As reported by Adelaide Now, the discussion over whether to add an R18+ ratings category for videogames in Australia has been scheduled for an undisclosed date in April.
The timing of the discussion means that it will take place after state elections in South Australia and Tasmania on March 20. South Australia is, of course, home base for anti-game Attorney General Michael Atkinson, often fingered as the lone holdout among his fellow AGs when it comes to backing an R18+ rating category.
In related R18+ news, the Australian website GoldCoast penned an editorial backing the addition of an adult videogame rating category, stating that it should be up to parents to decide what their children view.
The editorial offered:
…banning a game does not in any real terms restrict its availability -- long gone are the days of being able to keep something out of the public's hands simply by keeping it off the shelves.
Banned games can be downloaded over the internet and shared -- circumventing the classification system. What is concerning is that if children are downloading these games, parents may not be aware of the content.
An R18+ category would at least allow them to be aware of the content of a game and its rating, and make an informed decision on whether their children should be exposed to it or not.
We do, after all, give parents that responsibility when it comes to DVDs and books.
Lastly, Gamers4Croydon posted a recent image that shows off the unbelievably fortuitous placement of one of their ads on the cover of the Adelaide Independent Weekly.
Thanks HarmlessBunny!
Comments
Re: R18+ Discussion Scheduled for April
Has anyone pointed out to Atkinson that having no 18+ rating actually means pretty much all otherwise 18+ games get rated either 15+ because the rating boards don't want to resort to banning and the devs do the bare minimum to meet the rating boards demands when they do?
Surely he would care than this outdated law isn't really banning ultra-violent games and is instead causing much more violent 15+ rated games than what is found in other countries?
Re: R18+ Discussion Scheduled for April
I think a story that was reported on here a few days ago made mention of just that point. Not like the idiot is listening.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: R18+ Discussion Scheduled for April
Damn that's good ad placement!
Re: R18+ Discussion Scheduled for April
I hope that when it comes time to listen to the parade of "experts," some serious pro-gamer groups send their best and brightest to compete with the naysayers that have already lined up to testify on the "dangers" of violent video games. And not just from Australia, pro-gaming (or at least moderate) researchers and psychologists from the US and Europe should be invited to speak on subject, since most games are imports in Australia.