Mortal Kombat banned Down Under

EnigmaXtreme · Feb 25, 2011

We’ve just gotten confirmation that Mortal Kombat has been Refused Classification in Australia.

We’ve just gotten off the phone with the Classification board who have just confirmed that the rumours currently flying around the internet are correct, Mortal Kombat has been refused classification in Australia.

We’ve just received a statement from Warner Brothers which states the following.

Quoted from QUOTE:

The highly anticipated video game Mortal Kombat, published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) in Australia, has been refused classification by the Australian Classification Board and will not release in Australia. We are extremely disappointed that Mortal Kombat, one of the world’s oldest and most successful video games franchises, will not be available to mature Australian gamers. WBIE would not market mature content where it is not appropriate for the audience. We understand that not all content is for every audience, but there is an audience for mature gaming content and it would make more sense to have the R18+ classification in Australia. As a member of the iGEA, WBIE is reviewing all options available at this time.
Ron Currey, CEO of the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association had this to say:

QUOTEThe granting of another RC to a video game clearly designed and targeted at ADULTS again highlights the shortcomings of the current classification scheme. In particular, the absence of an adult classification.

As with many other forms of media, there is a demand and place for an adult themed narrative. We trust adults with this material in other media forms, yet deny them similar access simply because it’s a ‘game’. We would not accept the argument that because it’s “unsuitable for a minor to see or play” that it should therefore be banned in any other media form, so why video games?

When a highly anticipated game receives an RC we can expect two things to happen; interest in obtaining the game will actually increase and people will still get the game either through importing (ordering online) or pirating; the latter an encouragement to commit a crime in order to perpetuate the crime of accessing illegal content. Ironically, the game is then widely available in Australia without any identifiable classification markings. How is this informing parents and protecting children?

It is the industry position that an adult classification sends a clear message to the public that the content is not suitable for minors and is the most effective means of guiding access to mature content. Refusing classification of titles that meet adult rating criteria in every other Western country in our digital age is ineffective and naïve.

It is also important to highlight that content that exceeds the guidelines of an R18+ classification, should it be introduced, would still be refused classification and banned in Australia.
Click to expand...

More news as we get it.

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/02/mortal-ko...d-in-australia/

TrolleyDave · Feb 25, 2011

Hasn't Australia always been a bit censor/ban happy with games though? I thought they had strict rules similar to Germany?

Sylar1 · Feb 25, 2011

XD Australia's a joke country.

Slyakin · Feb 25, 2011

Damn, Australia really has it rough. First the 3DS, and now this.

This is just stupid.

Schlupi · Feb 25, 2011

That is disappointing... I feel TERRIBLE for Australian gamers...

ShadowSoldier · Feb 25, 2011

Another reason why if you want to play mature games, get the fuck out of Australia. Seriously, I feel bad for everybody there.

The Australian Classification Board or whatever the hell it's called needs to get it's shit together, and stop treating full grown adults, like they're babies.

Slyakin · Feb 25, 2011

Man, 3DS being region locked will probably kill the 3DS in Australia.

Guys, be sure to import!

Sir-Fritz · Feb 25, 2011

Quoted from TrolleyDave:

Hasn't Australia always been a bit censor/ban happy with games though? I thought they had strict rules similar to Germany?
Click to expand...

Not similar to germany at all. In germany almost all games (aimed at adults that have blood, gore, violence etc) are censored to be released. In Australia its at max like 5 games a year.

SS4 · Feb 25, 2011

Banning games, its so stupid, its like banning porn or violent movies because it would mess up children if they watched it. Yeah thats why it has a rating system. 13+, 8+, M, E whatever.

I wish that the friggin ppl that ignore the M rating on game package and buy those games for their kids as well as all other ppl with that retarted mentality that videogames are for kids would take their head out of their a** and face the fact straight.

Slyakin · Feb 25, 2011

Man, America is like the opposite. I swear, 80% of CoD players are 11 year old boys.

Oveneise · Feb 25, 2011

Not surprising. The Australian government always seems to censor and ban stuff. Why?! A game is rated M for a reason. Its the parent's job to see what their kids can and can't play, not the government's job. I blame it on the stereotype that gaming is a children's hobby.

Saken · Feb 25, 2011

It's cause we're apparently all convicts at heart and that if we are reminded of mass killing etc. we will go wild and kill everyone.
I mean it's not a huge deal seeing as they will probably censor it and release it for Australia(like they did for Left 4 Dead 2), and it's certainly not a reason to stop living in Australia... ShadowSoldier..

GameWinner · Feb 25, 2011

This is why I can't live in Australia, I'd go crazy from the lack of games. And I thought America was bad when it came to censoring...

zeromac · Feb 25, 2011

Fucking hell

TrolleyDave · Feb 25, 2011

Quoted from Sir-Fritz:

Quoted from TrolleyDave:

Hasn't Australia always been a bit censor/ban happy with games though? I thought they had strict rules similar to Germany?
Click to expand...

Not similar to germany at all. In germany almost all games (aimed at adults that have blood, gore, violence etc) are censored to be released. In Australia its at max like 5 games a year.
Click to expand...

Ah, it's not as bad as I thought it was then. I thought I remembered reading it's rules were as strict as Germany's. So if they make amendments to MK it would get through? I mean it still sucks that it would be censored, but at least it would get a release. And what about importing? Does Aus have it's own region lock on consoles like the 360/PS3?

tbgtbg · Feb 25, 2011

Quoted from Oveneise:

Not surprising. The Australian government always seems to censor and ban stuff. Why?! A game is rated M for a reason.
Click to expand...

If you read the Ron Currey quote in the first post, you'd see that that's part of the problem. Australia doesn't have the equivalent of an M rating. Anything that should get an M instead either gets the equivalent of a T (maybe with censorship involved) or it gets banned.

RoyalCardMan · Feb 25, 2011

This is a rash decision to make to us, but we must respect what they do in Australia.

ShadowSoldier · Feb 25, 2011

Quoted from tbgtbg:

Quoted from Oveneise:

Not surprising. The Australian government always seems to censor and ban stuff. Why?! A game is rated M for a reason.

If you read the Ron Currey quote in the first post, you'd see that that's part of the problem. Australia doesn't have the equivalent of an M rating. Anything that should get an M instead either gets the equivalent of a T (maybe with censorship involved) or it gets banned.

And what's stopping them from changing it? Laziness?

Quoted from TrolleyDave:

Ah, it's not as bad as I thought it was then. I thought I remembered reading it's rules were as strict as Germany's. So if they make amendments to MK it would get through? I mean it still sucks that it would be censored, but at least it would get a release. And what about importing? Does Aus have it's own region lock on consoles like the 360/PS3?
Click to expand...

As someone else said, that's what they did with Left 4 Dead 2. They took out pretty much all of the gore, so it became basically an Arcade game :/

QUOTE
Click to expand...

It's cause we're apparently all convicts at heart and that if we are reminded of mass killing etc. we will go wild and kill everyone.
I mean it's not a huge deal seeing as they will probably censor it and release it for Australia(like they did for Left 4 Dead 2), and it's certainly not a reason to stop living in Australia... ShadowSoldier..
Click to expand...

To me, yes, yes it is. The Australian Gov't is too lazy to update it's system so it get's with the rest of the world. A lot of great games don't make it there, and the ones that do, don't get there the way they were made.

Valfore · Feb 25, 2011

Thats it, Stop this country, i want to get off

Blastoise · Feb 25, 2011

Fuck 'em. (The classification board that is)
Importing it on amazon.

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