The R18+ Rating for Games Thread

Shorty · 25-08-2009, 12:53 AM

Recently, conservative columnist Miranda Devine published an article blaming the Australian Christian Lobby's efforts to prevent a R18+ rating for video games from being introduced for the "abhorrent" content in House of The Dead: Overkill. Her argument is that the game is far too graphic and profane for an MA15+ rating and that the game could've easily deserved an R18+ rating if the ACL hadn't been lobbying against it.

Personally, I think she spends a little too much of the article telling us how disgusting she thinks HotD is and how it really should be rated R and too little time explaining how the current classification system causes this situation and who is standing in the way of progress. It's kinda difficult to take seriously the indignation of a journalist who describes as "unspeakable" a scene that they then go on to describe in detail.

Still, do you think she's right? Is she arguing for a just cause, albeit possibly not in the best manner? Is this article really going to do anything other than suggest to politicans another game they can lobby to have retroactively banned?

Space_Monkey · 25-08-2009, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by From the article

the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults

Everytime I read this I want to gouge my eyes out.

Jickle · 25-08-2009, 01:25 AM

I don't really care whether I disagree with a person's justification at this point. The fact that we should have an R rating is so obvious that any argument reaching that conclusion is fine in my book.

FrozenSoul80 · 25-08-2009, 02:03 AM

I feel she is right on the money. When playing Fallout 3, and to a lesser extent Bioshock, I was shocked to discover a 15 year old could legally play it. We need this R18+ rating, not to legalise previously banned games, but to properly rate existing games which just scrape through with an MA15+ rating.

Xanafalgue · 25-08-2009, 02:11 AM

Miranda Devine right about something? Stop the ****ing presses...

nintendo · 25-08-2009, 03:46 AM

I find it amusing that the argument gamers have been putting forward all along is being used by a person like her.

Well.... It is common sense after all.... It would eventually need to prevail wouldnt it?

EDIT:
Although I could see this going a-wire on us. It could just end up in the banning of HotD and nothing else. Either that or the banning of HotD and they become even more strict on classifying games that would usually be an R18+ rating.

~~sausage~~ · 25-08-2009, 06:39 AM

I live in NZ.

We have a R18+ rating here.

We are smarter than Australia.

Forced MA15+ rating is forced.

Vindik8or · 25-08-2009, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrozenSoul80

I feel she is right on the money. When playing Fallout 3, and to a lesser extent Bioshock, I was shocked to discover a 15 year old could legally play it. We need this R18+ rating, not to legalise previously banned games, but to properly rate existing games which just scrape through with an MA15+ rating.

Shocked? WTF, mate? There's nothing in these games you wouldn't see in a good MA Arnie action flick.

Put it another way. A 15 year old is only one year from the age where they can be declared legally independant, can be tried as an adult, is old enough to give consent for sex. And you want to shelter them? From what? A bit of gratuitous over-the-top gore?

~~sausage~~ · 25-08-2009, 07:55 AM

Legislation does not guarantee maturity.

Lazlow · 25-08-2009, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillysausage

I live in NZ.

We have a R18+ rating here.

We are smarter than Australia.

Despite this they've still managed to ban Manhunt 1/2, Postal 2, and Resevoir Dogs.

25-08-2009, 12:53 AM	#1
Shorty Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 3,879	The R18+ Rating for Games Thread Recently, conservative columnist Miranda Devine published an article blaming the Australian Christian Lobby's efforts to prevent a R18+ rating for video games from being introduced for the "abhorrent" content in House of The Dead: Overkill. Her argument is that the game is far too graphic and profane for an MA15+ rating and that the game could've easily deserved an R18+ rating if the ACL hadn't been lobbying against it. Personally, I think she spends a little too much of the article telling us how disgusting she thinks HotD is and how it really should be rated R and too little time explaining how the current classification system causes this situation and who is standing in the way of progress. It's kinda difficult to take seriously the indignation of a journalist who describes as "unspeakable" a scene that they then go on to describe in detail. Still, do you think she's right? Is she arguing for a just cause, albeit possibly not in the best manner? Is this article really going to do anything other than suggest to politicans another game they can lobby to have retroactively banned? __________________ Last edited by Shorty; 25-08-2009 at 12:55 AM.

25-08-2009, 02:03 AM	#4
FrozenSoul80 Mentat Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Broken Hill - Yeah, I don't know where it is either. Posts: 3,222	I feel she is right on the money. When playing Fallout 3, and to a lesser extent Bioshock, I was shocked to discover a 15 year old could legally play it. We need this R18+ rating, not to legalise previously banned games, but to properly rate existing games which just scrape through with an MA15+ rating. __________________ Look at my art \| Buy some new clothes \| Xbox Live: FrozenSoul80

25-08-2009, 02:11 AM	#5
Xanafalgue RAZE THE ROOF Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 4,755	Miranda Devine right about something? Stop the ****ing presses... __________________

25-08-2009, 03:46 AM	#6
nintendo Aero the Acrobat Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 591	I find it amusing that the argument gamers have been putting forward all along is being used by a person like her. Well.... It is common sense after all.... It would eventually need to prevail wouldnt it? EDIT: Although I could see this going a-wire on us. It could just end up in the banning of HotD and nothing else. Either that or the banning of HotD and they become even more strict on classifying games that would usually be an R18+ rating. __________________ Gamertag - tsr01

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25-08-2009, 01:25 AM	#3
Jickle Heisenberg Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Godzilligan's Island Posts: 1,567	I don't really care whether I disagree with a person's justification at this point. The fact that we should have an R rating is so obvious that any argument reaching that conclusion is fine in my book.

25-08-2009, 06:39 AM	#7
~~sausage~~ B4nZ0r3d Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Waiting for the custom user title screen in the control panel since 2009 Posts: 4,799	I live in NZ. We have a R18+ rating here. We are smarter than Australia. Forced MA15+ rating is forced.

25-08-2009, 07:55 AM	#9
~~sausage~~ B4nZ0r3d Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Waiting for the custom user title screen in the control panel since 2009 Posts: 4,799	Legislation does not guarantee maturity.