If you buy a game for your PC or gaming console, it has a rating from the OFLC. Well, unless it’s been refused classification because of our country’s primitive classifications system, that is. But if you buy a game for your iPhone from the App Store, there’s no such classification. Yet. Michael Bodey over at The Australian has discovered that the government is aware of this loophole and is planning on closing it very soon. More »
You know what this Monday needs? More anger. More outrage. Fortunately, there’s a nice long letter from Michael Atkinson over on Kotaku (or at least linked to from Kotaku) that spells out his position on the issue of an R18+ rating, which should provide plenty of ammunition for your resentment. More »
The gimped Australian videogames rating system has struck again, with Left 4 Dead 2 being forced to edit out a heap of stuff to get an MA15+ rating. David at Kotaku has a full run down of exactly what’s been edited out, plus a way that you can put it back in (on the demo, at least) with a simple bit of file editing. More »
For those of you who haven’t yet caught episode two of Byteside, last week’s games show tackled the whole R18+ rating debate. What made the discussion really worth mentioning however was the inclusion on the panel of Paul Hunt, former Deputy Director of the OFLC. You know, the guys who actually ban games. More »
Outgoing Kotaku AU Ed Logan sent off a heap of questions to the Australian Classifications board a couple of weeks ago. And now they’ve gotten back to him. Seems that boy’s got connections.
Among the most revealing bits of information are that customs can seize any items contravening regulation (like an game refused classification) and you could be fined up to $110,000; that they board doesn’t actually play the games that they classify; and exactly what the reasoning was behind Fallout 3 being refused classification.
It’s an insightful read, even if it doesn’t alleviate the frustration at a flawed system. Make sure you check it out.
