The OFLC website now has an updated listing for the controversial Fallout 3, showing that the game has now acquired an MA15+ rating after being refused classification on the first submission. There's currently no word on what has been removed or replaced from the game to achieve the lower rating (and likely won't be if GTA 4's treatment is anything to go by) but it still carries the warning Strong violence, drug references and coarse language and is now cleared for sale in Australia.

The game was originally refused classification, purportedly as a result of it's strong drug references rather than it's graphically violent content - a situation that highlights the ridiculousness of Australia's current video game classification system and its lack of an 18+ category.

Thank god ...
Now we can actually play this game.. (I cant be bothered ordering from OS)

Now all we need is a R18+ rating ... I think I'll be in my grave b4 we see this

If the 360 version is region free, I'll still be importing it. I'll happily send my money overseas until the situation is rectified.

"If the 360 version is region free, I'll still be importing it. I'll happily send my money overseas until the situation is rectified."

Hmm true maybe I should vote as such with my money too

Hmm true maybe I should vote as such with my money too

You should. I am, most of the people at work are. I've got a few guys, we're putting in a bundle order overseas. Why support a system that sucks, just bypass it.

True ...well guys ...I'm convinced ... I'm voting with my money :)

I rang up local radio station here when Michael Atinkson was on regarding the 18+ debate. Me and him had a good heated argument for about 5-10 mins. If it gets podcasted from the station I'll put a link up.

Basically he was arguing that anyone playing 'hardcore' video games as he put it are likely to become agro, violent and 'go nuts'.

Anyway, the bloke is a d*******.

what a wanker, if I met him I'd stab him in the face for that bs

"Basically he was arguing that anyone playing 'hardcore' video games as he put it are likely to become agro, violent and 'go nuts'."

Hmm its ppl like that who probably prevent us getting the R18+ classification GRRRRR

Good work on arguing the point :)

Basically he was arguing that anyone playing 'hardcore' video games as he put it are likely to become agro, violent and 'go nuts'.

So incredibly frustrating and disappointing that a politician with significant veto power can use such an unfounded and scientifically unproven concept as the basis of their argument.

To my knowledge there have been no (zero) conclusive studies that attribute playing violent video games to an increase in violent behaviour in people. How can someone of such stature preach such an unfounded notion as law?

Thank god they changed the drug names, now the children can happily inject "not-morphine" to their hearts content while guaranteeing they will never use its real life counterpart.

I'll be importing the PC version. Screw paying more then other countries AND having censored game content. If I'm going to pay a premium price, I want a premium product!

So incredibly frustrating and disappointing that a politician with significant veto power can use such an unfounded and scientifically unproven concept as the basis of their argument.

Dan I am pretty sure that a link between violent media and violent behaviour is not without at least some scientific support. If you look here research has found some links. Not uncontroversial, but a poly from family first party for example is going to cite some of the research in the bibliography as though set in stone. I would suggest that there is no conclusive study showing that media has zero effect either.

I think the best argument you could work is that there is no data supporting the idea that video games are any worse, and we allow R rated film content.

I would suggest that there is no conclusive study showing that media has zero effect either.

The difference being that I'm not out blatantly telling people there isn't.

I don't support the 'movies get it so why can't games' defense, because no doubt these same people would be more than happy to implement the same restrictions on film if they could get away with it.

How does game ratings in the US work? I know that their movie ratings system is completely different from here (at least it was 5 years ago).

Yeh FYI a while back on QGL when there was a "violent games cause violent children" debate I did some research: it has been found time and time again that children who play violent video games have a tendancy to display more aggressive behaviours after playing the games. I can't remember the specifics, but I'm pretty sure the timespan was limited, and I don't know what games they were playing. I can't remember seeing any longterm studies looking at lasting effects.

The problem with that sort of research is that aggressive behaviour is probably much more a result of something like parenting, so it is important to remember that video game playing isn't the only issue. However, like I said, last I check, it was found that violent video games did make children more aggressive.

I'm not gonna buy it.

May aswell just go play oblivion.

B.Hardball, a similar test ages ago about Musical lyrics and thoughts went as such:

Two random groups of people, 1 listened to non aggressive lyrics the other group listened to music with aggressive lyrics.

After listening for a while the two groups sat down to the same test. The test had words with blank letters such as: h_t

There was a statistically significant higher filling with aggressive words such as hit as opposed to hat in the group who listened to aggressive lyrics.
The idea behind the test is that aggressive music subtly changes the mind to think more aggressive which has a flow on effect and could lead to more aggresive behavior and so on.

Yes I will be importing Fallout 3 as well most probably from New Zealand or the Asian games boutique.

Yes I will be importing Fallout 3 as well most probably from New Zealand or the Asian games boutique.

last i heard new zealand gets the same version as us.

Dan,

The office of film and literature classify games under the same ratings as films. The only way to get an R rating for games is to say that they aren't significantly different from films. Anything else amounts to arguing that they are different from films and therefore should be treated differently. In which case if the poly is right then there is a negative social outcome worthy of consideration. If your right then nothing happens. I can only see treating them differently being worse for gaming.

At least in the film world there is an existing precedent that R rated material is suitable for Australian audiences.

For the record I also think that the lack of an R rating is f***ing stupid.

Well if the OFLC are treating games like films why no R rating though?

Only difference is one is non-interactive and the other is supposedly interactive.

Exactly?

Jeez, I asked the station for the snippet of the convo (they didn't end up podcasting it)...$55 bux :S
Won't be buying that.

If the 360 version is region free, I'll still be importing it. I'll happily send my money overseas until the situation is rectified.

+1

no censorship and like half the price, its kind of a no brainer.

My brother and I played games like Doom and Duke3D when we were in our early teens, however my parents were always aware of it and (subtly) monitored us when we were playing. When my brother (who has a significantly shorter "fuse") would get frustrated and start yelling at the game or thumping the desk, they stepped in and made him stop, to show him that behaviour wasn't acceptable.

The argument isn't that video games make children violent or not. The argument is that we should have an R 18+ rating so ADULTS can play those games. The same way that a child should not be watching an R18+ movie, they shouldn't be playing the games, and its up to parents to take some responsibility for their children's behaviour rather than expecting schools or the government to do it for them.

Just an FYI, apparently they're not called the4 OFLC anymore, just the 'Classification Board'.