Which is probably why this week's store update is so thin. Can't very well go licensing and localising content if you're down the pub enjoying a week off, can you?

Wish I had the week off.

PS3 STORE

Additional Special Offers (Until the 7th of January)

* Fat Princess (was – £11.99/€14.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* WarHawk (was – £14.99/€19.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP) (was – £23.99/€29.99 now – £16.99/€20.99) (reduced until the 21st of January)
* Resistance: Retribution (PSP) (was – £24.99/€39.99 now – £14.99/€19.99)
* LocoRoco 2 (PSP) (was – £19.99/€29.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* Numblast (PSP) (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Trine (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* Worms (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £6.29/€7.99)

Special Offers (Until the 7th of January)

* Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (was – £19.99/€29.99 now – £14.99/€19.99)
* Burn Zombie Burn! (was – £6.29/€7.99 now – £3.19/€3.99)
* Bomberman Ultra (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
* Battlefield 1943 (was – £9.99/€12.99 now – £6.29/€7.99)
* Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £5.19/€6.49)
* High Velocity Bowling (was – £6.29/€7.99 now – £3.99/€4.99)
* Lemmings (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £3.19/€3.99)
* 3 on 3 NHL Arcade (was – £6.29/€3.19 now – £3.19/€3.99)
* Burnout Paradise (was – £24.99/€29.99 now – £13.99/€17.99)
* Burnout Paradise – Big Surf Bundle (was – £27.99/€34.99 now – £19.99/€24.99)
* Fight Night Round 4 – Champions Pack (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Skate 2 – Maloof Money Cup Pack (was – £1.59/€1.99 now – £1.19/€1.49)
* Skate 2 – Time is Money Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Skate 2 – Filmer Pack (was – £4.79/€5.99 now – £3.19/€3.99)
* Skate 2 – Dyrdek's Fantasy Plaza Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Skate 2 – San Van Classic Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Dead Space – Scorpion Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Dead Space – Obsidian Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Dead Space – Military Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Dead Space – Tank Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* The Godfather 2 – The Corleone Bundle (was – £7.99/€9.99 now – £4.79/€5.99)
* Burnout Dominator (PSP) (was – £17.99/€24.99 now – £11.99/€19.99)
* Burnout Legends (PSP) (was – £14.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)
* Def Jam Fight for New York: The Takeover (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* EA Replay (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* Crash Team Racing (PSone Classic) (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Kula World (PSone Classic) (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)

Downloadable Games
Hustle Kings (£6.29/€7.99)

PSone Game
Vagrant Story (£4.79/€5.99)

Demos
Dante's Inferno – Gates of Hell
Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
MX vs. ATV Reflex

minis
Cubixx (£2.49/€2.99)
International Snooker (£3.99/€4.99)
Tiger Trouble (£2.49/€2.99)

Add-On Game Content

* LittleBigPlanet
o Pirates of the Caribbean Will Turner Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
o Pirates of the Caribbean Tia Dalma Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
o Pirates of the Caribbean Elizabeth Swann Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
o Pirates of the Caribbean Barbossa Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
o Pirates of the Caribbean Davy Jones Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
o Pirates of the Caribbean Sack Sparrow Costume (£1.59/€1.99)
o Pirates of the Caribbean Costume Kit (£4.79/€5.99)
o Pirates of the Caribbean Level Kit (£4.79/€5.99)

* PAIN - Kato-San Character (Free) Rating: PEGI 16
* Dragon Ball Raging Blast – Ginyu Force Pack (free)
* EyePet – Lucky Dip Styling Pack 10 (free) Rating: PEGI 3
* Rock Band
o (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To by Weezer (£0.99/€1.49)
o Beverly Hills by Weezer (£0.99/€1.49)
o Let It All Hang Out by Weezer (£0.99/€1.49)
o Weezer Pack 03 (Contains the three tracks listed above) (£2.49/€3.99)
o A Lot Like Me by The Offspring (£0.99/€1.49)
o Build A Bridge by Limp Bizkit (£0.99/€1.49)
o Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard (£0.99/€1.49)

* Guitar Hero 5
o Harder To Breathe By Maroon 5 (£1.59/€1.99)
o Hark The Herald Angels Sing By Steve Ouimette (£1.59/€1.99)
o New By No Doubt (£1.59/€1.99)
o Our Song By Taylor Swift (£1.59/€1.99)
o Celebrity New Years Rock Track Pack (£4.39/€5.49)

Adhoc Party Application

Premium Avatars
* LittleBigPlanet – (£0.20/€0.25 each)
o Sackboy Avatar
o Craft Earth Avatar
o My Moon Avatar
o Sky Avatar
o Arrr! Avatar
o Marvin Avatar
o Gloria Avatar
o Great Blue Avatar
o Frost-E Avatar
o Hugo Avatar
o Lily Pad Avatar
o Christmas Tree Avatar
o Santa Avatar
o Giftboy Avatar

Videos

* Digger HD Trailer
* Savage Moon: The Hera Campaign Trailer
* James Cameron's Avatar: The Game Launch Trailer
* Hustle Kings Trailer
* PixelJunk Shooter Trailer

Themes
* Gravity Crash Theme
* Mushroom Wars Theme
* Disruptive Theme – Tropical Paradise Theme (£1.19/€1.49)

Wallpapers
* Gravity Crash Wallpaper
* Gravity Crash Sun Wallpaper
* Gravity Crash Planet Wallpaper
* Gravity Crash Space Wallpaper

PSP STORE

Additional Special Offers (Until the 7th of January)

* Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP) (was – £23.99/€29.99 now – £16.99/€20.99) (reduced until the 21st of January)
* Resistance: Retribution (PSP) (was – £24.99/€39.99 now – £14.99/€19.99)
* LocoRoco 2 (PSP) (was – £19.99/€29.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* Numblast (PSP) (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Burnout Dominator (PSP) (was – £17.99/€24.99 now – £11.99/€19.99)
* Burnout Legends (PSP) (was – £14.99/€19.99 now – £11.99/€14.99)
* Def Jam Fight for New York: The Takeover (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* EA Replay (PSP) (was – £15.99/€19.99 now – £7.99/€9.99)
* Crash Team Racing (PSone Classic) (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)
* Kula World (PSone Classic) (was – £3.99/€4.99 now – £2.39/€2.99)

Downloadable Games
* Savage Moon: The Hera Campaign (£6.29/€7.99)
* Thrillville: Off The Rails (£7.99/€9.99) Rating: PEGI 7

See, in the US, it was released in convenient, standalone form. But the only way PAL customers will be able to get their hands on a copy is if they grab the European version of the God of War III Ultimate Edition, as it'll be included within, along with a ton of other stuff.

Who knows, there might still be a chance the collection will be released individually early next year, but with the God of War franchise not as big in Europe as it is in the US (hence the fact the collection hasn't yet been released), I wouldn't hold my breath.

Sega Australia's general manager, Darren Macbeth, tells Kotaku "It is with great pleasure that we announce the success of our appeal. We are particularly proud that the game will be released in its original entirety, with no content altered or removed whatsoever. This is a big win for Australian gamers. We applaud the Classification Review Board on making a decision that clearly considers the context of the game, and is in line with the modern expectations of reasonable Australians".

The ruling means the game will now be classified MA15+, meaning only those aged 15 years over can purchase the game. It also means no cuts or edits will need to be made to the title in order for it be sold, which is lucky, since developers Rebellion had sworn that's something they weren't going to do.

Like Macbeth says, it's nice to see common sense win out for once in this country.

Not for the contents of the trailer, mind you, but for the MA15+ rating the trailer carries, and veritable baggage train of rating warnings along for the ride (see above).

We're concerned the game may contain violence.

While Sega Australia declined to comment on any possible progress made at today's classification review meeting, the appearance of a trailer carrying an MA15+ rating shows Sega are at least serious about giving a good ol' fight.

The paper has been released to canvas public opinion on whether Australia's classification guidelines should be amended to include an R18+ rating. It's not a clear statement of intent, nor a sign that changes are on the way; it's the government simply saying "hey, we're listening, what's up".

Still, this is probably the best chance for Aussies fed up with receiving heavily censored titles to have their opinions heard officially, so if you're an Australian citizen or resident hit the link below and fire off an email if you'd like to contribute.

[An R18+ Classification for Computer Games - Public Consultation]

Aliens vs. Predator got the big thumbs down on Dec. 3, primarily for its depictions of gore and violence. Its developer, Rebellion, has said it will not modify the title in order to receive classification, so this amounts to a big "pretty please?" to Australia from Sega.

The Review Board has invited applications to be considered an "interested party" to the review, but reminds that this review and its reconsideration can only be within the scope of Australia's existing classification regulations. I.e., no one's being invited to complain about creating an R18+ rating category for games, as such an option is for lawmakers, not the review board, to implement.

Aliens vs. Predator: RC Rating to be Reviewed [Refused-Classification.com via Game Politics]

We won't be having an open bar or anything fancy, but if you're in the neighborhood of Central Station in Sydney Friday night and want to stop by, I'd love to talk.

Luke Plunkett and Kotaku Australia's David Wildgoose will both be hanging out as well, drinking good beer at Luke's old watering hole.

The meet up will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Royal Exhibition Hotel's Beer Garden, which may or may not be packed to the gills with squares come Friday night. Look for the guys talking about video games if you come.

Looking forward to seeing you.

Sega has been teasing us. Ryū ga Gotoku 3, the third game in Sega's Yakuza series, has sold half a million copies in Japan since its release in February of last year. Despite strong sales and the clamoring of the franchises' fanbase, the developer has remind quiet about a Western release - until now. In a post on the European PlayStation Blog, Sega announces the impending U.S., European, and Australian release, with words from SOE's European Marketing Director, Gary Knight.

"Yakuza 3 was one of the most requested titles for localisation by our European SEGA community, so we are delighted to be able to fulfil their wishes with this announcement. As well as delving even further into the rich narrative of the Yakuza universe, the development team have pushed the PlayStation 3 hardware to the limits to produce a beautiful and startlingly realistic depiction of the Japanese underworld."

The localization of the game will feature full Japanese voice acting with English subtitles, as it should be. Best of all, the PlayStation 3 exclusive is due out in March. That's only three months or so of waiting. Perhaps Sega was wise to tease us until now.

Our long struggle is over. Time for a nap.

East Meets West – Yakuza 3 Coming In 2010 [PlayStation Blog Europe]

This morning, for example, I awoke to find Rebellion - the developers behind Aliens vs Predator - saying that they wouldn't be making any changes to the game in light of its failure to secure classification in Australia. Were that simply from a business standpoint (ie, it's too small a market to go back into the code), that's fine. Whatever.

But they went and provided an official statement on the matter, which said "We will not be releasing a sanitised or cut down version for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices."

See that, right there? It's harsh. And it's 100% bullshit.

Whenever a game is refused classification in Australia - a move which effectively bans the game, since it is illegal to sell a game without a Classification Board rating attached - I hear the same old thing being said by publishers and gamers alike. That it's either the fault of the Australian government, the Classification Board, or some underlying moral flaw in the Australian people.

Let me tell you why games are continually "banned" in Australia. It is not, as you may believe, the fault of the Australian "government". Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his cabinet have never broached the subject. They have not passed any laws banning violent video games, nor will they. This is a free, liberal and democratic country.

Nor is there some movement or mass media crusade in this country, like there is in Germany, to crack down on violent content in video games. Newspapers, talk shows and TV hosts have better/more important things to talk about. It's not even on their radar. The Australian people, like people everywhere else, are free to purchase what they like, and since the biggest game of the year down here will be Modern Warfare 2, we clearly enjoy a bit of the ol' ultra-violence.

And it's not the fault of the Classification Board. They review what they're given and have to rate it within the guidelines they're given; they're not some autonomous body, some powerful government force able to lobby for changes. They do what they do within the rules, get paid, life goes on.

So whenever you see or hear a publisher, developer or writer from the US or Europe blaming any of the things above, ignore them. They don't know what they're talking about.

The actual cause of Australia's current situation can be traced back decades, to the time ratings for video games were first introduced. Because at the time games were so simple, childish and crude (they were, after all, still considered "toys"), it was decided that the maximum rating they'd need was MA15+. A mistake, then but an innocent one.

Fast forward to this decade, and suddenly games are incredibly realistic. The Xbox 360, PS3 and PC can depict scenes of shocking violence, and a maturing development scene means sex and drugs now feature prominently in video games as well. Games aren't just meeting the MA15+ rating, they're often exceeding it.

So, it's time for a law change, then! Should be simple enough. Australia has a number of international developers lobbying the government, it's a billion-dollar market, it's a free country. Except...to amend the classification laws, all six of Australia's state Attorneys-General need to unanimously agree to the change.

Five of them do, and have been for some time now. They're reasonable people, who realise that adults should be free to choose their own adult forms of entertainment. But one - South Australia's Michael Atkinson - does not.

An incredibly conservative man, Atkinson vehemently opposes the introduction of an R18+ rating in Australia, as he believes that would make it too easy for children to access the mature content in an adult game. Despite the fact it's legal to sell not only R18+ DVDs in this country, which would presumably allow the exact same thing, but in some territories (like mine) it's even legal to purchase XXX pornographic material.

Despite years of letters, phone calls and industry lobbying, Atkinson has refused to budge. He likely never will, meaning the only way Australia's classification laws are liable to change is if he dies, or loses his seat at the next election (a gaming party is seeking to do just that, but campaigning on such a limited platform, they won't likely be successful).

Well, that or change the constitution. And that's not going to happen over something so trivial (which, in the grand scheme of things, this is).

So developers, publishers, and everybody else with an opinion on why a game is "banned" in Australia or what's wrong with us if/when it is...try and keep all this in mind next time you go pointing the finger.

The refusal to classify Aliens vs. Predator in Australia is effectively a ban, as the country will not allow the sale of a game that doesn't fall under its maximum allowed game rating of MA15+, and Rebellion agrees that its game doesn't qualify for that rating. The following is from a statement issued by the developer.

"Rebellion is disappointed that its upcoming title Aliens vs. Predator has been banned in Australia. However, as we understand the law in that country the authorities had no choice as we agree strongly that our game is not suitable for game players who are not adults."

Rebellion's problem is the same that many Australian games and gamers are forced to deal with - the fact that while films can carry R18+ and X18+ ratings, labeling them as adults only, video games can not. This has caused many developers over the years to modify titles, including Bethesda, which altered the drug references in Fallout 3 to suit Australian censors. Rebellion, true to its name, refuses to make changes.

"The content of AVP is based on some of the most innovative and iconic horror movies, and as such we wanted to create a title that was true to the source material. It is for adults, and it is bloody and frightening, that was our intent. We will not be releasing a sanitised or cut down version for territories where adults are not considered by their governments to be able to make their own entertainment choices."

Harsh words, but words that countless other developers and gamers can get behind.

Rebellion rises against Australia AVP ban News [GamesIndustry.biz]

It's the reason Fallout 3 had to be edited, and why NFL Blitz has never been released in the region.

Another game effectively banned, blah blah blah, yada yada yada. It's not the first, it won't be the last, and anyone that draws attention to their ignorance by saying "what, Australians don't like violence?" or blames the entire government (it's the fault of near-sighted beaurecrats in the 1980's and a single state attorney-general), please, don't.

Drug Use The Reason For Crimecraft Banning [Kotaku AU]

We've been told by sources directly affected by the cuts that roughly 50 developers (a sizeable number of Krome's total workforce) were let go from the company's Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne branches last Thursday and Friday. The main culprits? A super-high Aussie dollar (making US-backed development expensive) and what's described as a "lack of contracts".

Krome CEO Robert Walsh put a more official slant on the causes in the following statement, sent to GameSpot:

Regrettably, an undisclosed number of employees across each of Krome's three studio locations were informed they would be let go.

With declining game sales, the industry is really feeling the effects of the struggling economy. In spite of industry-wide cutbacks and Krome's need to reduce costs, we've worked really hard to minimise the impact on our staff. These cuts, while incredibly difficult as they affect the coworkers we consider friends, are necessary as we position Krome for the future. We're also actively pursuing several business opportunities which, if secured, will enable Krome to reemploy some of the staff given notice.

Krome also worked on the PS2 and Wii versions of the latest Transformers game, and were the creators of the last generation's Ty: The Tasmanian Tiger series.

Yes, if you thought Europe's special edition of the game was nice, ours is nicer. It includes the same art book and soundtrack sampler, but also includes a replica of Bayonetta's gun, Scarborough fair.

Best part? It's called the Climax Edition.

It'll be available in January.

Bayonetta: Climax Edition Goes For The Money Shot [Kotaku AU]

You can see for yourself in that video above. The scorecard, according to the Steam community forums is comprehensive: the Australian version of Left 4 Dead 2 will have no bloodspatter on the screen; there will be no zombie dismemberment; there will be nothing beyond a "small splash of blood" when you attack an infected - no guts or gore; infected won't light on fire if they get hit with a molotov, and corpses will disappear from the screen.

But wait, there's less! The bullet-proof Riot Cop uncommon infected will not spawn, I guess over cop-killing concerns? "If someone with an uncut version joins a game with Australians with the cut version, Uncommon Infected will NOT spawn," says the forums.

Wow. I was thinking melee would be subject to the two-hand touch rule. Good thing they saved that!

Kotaku Australia wrote up the full scoop - with a workaround to defeat the censorship. Although they point out this was tested only on the demo and may not work with the full release.

What's Cut From Aussie Left 4 Dead 2, And How To Uncut It [Kotaku Australia]

The skippable scene of terrorist atrocities in Modern Warfare 2 first came to light via leaked footage on YouTube early yesterday. News travelled quickly, however, with an AP report dropping yesterday afternoon, distributing the news to just about every news organization on the planet. Word obviously reached Australia, prompting Australian Council on Children and the Media Jane Roberts to call on the Australian Classification Board to reconsider the MA15+ rating the game received, which is the highest rating given games in the country. Reconsideration would effectively ban the game from release. Roberts claims that even with the MA15+ rating, the game would still be readily available to children.

"The consequences of terrorism are just abhorrent in our community and yet here we are with a product that's meant to be passed off as a leisure time activity, actually promoting what most world leaders speak out publicly against."

Do not read on if you wish to avoid Modern Warfare 2 spoilers.

Here's the report regarding the offending scene filed by the Classification Board that accompanied the MA15+ rating decision.

"Several civilians are shot with blood burst bullet wounds; civilian corpses are strewn across the airport floor, often in stylised pools of blood; injured civilians crawl away with lengthy blood trails behind them."

The report goes on to mention that you cannot inflict post mortem damage on the civilians, and that all other missions of the game will result in failure if a civilian is shot.

Activision released a statement to Kotaku yesterday regarding the scene, explaining that it was "meant to evoke the atrocities of terrorism."

Back in Australia the debate rages on, with Nicholas Suzor, spokesman for the lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia, using the situation to call for a R18+ rating for games released in the country, while rejecting the idea that a video game could foster terrorism.

"Films often show the villain's perspective and, by doing that, they get across the character's story and the heinous nature of people who carry out atrocities. Games, too, are becoming more expressive, and are telling more involved stories. We may make an argument that these sorts of topics are not suitable for children, but I don't at all accept that it is unsuitable for adults."

The Classification Board cannot review its own decisions, so anyone interested in getting the rating reviewed will have to apply directly to the board.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is slated for Australian release on November 10th.

Outrage as terrorist game lets players massacre civilians [The Sydeny Morning Herald - Thanks Ted!]

Pre-loaders of the PC version over Steam found the file "borderlands_low_violence.ncf" in their download; it's not a part of the North American version. When contacted about the file, 2K Australia said:

We have been talking to the US 2K team via email and working out how this happened/ what the next steps are to amend this via Steam. They're working on clearing this up with Valve right now and know to ask how they will handle those people who have already d/l'ed the wrong version.

So, bottom line for Aussies: No content changes were made to receive classification, but this file does make the game "a wrong version." 2K promises to have this cleared up by Oct. 30 - three days after Oct. 27, the game's original unlock date for Europe and Australia.

Whew! Glad they're hot on the case. Because, for real, seeing a level 18 bruiser's face melt off, and his eyeballs pop out and roll down a flight of stairs, after a critical shock sniper attack, is simply not to be missed. Not that I'm rubbing it in or anything.

Borderlands Accidentally Censored for Aussies on Steam [Ausgamers]

"I recently wrote to the [Commonwealth Censorship] minister regarding my concern that some so-called mobile phone applications, which can be purchased online or either downloaded to mobile phones or played online via mobile phone access, are not being submitted to the board for classification," said Donald McDonald, Australia's Classification Board director.

This is following on the heel's of the American Entertainment Software Rating Board, which asked Apple to use its classification for iPhone games. The ESA stated it would like the App Store to carry ratings as well.

With the iPhone becoming a gaming platform in its own like, competing with the PSP and the DS, ratings only seem fair — to level the playing field. But what's next? Rating flash games?

Classification board seeks to censor iPhone apps - Software - Technology - News [iTnews.com.au via EDGE via Joystiq]

Valve's Zombie shooter was refused classification, which means it can't be made commercially available in the country. Not quite the same as a banning, but it has the same effect.

The company's appeal to overturn the Board's earlier decision has been refused, and the original, unedited version will not be sold in Australia later this fall when the game launches there.

As Valve told us earlier, the version of Left 4 Dead 2 submitted to the Australian government for rating is "the adjusted version." This version has been rated and will be commercially sold in Australia.

Valve's Gabe Newell told Kotaku Australia that this edited version, Australia-only version is "fully compliant with the guidelines" for a 15-years-old and up rating.

"We think Left 4 Dead 2 is a lot of fun," Newell said then. "It's a game for adults. But we're aware that different countries have different restrictions, and we want to make the choices that make the game the most fun for that country."

The recent decision regarding Valve's appeal to sell the unedited version reads:

According to the Classification Review Board, the game has been once again refused classification due to violence.

In the Review Board's opinion, Left 4 Dead 2 could not be accommodated within the MA 15+ classification. The computer game contains a level of violence which is high in impact, prolonged, repeated frequently and realistic within the context of the game.

In addition, it was the Review Board's opinion that there was insufficient delineation between the depiction of general zombie figures and the human figures, as opposed to the clearly fictional 'infected' characters. This was a major consideration of the Review Board in determining the
impact of this game on minors.

Computer games classified RC cannot be sold, hired, advertised or demonstrated in Australia.

The Classification Review Board convened today in response to an application from the distributor of the computer game, Electronic Arts, to review the decision made by the Classification Board on 15 September 2009 to classify Left 4 Dead 2 RC.

Thanks Clement for the tip.

PS3がBRAVIAの画面を叩き割るCM [オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃]