R18+ classification for games.

[Grayfox]

ALL states and territories except New South Wales have agreed to introduce an R18+ adult category for computer games.

The agreement came today at a meeting in Adelaide between state and territory attorneys-general and Federal Justice Minister Brendan O'Connor.

Those backing the plan said it would help prevent teenagers and children accessing unsuitable material.

NSW abstained from endorsing the agreement but will consider the proposal.

The plan will allow for some games that now sell with an MA15+ rating to be reclassified as R18+ and only available to adults.

While it endorsed the plan, South Australia will move to abolish the MA15+ category altogether, moving all such games into the R18+ category.

Gamers have spent years lobbying for an adults-only rating, while a national survey of more than 2200 people last year found 80 per cent support for the idea.

Mr O'Connor said the new classification would finally see Australia catch up with the rest of the world.

"We've had a situation where too many games have been in the MA category," he said.

"Once introduced, the new classification will also afford adults the opportunity to view material designed for adults."

NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith said NSW would consider the agreement and several amendments included in the draft proposal.

He said he did not think it would take long for NSW to declare its position.

"We take reasonable approaches to most things," he said.

"I'm sure there will be a reasonable compromise established so that the nation will move forward.

"I'm particularly pleased that unsuitable MA15+ video games are likely to be removed and reclassified as R18+.

"Some of them are undesirable for young people."

South Australian Attorney-General John Rau said he was comfortable with his state's decision to go it alone and scrap the MA15+ category.

He said it meant video games coming into South Australia and classified MA15+ would have another sticker placed on them, declaring them R18+ material.

"I'm entirely relaxed with these decisions. I support the classifications," he said.

"All the games that are accessible in other states will be available here."

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/g...or/story-e6frfrt9-1226099826269#ixzz1ce8dd2yW


Well i just hope this stupid state(New South Wales) brings in the R18+ classification as that means games won't be banned in Australia anymore.

On the other hand.
I am so sick of idiotic politicians, family groups saying these games are making our children to violent things.

How many of people that are over 15 and mature that like to play COD, Unreal Tournament, American Army, Battlefield for fun encounter a player that is younger than 12 years?

How did these kids get the game?
Where are their parents?

Don't go blaming games but blame the idiots that let these kids play the games.

 

[TankAss95]

I think desensitisation to violence is never good at a young age. In my opinion children under twelve should not be playing Black Ops etc. It's great that games are starting to provide restricted content options though.

 

[Hun200kmh]

I only play racing games so the issue of game classification doesn't bother me much. But I have a funny story to tell. I have a son, now 15 years old, and two years ago (he was 13) he asked me to buy him the first Uncharted game. That game has in Portugal (I guess the whole EU) a 16 year minimum classification, as can be seen here:

So I downloaded the demo to check the game out and found it harmless, the obvious killings needed to progress through the story not being particularly nasty and - as I then said to my wife - the whole thing being some sort of Indiana Jones adventure. With the character being a "good guy", not some gangsta beating up old ladies to become a mafia "Don"

All went well, until one night, at dinner, with my wife and daughters present at the table my son suddenly turned to me and said something like: "Today I won the silver trophy for 100 headshots!"


This was my reaction:

This was my wife's reaction:

The game was made out-of-bounds and only this year he could resume playing it, under severe warning that my litle daughter couldn't be around when he's playing it.

And I was lucky that I didn't have the PS3 out of the window that same night!

 

[Grayfox]

All went well, until one night, at dinner, with my wife and daughters present at the table my son suddenly turned to me and said something like: "Today I won the silver trophy for 100 headshots!"


This was my reaction:

This was my wife's reaction:

Did he ever go BOOM HEADSHOT!?

Why not let you kid watch Death Note, Light Yagami(Kira) kills criminals and the average citizen thinks Kira are happy that he is doing it and he sees it as doing good.
You may see him as the good guy.

 

[Azuremen]

First, Australia and the censorship your government lays out. Parents can still just buy games for their kids; I imagine many will disregard this restriction completely.

Second, children shouldn't be playing truly violent games or consuming violent media in general. There are some connections between reality and fantasy they still don't quite make. Even those of you that will claim other wise - I know we have some very young members on this forum.

I love shows like Dexter and enjoyed reading Death Note, but I can understand the ideas behind an anti-hero better and have better judgement on what is truly right and wrong. Kids don't.

 

[dxm8975]

I think desensitisation to violence is never good at a young age. In my opinion children under twelve should not be playing Black Ops etc. It's great that games are starting to provide restricted content options though.

Playing such kind of games isn't necessarily bad for children under a certain age defined yet to have mature thoughts for proper judgment, for recreation between the time of academic things, as a target for giving vent to their distaste they experienced in their school life or association with other classmates, and can be ethically permitted as long as they can bear in mind that what they are doing in the game is all fictitious and should not be harmful to actual persons.

Things go terrible when they're enchanted in virtue of committing murder in the game, impairing their ability of discrimination what is morally acceptable and what is considered to be vicious, and finally coming to realize that everything in the world is allowed to do just like they always see and perform in the game.

 

[Exorcet]

How many of people that are over 15 and mature that like to play COD, Unreal Tournament, American Army, Battlefield for fun encounter a player that is younger than 12 years?

How did these kids get the game?
Where are their parents?

Don't go blaming games but blame the idiots that let these kids play the games.

I really don't think there is even much issue with younger people playing violent games. I've experienced violent games/movies since I was in single digit ages. Even then I wasn't stupid enough to think that putting an axe into someone's head was a good thing. Of course, I do realize that younger people are generally more impressionable, but they're not brainless.

Buying CoD for your 13 year old isn't a problem. Buying CoD for your 18 year old who shows signs of violent behavior and has problems getting along with people might not be so smart.

 

[E28]

I've played CoD since I was 12, and am perfectly fine. When I was under 10, the only 'violent' movies I watched just involved obviously fake monsters getting blown into obviously fake chunks of flesh.

 

[DK]

About time, although kids are still probably going to have access to these R18+ games if they get their parents to buy it for them.

To anyone who assumes that playing Call of Duty will turn a child into a trained killer, does that mean, by the same logic, that anyone who plays Gran Turismo will become a trained racing driver?