Australia: R18+ games rating being considered

[MarkD1990]

The Australian federal government says it is considering introducing an R18+ classification for games.

Such a move would allow the sale of more explicit titles in the country, reports The Sydney Morning Herald, although any proposal to extend the R18+ rating - which can already be granted to films and magazines - to games would have to be agreed to by the Commonwealth, states and territories.

The possibility of whether or not to allow an R18+ classification for games will be discussed at the next Standing Committee of attorneys-general (SCAG) in late-March.

Under the current guidelines there is no adult classification for games in Australia, so titles that fail to satisfy the MA15+ standard are banned from sale in the country. In total 18 games have been banned since 2001, although eight of those bans were later lifted after modified versions of the games in question were resubmitted for classification.

Most recently Australia’s Office of Film & Literature Classification (OFLC), the country’s classification board, refused to grant Digital Extremes’ Dark Sector (pictured) a rating.

In response to the news the Australian Family Association said that it would be opposed to the adoption of an R-rated category for games.

"... We believe that research is pointing to the fact that these games actually do impact behavior and psychology more easily than a film," said spokesperson Angela Conway.

Source: CVG