, 2012 at 7:04 am
    bout god damned time! this pleases me greatly.

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