A gory "hunt and kill" video game banned by the national film censorship body could be sold again if a Victorian Government push for uniform classification laws succeeds.
The Victorian Government wants R ratings to be applied to computer and video games despite the Office of Film and Literature Classification review board banning the controversial video game Manhunt....
Attorney-General Rob Hulls said the Bracks Government had pushed for uniform laws covering all mediums, but the Howard Government had refused to support the move.
IEAA chief executive Beverly Jenkin said the guidelines failed to recognise that more than 70 per cent of video game players were aged over 18 and 20 per cent aged over 39.
Shadow attorney-general Andrew McIntosh also supported the move to introduce R ratings for computer and video games.... the IEAA said Australia was the only Western economy without the classification for 18+ viewers and it was time for change.
The government is full of old codgers that have no idea what video games are. Everything will change once the youth of today take power, until that happens - we just have to ride out the wave of crap.
Our games classification is a laughing stock for the rest of the world. It really is. Every report from major game websites on the latest game title banned in Australia is followed with comments of bewilderment and utter surprise that such a forward country like ours is so restrictive when it comes to games. I just recently read a comment from a Sierra employee bemusing the fact that the latest Leisure Suit Larry won't even be available anywhere here. And it's hardly surprising that they find it all it strange. Like the article above says, Australia is *the only Western economy* without a 18+ classification for games. Someone needs to wake the Government up from the dark ages.
Unfortunately (and despite Hazard's optomistic take on things) I don't see it happening soon. Governments are trying to be more restrictive, and as for the younger generation, Gamers, Slackers and the like are unlikely to end up running for parliament. I fwe want change we need to campaign for it.
I say, blow the courst up. Stupid courts have had this stupid decision before. I'm not getting my hopes up for the R+ rating ..