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The Forum > Article Comments > The do-gooder brigade stands ready to march on video game classification > Comments

The do-gooder brigade stands ready to march on video game classification : Comments

By Shane Ogden, published 19/4/2010

The discussion on an R18+ classification for video games is a non-sequitor and many parents and non-parents alike will recognise that an outright ban is really about parenting the parents.

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Runner:- "as if we have not got enough violence, perversion and immorality available already."

Lets limit it to the church
Posted by Shadow Minister, Monday, 19 April 2010 1:01:29 PM
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"It would be an intellectual dishonesty to argue..."

Actually I wouldn't say it IS an intellectual dishonesty, and here's why:

The fact is that without an R18 classification many games that are intended to fall under that category end up getting an MA15 rating after minor edits. A case in point is GTAIV, which was given an 18 rating in the UK but only made it onto Australian shelves after the removal of some minor sexual content and blood. Nevermind that the entire premise of the game is anti-social and extremely violent, encouraging the player to kill police, steal cars, and commit murder; it is now legally available to 15 year olds instead of the 18+ it was intended for. This is not a game that is intended for children; it's not even intended for teenagers. And yet due to a lack of R18 classification it is now under a classification that allows for its legal purchase by 15 year olds.

But the danger of this goes even further. Parents who know very little about these games or their context make decisions based on the rating. My stepmother bought the game for my two younger brothers, who were 12 and 14 at the time. She assumed that because of its MA rating it was suitable for 15 year olds, or 'mature' 12 year olds.

The simple fact is that it isn't. Not by a long shot, even after the edited content. And this coming from someone who is a big fan of the game. There should be a big stinking obnoxious R18+ sticker on the front warning parents that even though it's a 'computer game' that doesn't make it suitable for teenagers, the same way you would not buy porn for them.

The anti-R18+ crowd don't seem to realise how counterproductive their actual stance is. It won't stop violent games getting on the shelves, it'll simply ensure that they're legally available to younger audiences than they're actually intended for.
Posted by Grayzie, Monday, 19 April 2010 1:02:19 PM
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I have sitting before me the Limited Edition copy of the game Just Cause 2.
It has an embossed cardboard slipcover bearing the Australian MA 15+ logo.
Removing the slipcover what do I see printed on the actual DVD cover?
The UK R18+ logo.
R rated games are already being sold in this country, every second game I buy seems to have this anomaly.
The game in question is not even particularly violent, you can't kill civilians, there's minimal blood, the bodies disappear after a few seconds and the harshest language I've heard in it is "Crap".
The other issue is that parents, my own siblings included think that an MA15 plus rating means the game is harder and will "teach" their kids something through an added challenge...seriously.
Most of the really violent games are first person perspective shooters which rank at the very low end in terms of difficulty.
Then we have games like Grand Theft Auto IV which while moderately challenging and not graphically violent have a very dark and mature storyline, where you are forced to make very adult choices, who lives and who doesn't, that sort of thing.
As a parent I'd be happy if all games featuring any violence at all were 18+, the kids can play FIFA soccer and driving games, at least they're challenging and somewhat educational.
Posted by Jay Of Melbourne, Monday, 19 April 2010 1:20:42 PM
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Many well meaning people support the legalisation of R18+ level games, because they think that if we had such a classification, then many very violent games now in MA15+ will become R Rated.

Not so. Games now rated MA15+ have been assessed as meeting the present MA15+ classification criteria (which allow content with strong impact). Any new games coming in will still be classified MA15+ if they meet those criteria. There is no proposal to change these, and to do so would require a review of the total classification system, including for films.

So, allowing R18+ level games will simply provide easier access to games with more extreme violence, and/or high level sexual or drug taking activity ,than at present

If parents are confused about what's suitable, then let's give them more help, including info about the meaning of MA15+ (= unsuitable for those under 15 yrs and has legal force).
Posted by beb, Monday, 19 April 2010 1:26:33 PM
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"Any new games coming in will still be classified MA15+ if they meet those criteria."

If they meet those criteria, exactly. Remember that the classification board has a lot of pressure to pass content. The people who made GTA IV made the game for players over 18 years old. If we HAD the R18+ classification in Australia then it would have been released under it. Since we don't, they were forced to make a number of very minor edits to the game in order to meet the absolute limit of what is acceptable in an MA15+ rating.

Seriously, when you're talking about an 18+ game where you can pick up prostitutes in your car, take them to a dark secluded alley, engage in sex with them, then beat them to death to get your money back; then you take out the footprints your shoes make when you walk through their blood and reduce its rating to 15+ - can you logically claim that the system is working?
Posted by Grayzie, Monday, 19 April 2010 2:13:28 PM
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Why not just ban everything that could possibly be unsafe? Instead of a principle of liberty, we could have a principle of security: the starting point is that everything is illegal, and you can then apply to the government for permission to do anything. You might say it's none of the government's business, but I say 'What about the widdle childwen?' Demand a risk-free world now!

If the permission-granting authority decides that you have filled in the appropriate appliation form, undertaken any compulsory licensing and paid the prescribed fee, and decided that you would not be putting yourself at risk, then they would issue you the permit to do whatever it is. But since there is risk in everything, and since we might get wiped out by a meteorite tomrrow, what would they measure the risk against? Your liberties will vary according to the length of the foot of the official making the decision.
Posted by Jardine K. Jardine, Monday, 19 April 2010 3:11:16 PM
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