Aliens vs. Predator Banned in Australia

[mindcycle]

As with Left 4 Dead 2, the game's "various types of violence" led to the call, with the official report (obtained by GameSpot) specifying that "the Predator collects 'trophies' by explicitly ripping off human heads, their spinal columns dangling from severed necks...heads can be twisted completely around...eyes can be stabbed through or gouged, leaving empty, bloodied eye sockets...extensive post-mortem damage, including decapitation and dismemberment, is also possible."

Developer Rebellion has already responded, telling CVG that "we will not be releasing a sanitized or cut down version for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices...

Read the rest on ShackNews

I commend Rebellion for taking that stance. The game also won't be appearing in Germany it seems.

 

[jmaker]

Do they also ban R rated movies in Australia?

 

[Gothgar]

hahaha, REBELLION for the win

what a bad ass response to those fucktards

hahahaha

 

[mmnno]

Did they ban Rogue Warrior as well?

 

[mindcycle]

Do they also ban R rated movies in Australia?

The below quote is from the same article.

Such bans stem from Australia's current video game rating system, which caps out at MA15+. A R18+ rating is available for movies, but not games.

 

[Xcobra]

What idiots. I feel sorry for gamers there.

 

[shortylickens]

Something tells me this just creates a black market for US games. Think about how many Australians have American friends. Every single one of them could be a portal to the "naughty" games.

 

[tailes151]

The below quote is from the same article.

Quote:
Such bans stem from Australia's current video game rating system, which caps out at MA15+. A R18+ rating is available for movies, but not games.

While this is true, Australia is very lenient with its movie ratings. They see the vast, vast majority of R's here rated MA15+ there. I lived there for 8 years and the only movie that I know received an R18+ rating was Hannibal, although it was released at MA15+ it was quickly changed to R18+.

In Australia, the R18+ is considered more like an X in the states.

 

[slightlyhuman]

lol. sucks to be an australian.

 

[Zenoth]

lol. sucks to be an australian.

Not to "be one", but to live there, yes.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

I thought Australians were supposed to be tough badasses, but apparently they've allowed their government to pussify them more than ours.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Damn Australia sucks.

 

[Barfo]

Something tells me this just creates a black market for US games. Think about how many Australians have American friends. Every single one of them could be a portal to the "naughty" games.

Substitute American friends for torrents.

 

[shortylickens]

I thought Australians were supposed to be tough badasses, but apparently they've allowed their government to pussify them more than ours.

Big Brother gives each of them a free beer every month.
Keeps them in line. And given all the titties and barbeque they consume I'd say a mild restriction on video games is immaterial.

 

[Adrenaline]

They have already banned Diablo 3 over there.

 

[Fox5]

I wonder if the Austrailian video game market is even big enough to warrant custom versions of all but the biggest name games.

BTW, digital distribution will hopefully one day make these laws meaningless. I know Steam has region restrictions, but I don't think D2D or Impulse do.

 

[slightlyhuman]

Not to "be one", but to live there, yes.

thank you captain obvious.

 

[WelshBloke]

I thought Australians were supposed to be tough badasses, but apparently they've allowed their government to pussify them more than ours.

Didn't yours force The Witcher to be censored in the states?

 

[Arglebargle]

Not the government, just the fear of trouble from the stuffed shirts.

 

[ZzZGuy]

Question is, do digital distribution companies such as steam/impulse/direct2drive/ect ect honor these countries restrictions by not allowing someone from X country with X game banned from buying it from them?

 

[Dumac]

Didn't yours force The Witcher to be censored in the states?

Are you kidding? No, our government would do such a shitty thing. This isn't fucking Australia. Our government does plenty of other, more shitty stuff, but not retarded censorship of games.

The censoring of The Witcher was done by the people who created it with no influence from the US government. They did so as a business decision - they knew nudity wouldn't go over well in the states and didn't want to get bad publicity.

 

[gorcorps]

Are you kidding? No, our government would do such a shitty thing. This isn't fucking Australia. Our government does plenty of other, more shitty stuff, but not retarded censorship of games.

The censoring of The Witcher was done by the people who created it with no influence from the US government. They did so as a business decision - they knew nudity wouldn't go over well in the states and didn't want to get bad publicity.

Don't be so sure. I don't think the Witcher was under ban pressure, but I remember something about Bioshock being toned down a bit from what they wanted to do because of an AO rating. There was originally more disturbing parts of what you did to the little sisters that they had to cut to be sold in normal stores.

 

[brblx]

no game will ever be banned in the US. the backlash is from retailers, that's not a 'ban.'

 

[shortylickens]

Didn't yours force The Witcher to be censored in the states?

No.
And it didnt censor Grand Theft Auto either.

 

[Dumac]

Don't be so sure. I don't think the Witcher was under ban pressure, but I remember something about Bioshock being toned down a bit from what they wanted to do because of an AO rating. There was originally more disturbing parts of what you did to the little sisters that they had to cut to be sold in normal stores.

Again, that has nothing to do with the government. Being rated AO doesn't make it illegal to sell in normal stores - retailers just chose not to sell AO games as to not offend anyone. It is completely different - a business choice.