In a meeting of attorneys-general in Adelaide, Australia (because saying a different city would have made such a difference to you…), the federal and state governments have made an in-principle agreement to include an R18+ classification (our equivalent of an 'M' rating) in their ratings system. This is yet another judicial victory for video games, after the California video game law was struck down as unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court.
Gamers in Australia have been clamoring for this rating for years now, and I can't believe it's taken this long for their government to have some bloody sense. I mean, could you imagine if us Americans could only have games up to a 'T' rating? Ah… hell no!
Hopefully now, that means that Australians will soon receive games that aren't completely edited and gutted of its gore and adult themes. And it will likely help stimulate not only the Australian games industry in retail, development, and fan-based community, but everyone else's as well since we can all finally export true 'M'-rated games to the Land Down Under.
Of course, the Australian government will have to follow through on this agreement; that is, if they believe in principles.
