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We've been patiently waiting for more on Ubisoft's Ghost Recon 4 since June. Now a listing appears on the Australian ratings board website for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Predator. Coincidence? More »
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Electronic Arts, the retail distributor for Left 4 Dead 2 weighed in against The Australian classification board's refusal of Left 4 Dead 2, and it's not as mild as the "pretty bummed" Valve offered last week More »
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Couched in an update of Left 4 Dead's ratings status in 11 locations is news the publisher on Wednesday appealed Australia's refusal to classify the game, effectively banning it for sale there. More »
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Australia's Classification Board has listed a new rating for Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, suggesting that the GameCube game might be ported to current systems. More »
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In perhaps the most glaring example of the OFLC's utter disregard for consistency, Grand Theft Auto IV will be released in Australia on PC completely uncut. Even though the console versions were cut, cut, cut. More »
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According to a new rating from Australia's Office of Film & Literature Classification board, there may be a new OutRun game in the works. The OFLC has rated a game titled OutRun Online Arcade for a multi-platform release, one published by Sega and, oddly enough, "produced" and "authored" by THQ. The two companies had enjoyed a publishing agreement on Game Boy Advance titles in the past, but development duties on the OutRun series has largely been handled by internal Sega teams and UK-based indie studio Sumo Digital. More »
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...Australia or Germany? Go on, guess! OK, well done, the correct answer is indeed Australia. Still hamstrung by the South Australian state Attorney-General's refusal to amend the country's classification laws (currently games don't have the R18+ rating movies do, and all six state AGs need to agree to change the law), Silent Hill: Homecoming has become the latest high-profile game to be refused classification in Australia, a move that practically bans the game from these antipodean shores. Those that have already played the game will suspect the decision was due to quality control concerns, but in reality it'll have been down the game's gore. Or, sorry, "gore". More »
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Great, another unnecessary name change for a Nintendo game in Australia! Earlier this year, Advance Wars: Days of Ruin was renamed Advance Wars: Dark Conflict down under (and in Europe), for no reason. Now, Animal Crossing: City Folk is getting the same treatment! The game's listing on the Office of Film & Literature Classification has it titled Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City. Maybe "City Folk" sounded too American for Nintendo Australia. Maybe it sounded too much like "City Fuck" for the trigger-happy classification board. Who knows. We certainly don't (Nintendo Australia didn't respond to a "please explain"). More »
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Oh, hey, Disaster: Day of Crisis. Man, it's been awhile. We thought you were dead. Fortunately, the Monolith Soft developed action game for the Wii just got an M rating in Australia, so we know it's alive and... well, alive. The Office of Film and Literature Classification lists the game as potentially objectionable for its "Violence, themes and infrequent coarse language." Nowhere is tardiness mentioned. More »
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For the rest of the world, Fallout 3's being released as intended. Nothing to worry about. But in Australia, as you're aware by now, the game's had to see some changes, thanks to the Office of Film & Literature Classification's strong stance against in-game drug use (Midway's last Blitz game was refused classification for similar reasons). While Bethesda are keeping quiet on just what those changes were, the OFLC's official report on the revision is a little more helpful. More »
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In its original state, Fallout 3 was deemed no good for the Australian market. Too many drug references for the Australian Office of Film & Literature Classification's liking. But now, well, now it's all good! A revised edition of the game has been cleared for release, and has been classified MA15+ by the OFLC, a rating based on the title's "Strong violence, drug references and coarse language". For the record, an MA15+ rating - the highest Australian law permits - means persons under the age of 15 can't legally purchase the game. What's unknown at this stage is the extent of the edits made; it could be a few simple name changes to the in-game drugs, it could mean a more fundamental overhaul of the game's menu/icon system, we don't know yet. It's the middle of the night in Australia. We'll update when we do know. More »
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Last night, we heard that Fallout 3 had been refused classification in Australia by the Office of Film & Literature Classification. Which is a lovely, legalese term for "banned". But just what was it about the game that caused the decision? What content was deemed too explicit to be given an MA15+ rating, the highest the OFLC are allowed to give? Turns out it had nothing to do with gore, or cannibalism. It was the drugs. Specifically, the game's "chems", or power-ups: More »
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And by "refused classification", we really mean banned, since without classification it's illegal for retailers to sell the game in Australia. In an unsurprising move, the Australian Office of Film & Literature Classification have, hands bound once again by Australia's refusal to allow games to be rated R18+, deemed elements of Bethesda's upcoming RPG a little bit much. There's no word yet on just what the board found unsuitable, but seeing as the game involves drug use (Blitz) and extreme gore (Soldier of Fortune) - two things games have previously been refused classification for - you could probably take your pick. More »
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Yesterday, amongst the usual assortment of motion pictures, reality television programs and comic books the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification usually sift through and classify, one item stood out. It's this one. Says that Mega Man 9, by Capcom, has been given a G rating, and is good to go for a local release. Mega Man 9? Never heard of it. Must be real/coming, though, because last I checked the OFLC don't review and classify rumours. If it's not at E3 next month you can join me in being deeply shocked. More »
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Was there ever any doubt Guitar Hero: On Tour was a DS version of the game? There was? Shouldn't be now: Australia's Office of Film & Literature Classification have just rated the game, and in the process blown its platform cover. It clearly says Guitar Hero: On Tour on the OFLC's site, and it clearly says Nintendo DS, with the game earning itself a G rating earlier this week.
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DARK SECTOR - I played Dark Sector at TGS. Thought it sucked. Anyway, word's come through that the game's been refused classification in Australia, mostly because it's a "violent and sometimes gruesome game with a sinister storyline and ominous outcome. The violence and aggression inflicted upon the protagonist is of a high level, naturalistic and not stylised at all". It's expected the game will be edited and resubmmitted for classification at a later date. While the loss of Dark Sector itself isn't going to cause too many sleepless nights, it is troubling that the OFLC have found it unacceptable, since while violent, it wasn't particularly more violent than something like, say, Gears of War. More »
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