In Australia, GTA IV Censorship May Force Government to Tweak Rating System
In Australia, GTA IV Censorship May Force Government to Tweak Rating System
May 15, 2008
The censorship of Grand Theft Auto IV will likely force the Australian government to add an R18 rating by year's end, according to The Australian.
GamePolitics readers will recall that some of GTA IV's sex scenes had to be cut in order to qualify for the current highest rating, MA15+. Without the edits, the game would have been banned by Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification.
Greg Bondar, who heads the Game Developers Association of Australia told The Australian:
I think the release of GTAIV is a defining moment; it goes to show how far the games industry has come. The ratings system has not kept up.
The Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia also supports adding a R18. IEA chief executive Ron Curry said:
Anecdotally, there was always a lot of hostility towards the classifications, but that is softening now as people are becoming more comfortable with games as just another form of media.
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Posted 12/03/09 at 08:17pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Bah my town is called saggisachs damnit!
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Bah my town is called saggisachs damnit!
Posted 12/03/09 at 08:06pm
JDKJ: I believe so. I think that's how it works in the village of Zippyville.
JDKJ: I believe so. I think that's how it works in the village of Zippyville.
Posted 12/03/09 at 07:50pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Can't one be both mayor and village idiot?
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Can't one be both mayor and village idiot?
Posted 12/03/09 at 07:08pm
JDKJ: Note to Self: If you ever become the mayor of your own village, don't bother hiring a village idiot. At least, not one of those opinionated village idiots.
JDKJ: Note to Self: If you ever become the mayor of your own village, don't bother hiring a village idiot. At least, not one of those opinionated village idiots.
Posted 12/03/09 at 06:07pm
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:have a good one then!!
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:have a good one then!!
Posted 12/03/09 at 06:05pm
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:That I am a fan/member of. They can do what they want but the more stupid thigns they do the elss support from US they will get..
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:That I am a fan/member of. They can do what they want but the more stupid thigns they do the elss support from US they will get..
Posted 12/03/09 at 06:04pm
ZippyDSMlee: Hal is not so bad he even respondes to my emails. The trouble coems down to what they do when they do things
ZippyDSMlee: Hal is not so bad he even respondes to my emails. The trouble coems down to what they do when they do things
Posted 12/03/09 at 06:04pm
Valdearg: @Zip: alright.. Point made.. I gotta head off to bowling right now, but when I get home, I'll read the article, before passing judgement on it.
Valdearg: @Zip: alright.. Point made.. I gotta head off to bowling right now, but when I get home, I'll read the article, before passing judgement on it.
Posted 12/03/09 at 06:00pm
DarkSaber: Nah, normally I'd love to bait them, but like I said, I just don't like Halpin.
DarkSaber: Nah, normally I'd love to bait them, but like I said, I just don't like Halpin.
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:59pm
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag: did you bother to read my thread or jsut assumne from my article comments I went into lulz mode?
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag: did you bother to read my thread or jsut assumne from my article comments I went into lulz mode?
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:59pm
Valdearg: I'd bet that the ECA probably could have done some things better, but in the end, It's thier organization..
Valdearg: I'd bet that the ECA probably could have done some things better, but in the end, It's thier organization..
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:58pm
Valdearg: @DS: LOL, why not side with your own kind, right? :P
Valdearg: @DS: LOL, why not side with your own kind, right? :P
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:58pm
ZippyDSMlee: DS:ya the dicks are less annoying....god help us if we piss them off the moaning will never stop!! :P
ZippyDSMlee: DS:ya the dicks are less annoying....god help us if we piss them off the moaning will never stop!! :P
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:57pm
Valdearg: @Zip: No offense, bro.. You're cool and everything, but your opinions on things like this aren't exactly based on a careful consideration of all facts involved, if your comments in the original article are any indication.
Valdearg: @Zip: No offense, bro.. You're cool and everything, but your opinions on things like this aren't exactly based on a careful consideration of all facts involved, if your comments in the original article are any indication.
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:57pm
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:maybe there's always some truth to it but all in all the ECA could have done better....
ZippyDSMlee: Vlag:maybe there's always some truth to it but all in all the ECA could have done better....
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:56pm
DarkSaber: Quite likely, but at the end of the day, if it's dicks or Hal, I'm siding with the dicks.
DarkSaber: Quite likely, but at the end of the day, if it's dicks or Hal, I'm siding with the dicks.
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:55pm
Valdearg: I'd be willing to bet my life on the fact that those folks making a big stink in the ECA forums are probably blowing it WAY out of proportion. Not saying the ECA is 100% innocent, mind you, but I'd bet the internet is making this a bigger deal than it is.
Valdearg: I'd be willing to bet my life on the fact that those folks making a big stink in the ECA forums are probably blowing it WAY out of proportion. Not saying the ECA is 100% innocent, mind you, but I'd bet the internet is making this a bigger deal than it is.
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:55pm
ZippyDSMlee: Dude.... the non functional cancel thing was working... and one dose not need a certificated letter to cancel from anything ,they cocked up big time but tis not all bad, check my thread out!
ZippyDSMlee: Dude.... the non functional cancel thing was working... and one dose not need a certificated letter to cancel from anything ,they cocked up big time but tis not all bad, check my thread out!
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:55pm
Valdearg: Honestly, it seems like both sides could have handled it better, but seeing as i'm no stranger to "internet controversy,"
Valdearg: Honestly, it seems like both sides could have handled it better, but seeing as i'm no stranger to "internet controversy,"
Posted 12/03/09 at 05:54pm
DarkSaber: Oh I can see in both directions, I'm just standing on one side. Maybe tomorrow I'll jump to the other. Maybe I wont.
DarkSaber: Oh I can see in both directions, I'm just standing on one side. Maybe tomorrow I'll jump to the other. Maybe I wont.
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Comments
---- There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians.
But why has it taken this long to get a R18 rating?
"as people are becoming more comfortable with games as just another form of media. "
Our generation is slowly taking over.
This is pretty much the truth. Despite what many people think, there are decensy levels in video games that even the most hardcore gamer is uncomfortable with. Besides, if a majority of people prefer to have the material available, then it should be. (Those that disagree can start a debate about The Virginia Plan versus The New Jersey Plan elsewhere.)
---- There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians.
Its quite sad that in order for us to get the R Rating, we need all of the Attorney Generals to agree to it, and there is just one person who objects to it, therefore it cant happen. Even sadder that I'm from the same state as him.
- Tim Kowalenko
Maybe you could vote him out. You know with a 5.56mm "vote"? (JOKE)
The situation with state attorneys general is really annoying, especially when they need a unanimous agreement to change something so simple as a media rating rather than a simple majority vote. Why can't we just say "Stiff shit South Australia, we're having it and thats that, grow up." (it is the SA AG that's the source of the problem isn't it?)
I'm not sure if I ever posted it but I've done a comparative analysis of the uncensored & Australian versions (err through perfecly legal means, no mention of questionably legal imports) and the differences are negligible and frankly laughable. The lapdances seem to be the same & there's no nudity in the strip club in both versions. The ONE difference that I've seen is the hookers (AGAIN).
In the uncensored version you can select a level of service and there's a degree of animation to accompany them. You get to see a fairly long ranged view of a fully clothed handjob ($20), blowjob ($50) or girl on top in-car shag ($70).
The Australian version has no ability to select the level of service and the camera angle is locked to a ground level shot behind the car. Thats all I've seen thats different.
My suspicion is that the Australian Hookers Union (I'm assuming one exists with absolutely no evidence) would have been up in arms about the idea that they might provide anything less than top quality service. They may be whores but they have professional pride damnit!
Censorship will never bring anything good. Hiding something away from someone will create aggression and tension, which could end in them importing it in (and breaking laws) or something even worse, which we can only speculate. The government believe that censorship will create a nice thick layer of ignorance and that people will turn the other cheek.
Allow the individual to make a judgement on it, instead of enforcing one.
I'm glad to see that Australia is now seriously looking at adding the R18 rating... However, I think this is all due to those gamers who refused to purchase the censored Australian version. This decision from my perspective looks like it was made due to pressure by retailers who saw only a small chunk of those GTA sales numbers. I'd love to know how many people have GTA in Australia and of those how many purchased it from a retailer in the country versus imported it. The reason I'm making this speculation is simple. Before GTA IV was released Australian and New Zeland government representatives both condemned the game and added that R18 was a mistake. Now suddenly they've "seen the light".
...I'm guessing that light was the loss of tax revenue due to the sale of copies of GTA IV and those which the game industry employs in the country.
At any rate, start stocking up on champagne my aussie gaming bretheren! The day you've all been waiting for is approaching! Woot for R18!
Freyar wrote:
"Despite what many people think, there are decensy [sic] levels in video games that even the most hardcore gamer is uncomfortable with."
Firstly, you're contradicting yourself there. If many people don't think it, then there AREN'T decency levels most hardcore gamer would be uncomfortable with.
As a gamer myself, I doubt very much that there are decency levels that go beyond what my comfort level would permit. These are games and no matter how excessively violent or obscene, what happens happens to pixels, not people. In my view videogames have been kept waaay too repressed for waaay too long. In terms of violence I'm perfectly comfortable with a game like GTA IV which shows multiple homicides and drug use. In terms of sex, games need to get a whole lot more graphic before I'll be happy with the portrayal of sex in videogames, because I think sex is a fun and harmless activity which needs to be portrayed with some level of maturity in games - i.e. let's see more of it and much more realistically.
In short, games like GTA aren't for kids and it's about time the industry stopped treating us all as if we were 8 year-olds.
LOL gotta laugh about the australian national whore association um my opinion is bring r18 there have been some games ive wanted to play but were banned cause of some whining bitches after they approve R18 games all we have to do is wait for the X18 games and then we can go into a porn shop in desguise and say were "buying a game"