Australian R18+ Game Rating System Ends Mature Game Embargos

[btarunr]

Australian legislators voted in a new game rating system that expands choice for gamers, allowing them to play ESRB-Mature games, which often get restricted or banned in the Australian market. Called R18+, the new rating marks games restricted to consumption by people aged 18 and above. Before it, the highest game rating marker for the Australian market was M15+ ("mature", above the age of 15), which let through titles with depiction of violence, but blocked out quite a few that in the eyes of the powers that be, were "too violent" (eg: Mortal Kombat, with its gory critical hit animations). Like with every other government, in every part of the world, it took a lobby to move the Australian House and Senate (Parliament) and make R18+ a reality. Go ahead and score fatalities in style, mates.



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[theJesus]

Cool, now Mussels can play fucked up hentai games.

 

[RejZoR]

Cool, now Mussels can play fucked up hentai games.

Lol. Though on a second note, i don't think states should be regulating what ppl want to buy. That's parents job...

 

[MilkyWay]

It had a lot to do with games that where 18's but where being slightly tweaked to masquerade as a 15, so 15s where actually as violent as an 18. The fact a lot of gamers just imported banned games meaning lost commerce for Australia.

 

[theubersmurf]

Congrats to the aussies here, glad they can't nix your content anymore.

 

[Lionheart]

Finally, herp derp....

 

[Yo_Wattup]

Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinaaaaaaaallyyyyyyyyyy

 

[erocker]

Congrats Aussies!!! oi oi!

 

[TheMailMan78]

Now they will have less of an excuse to pirate.......

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

It's about damn time, I just don't get the aussy governments fascination with censorship.

 

[KissSh0t]

Ohh my goodness is that for real finally!!!!

Left 4 Dead 2 was completely butchered compared to the original... maybe they will update it to be the normal version now!!!

And no more R18+ games being classified as MA15+ LOL!!

And no more Censored games!!!

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY FREAKING YEARS I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS...

Mates xD

 

[tacosRcool]

Well now Australia is a little less communist now...

 

[mcloughj]

About time. can't imagine how frustrating that must have been to put up with.

 

[THE_EGG]

Haaaaazaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[qwerty_lesh]

Will games be unbanned for us now or something?

Thank goodness we wont get gore gimped games anymore like L4D2(gore free rubbish version)

 

[Disruptor4]

Comes into effect on 1st January 2013 though. But at least we are going to get a bit more freedom. They will still censor some games

 

[Widjaja]

Now the Aussies don't have an excuse for the heat when they play games naked with sex themes in the summer heat.

But in all seriousness, about time!

Sure Aussie settlers were initially criminals and may have a predisposition to mimicking criminal activities from anything they may find influential but that was a long time ago and many of them should have evolved by now!

 

[DannibusX]

Now I gotta find some other way to make fun of the Aussies.

Well, they do have Mussels there so it shouldn't be too hard.

All kidding aside, this is awesome.

 

[Melvis]

About BEEEPING time!!!

They actually realize that we can think for ourselves now and that most of us are infact over 15 lol

 

[AsRock]

Lol. Though on a second note, i don't think states should be regulating what ppl want to buy. That's parents job...

It's parents what 1/2 the problem is.

 

[Mussels]

steam better patch L4D2, i'm sick of the butchered version (and its why i gave up playing it only a few days after its release)

 

[Frizz]

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Prima.Vera]

Someone needs to explain this English:
"Restricted to 18 and over" . So if I am 32 I am still restricted, but if I am 17 is OK. This is what I understand from this statement.

 

[KissSh0t]

Someone needs to explain this English:
"Restricted to 18 and over" . So if I am 32 I am still restricted, but if I am 17 is OK. This is what I understand from this statement.

It means if you are under the age of 18 you are not allowed to purchase or play it... I think :/

 

[Disruptor4]

Someone needs to explain this English:
"Restricted to 18 and over" . So if I am 32 I am still restricted, but if I am 17 is OK. This is what I understand from this statement.

Not sure if srs......

It says "Restricted TO 18 AND OVER"
meaning...
"Restricted TO people 18 years old AND OVER"

 

[Mussels]

Someone needs to explain this English:
"Restricted to 18 and over" . So if I am 32 I am still restricted, but if I am 17 is OK. This is what I understand from this statement.

it doesnt say 'restricted for people 18 and over'